Cold shots observation

[WahooYahoo]

Do you get the same results with other loads? Just curious

 

[Carlos88]

Yes. I do.

 

[staghunter]

Check all your screws and ensure the barrel is floated etc. Torque the action screws, don't just hand tight and call it good. Do it right. More often then not the action needs pillars at a minimum and really should be bedded properly then torqued to 65 inch lbs.

So far I have found and corrected the synthetic stock touching the barrel and re torqued the action screws. Good advice help or not. I will have to shoot again to see what this does. Good subject matter and conversation here.

 

[BrentM]

So far I have found and corrected the synthetic stock touching the barrel and re torqued the action screws. Good advice help or not. I will have to shoot again to see what this does. Good subject matter and conversation here.

Double check when ready to shoot that the stock isn't flexing and touching the barrel. For example on the first shot you may be loading the bipod or something and causing flex. Just a thing to note. I had one tupperware stock that flexed badly if I loaded the bipod too much. Wound up reinforcing it with a carbon arrow shaft and epoxy.

 

[spladi]

I'm working on a couple rifles right now with Hammer Hunters and I see the same thing happening. I shot a cold shot and then run my test group. The group may be great but the cold shot was nowhere close to the group. The problem is when hunting your relying on that cold shot to do the job. Am I missing something with my group test. Does everyone shoot a cold shot first. Or incorporate it into your group test.

Have you tried KROIL? I have noticed that after using it my cold clean bore first shot is pretty close to the fowled bore group. JB and Kroil to clean.

 

[Jon Bischof]

I always use Kroil after shooting and then I always dry patch before I shoot. Sometimes my CZ 452 Rimfires will have that first shot flyer when the chamber area gets dirty with Carbon. Once I remover the Carbon with a chamber brush and clean the bore and dry patch it--then both rifles go right back to shooting bullseye POA on the first shot.

Also very important, never hunt with a clean bore. Always fire a few shots and then leave it fouled. You can lightly (not tightly) dry patch the bore to remove residue chunks. Then you are ready to hunt.

I am always more confident of first shot bullseye with a fouled bore. I have not hunted with a freshly cleaned bore in decades and don't intend to.

 

[staghunter]

Double check when ready to shoot that the stock isn't flexing and touching the barrel. For example on the first shot you may be loading the bipod or something and causing flex. Just a thing to note. I had one tupperware stock that flexed badly if I loaded the bipod too much. Wound up reinforcing it with a carbon arrow shaft and epoxy.

Good thought.

I always use Kroil after shooting and then I always dry patch before I shoot. Sometimes my CZ 452 Rimfires will have that first shot flyer when the chamber area gets dirty with Carbon. Once I remover the Carbon with a chamber brush and clean the bore and dry patch it--then both rifles go right back to shooting bullseye POA on the first shot.

Also very important, never hunt with a clean bore. Always fire a few shots and then leave it fouled. You can lightly (not tightly) dry patch the bore to remove residue chunks. Then you are ready to hunt.

I am always more confident of first shot bullseye with a fouled bore. I have not hunted with a freshly cleaned bore in decades and don't intend to.

I'll look up the Kroil. Sounds like several use it. I always hunt dirty also. Just bought this gun and trying to find a load for it.

 

[BrentM]

Good thought.

I'll look up the Kroil. Sounds like several use it. I always hunt dirty also. Just bought this gun and trying to find a load for it.

Never used kroil. Never had an issue. I will say I do clean carbon every 50-100. Carbon is the one thing that can mess you up. I clean the chamber with a boretech chamber cleaning tool. I've been hammering yotes this winter 600-1400. Rifle has to be dialed for that to happen.

 

[Mikecr]

I think it's a pretty common issue, at least for me.
Things I do to fix this:
1. Clear any build issues with the gun and scope.
2. After full cleaning to white metal, I wash the bore with alcohol and then dry pre-foul with Tungsten (WS2). That's how I put the gun away, clean, dry, pre-fouled, ready for use.
3. After developing a hot precision load, I shift to cold bore accuracy development (which can take weeks, or months). So far I haven't seen best hot bore grouping produce the best cold bore accuracy. And since I'm a hunter, I stick with best CB accuracy. If I can't get CBA at ~3/8moa or better, I always let the gun go in some manner, no matter how well it groups.
4. I always keep ammo intended for use in my front pants pockets. No matter the season, bench or field, development or hunting. I pull one shot at a time from my pocket, every shot. At least my ammo is always the same temp.
5. I always shoot off a Harris bipod for accuracy development, as I do in the field.

 

[Phidelt208]

None, of the rifle I have throw the first round way out. I personally do include the first shot in my groups. However, I have fairly high standards for my rifles. 10 shot groups. I do try to note the first shot on every group but haven't seen it make a difference.
As others have mentioned here, check to make sure you are free-floating the barrel, and it's not pressing on anything.

 

[Mikecr]

The problem can exist even with a well built gun. Sometimes the load, sometimes I think it's the barrel. Once I had a NF NXS scope with a lens bedding issue that would throw a first shot on any gun.

I picked up a new tube gun from the factory (Tubb T2K, 6XC) that was guaranteed at least competitive at 600yds. And it was, with a hot load worked up I could easily put 5 hot shots in 2" at 600 with it. But, my intent was to use it for hunting.
When I shifted to cold bore testing, I could see right off that it was gonna take a lot of work. So to find out fast I grabbed some new brass needing fire forming and tested to see if the gun had any hunting potential.
I normally do this testing at 200yds (my nemesis range), at a 10min shot rate (worst for any gun I've shot). This time I fired 2 quick shots and would wait 10mins for the next 2. I just wanted to see shots hold together, but the cooler barrel shots always threw, with the followup shots forming a rough group. I wrote 5 shots on the sheet but it looks like I fired only 8 total there.

With this, I could see that the gun had no hunting potential, and I didn't waste further efforts with it. Sold it it off to a competitor.
It had a 28" heavy palma barrel(17.5lb gun), but there was something about it that was not useful for hunting.
Basically, the gun provided hot precision, but lacked any cold accuracy.

There is a reason that IBS competitors shoot a sighter period right before record shooting, even with their well built guns.
None of my guns shoot cold bore or transition groups as tight as fully warmed(hot) grouping. That's ok, but I still need cold bore accuracy.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Bedding.
Or
If the rifle has been sitting a bit the carbon will oxidize. Run a dry patch or snake without solvent and remove the layer.

I agree and do this myself. After I have finished my range session, if I don't do a complete barrel cleaning with solvent, I at least run a dry patch or two through the bore just to remove any loose fouling.
When I return to the range to shoot the rifle again, I will run another dry patch or two through just to make sure the bore is clear (of obstructions or excess fouling).

 

[Bater]

A GOOD "Straight" Barre,l with all of, the Steel's "Molecules", in the correct place, AND IF, "Broken in" carefully, will shoot, Cold Bore shots, CLOSER to the Group's center than, a Molecularly POOR, Steel Barrel. Sorry, but too lazy to, look up the correct spelling !
And YES you always want to Hunt with, a Dirty Barrel ! My Hammer Forged and properly broken in, Tikka Barrels, Print the First, Clean & dry barrel, Cold Bore shots about, a 1/4 to 1/2 an Inch away from, the Group, on ALL 3 of, my Tikka's.

That was painful

 

[VLD Pilot]

Most of my rifles shoot outside the group if cleaned and shot. I always shoot my rifles a couple dozen times and case it. It's ready to hunt at that point. Cold bore shots are identical to the last groups it shot.