first shot , could you some advice

[flyfish]

I went to the range today with my 257 Bob. I'm shooting 110 AB with 33.0 grains of IMR 4895. I shot 5 shots, the first was a bit high and to the left (see photo below). The next two shots were off to the left a bit. I made a scope adjustment and shot two more rounds. Pretty darn good in my opinion. Now the question, what do you do to get the first shot (from a cold, clean gun to hit where the others shots are?
There was a guy at the range who was BIG into reloading and he was asking all kind of questions. He told me he uses Winchester primers, the only ones he'll use. He said that first shot may have been a primer issue. I'm using CCI. I'm not sure it was a primer issue, Think it had more to do with the cold gun. But I really don't know. Can anyone out there give me some help with this issue?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[bacova]

A cold bore probably had something to do with it, but if the bore was squeeky clean when you started that was likely the main cause. Most rifles, to my experience, tend to throw the first shot from a clean bore. Think about it, there's a good chance you oiled the barrel to prevent rust after your last cleaning and you had to get rid of it. Some guns I've owned needed 3 or 4 shots after cleaning before they were back on target.

Next time you go to the range, after you finish your session, clean the bore and fire a couple fouling shots, then put the gun away until your next range trip. Of course don't do this if you aren't planning to shoot again for months, but a couple or three weeks with a fouled bore isn't going to hurt a thing. Probably on your next range trip you'll find the first shot goes right where you want it.

I always do this just before hunting season. After a summer's worth of load testing I'll go to the range and do a final sight-in with my chosen hunting load, then clean the gun and fire a couple fouling shots before going home. A day or two later I'll go back to the range and see where my cold, fouled bore shots goes. If it's on target I'll put the gun away and not clean the bore again until after hunting season. I clean the outside of course, but not the bore.

Think about it. You're sitting in a tree a few days into Deer season and a big Buck walks by. You'll be shooting through an ice cold bore and preferably a fouled one. You certainly don't want to be shooting through a bore that's coated with oil. Heck, if it's cold enough the oil may be like axle grease.

You don't want a bore that's so fouled you've lost your accuracy. Just sight it in, clean it good, then foul it and leave it alone. That way you won't be throwing your most important shot of the season, your killing shot.

Sorry for the long post. Some will probably disagree with me, but that's what I do. My cold shot goes where I want it to and it doesn't hurt the bore at all, no pitting etc. Just don't leave it fouled from one season to the next.

Actually, I'm not sure even that would hurt anything.

 

[Britz]

THe simple fact is that a clean barrel will throw the first few bullets. I will never go into the field with a clean rifle because I have the barrel fauled with at least 3 rounds prior to hunting. If I get the gun dirty and have to clean it I will fire the rifle if possible before going to the field.

If you are hunting big game, your first shot is the only one that counts. So sight in your rifle using a fauled barrel and a cold one. Let the rifle cool down between shots.

The other simple truth is that these things impact some rifles more than others and very seldom will they have a great impact on close range shots.

I'm not familiar w/ the 257 bob, but generaly speaking it is unnecisary to shoot more than 3 shots out of a sporter weight medum to large rifle because the barrel heats up too much. You are better off shooting multiple 3 shot groups to test ammo and sight in.
Mark.

 

[Britz]

Forgot to add, My 300wsm has not run into accuracy issues after 30 rounds. THan is, I have fired 10 - 3shot groups and the accuracy was still pretty consistant at that point. I figure w/ my rifle the prime accuracy is between 5 and 25 rounds (just to be safe), then I clean it and fire 3-5 fauling shots again to have another 20 or so hunting rounds ready to go. It may be good for longer, I just never let it fire more than 30 rounds between cleanings.

 

[old #7]

I agree with the other posters on the fouling issue.
Another issue would be barrel temperatures. When I sight in my rifles I will shoot 3 to five shot groups letting the barrell completely cool between shots, then I will move the group of shots not the individual shot.
Some barrels respond differently to temperatures depending on barrel lenght, thickness, bedding, and on.......I dont believe primers will affect your "first shot" and not the others. Reloading is all about consistancy........ from your loads all the way through barrel temperatures and barrel conditions.

 

[OU812]

Like others have already said, shoot 1-2 fouling rounds before shooting for group size. Every rifle I own likes 1-2 fouling rounds before they settle in to a group l, try it next time at the range and see how things go.

I also shoot 1-2 fouling rounds just prior to deer or elk season and will not clean the barrel until season is over.

 

[JD338]

Like others have already said, shoot 1-2 fouling rounds before shooting for group size. Every rifle I own likes 1-2 fouling rounds before they settle in to a group l, try it next time at the range and see how things go.

I also shoot 1-2 fouling rounds just prior to deer or elk season and will not clean the barrel until season is over.

+1

JD338

 

[flyfish]

I have to appologize....I knew what I was thinking when I was typing..........the gun was cold but not clean. I had shot a week or two before and did not clean it for the exact reason you guys mentioned. So the flier you see is from a cold dirty gun.

 

[JD338]

It could have been you, or that the gun wasn't quite settled in.
I would try a couple more shooting sessions befoe you draw any firm conclusions.
Looks like you have a nice load there. :wink:

JD338

 

[flyfish]

Yeah, I first came up with that load when I was trying the 115 BT. I took a deer with them at about 120 yards, a neck shot. That was all I had to shoot at. The deer went about 60 yards and had a golf ball size hole in his neck. When I read on this forum that the 110 AB were similar to the the BT and for loading the AB Nosler told me to use the data for the BT I knew what load I would start with.

I will be using this bullet and load for deer hunting this year. I hope a get a shot so I can see how well they preform.