Hot barrel

[Olliesims]

It seems with my new howa it's shooting better with a warmer barrel which I would prefer it wouldn't set a large crow decoy out while out tonight as didn't have a target with me fired 3 shots all hit the decoy just not where I aimed, next 4 shots all in a nice group in the centre where I had the cross hairs... Now ok it all hit the intended target but took 3 shots to get it central what could be causing this? What mag is the best to set your zero at for 100-200 yards? I had it on 12 but thinking changing to 10 as it seems to be more steady

[cockercas]

10mag looks more steady because you carnt see the wobbles as much as on 12mag

what calibre is it?, and what ammo?

Edited July 20, 2012 by cockercas

[Olliesims]

.223 been using hornady 53g v max and Winchester 53g super x soft points

[Redgum]

Some rifles shoot better with a dirty barrel, had the gun been cleaned before the first few shots. I always shoot with a clean barrel and first shot from a cold barrel is the one that has to be spot on. Sure its not just you settling down and being more accurate, sometimes the louder crack from a centrefire can effect your shooting till you get used to it.

[cockercas]

moderated? how far away are we talikng about the first 3 shots compared to the group of 4?

[Olliesims]

I've never cleaned it since I've had it just over a week put maybe 110 rounds in it? Look down the barrel looks as clean as a whistle

[cockercas]

What mag is the best to set your zero at for 100-200 yards? I had it on 12 but thinking changing to 10 as it seems to be more steady

 

 

. Sure its not just you settling down and being more accurate, sometimes the louder crack from a centrefire can effect your shooting till you get used to it.

thats what im thinking, not used to the gun and over compensating for recoil. hence the last line in the 1st post

[cockercas]

I've never cleaned it since I've had it just over a week put maybe 110 rounds in it? Look down the barrel looks as clean as a whistle

guessing you didnt shoot the barrel in then

[Olliesims]

Yes it's moderated a tld sr series carbon thing, I'll take a photo of the decoy and upload it

 

It's a 3 shot group in the middle not 4

 

 

I thought after 100 plus it would be worn in???

[CharlieT]

I hope you cleaned it before you used it.

 

I would suggest you clean it now and then try on a proper target using a rock steady support, taking your time letting the barrel cool down after each 5 shot group.

 

Did it group well when you first zeroed it in ?

[Olliesims]

Umm no the first time I zeroed it, it wouldn't hold zero due to **** scope, got myself a new one re zeroed today it's getting a group now just the first 3 don't seem to group

[CharlieT]

Umm no the first time I zeroed it, it wouldn't hold zero due to **** scope, got myself a new one re zeroed today it's getting a group now just the first 3 don't seem to group

 

Right, got it now.

 

First I think you need to go back to square one.

 

Give the barrel a good clean and get rid of all the copper and carbon that will have built up in the barrel. New barrels can build up copper quickly, the roughish bore of a new factory barrel is prone to strip copper from the bullet. Hence the reason some suggest barrel break in.

 

Set a proper target up and with the rifle supported correctly slowly fire a group. Let the barrel cool right down before you fire another group. Don't worry about hitting the center of the target at this stage, what you are interested in is the grouping.

 

Be prepared to try different makes of ammo to find one that suits your rifle.

[Olliesims]

I've tried Ppu what was rubbish with all the primars cratering, stopped using them, in the picture there hornady vmax, used Winchester super x soft point what was ok as well will try some more Winchester tomorrow as they did group rather well, I'll use some copper solvent tomorrow and try again,

[cockercas]

Yes it's moderated a tld sr series carbon thing, I'll take a photo of the decoy and upload it

 

It's a 3 shot group in the middle not 4

 

 

 

I thought after 100 plus it would be worn in???

with a new rifle there is small imperfections in the barrel, so some prefer to shoot in the barrel. many ways to do it depends who you ask. it took me a week to do my t3.

 

try again. proper target, proper rest,bi-pod and rear bag. shoot 3 shots, let the barrel cool, shoot 3 cool again. first tho give that barrel some tlc.

 

I've tried Ppu what was rubbish with all the primars cratering, stopped using them, in the picture there hornady vmax, used Winchester super x soft point what was ok as well will try some more Winchester tomorrow as they did group rather well, I'll use some copper solvent tomorrow and try again,

and powder solvent.

[cockercas]

There is much discussion about 'shooting in' a barrel. Everybody seems to have their own way of doing it, so this is a brief monograph about how we do it.

 

But first, a few words on why 'shooting in' a barrel is necessary. No matter how well lapped or how finely finished the internal surface of the barrel is, the first few bullets down the barrel seem to leave a significant fraction of themselves behind as heavy metal fouling. A subsequent bullet shot up a barrel with heavy metal fouling will tend to press that fouling into the barrel causing dints and roughness in a bore that the barrel maker has gone to a lot of trouble to make smooth and even. So it is important to get all that metal fouling out before shooting another bullet up the barrel.

 

When we shoot in a barrel, we fire one shot and then use a phosphor bronze brush and Shooters Choice to clean the barrel of powder fouling and loose dirt. Having dried out the barrel with a few patches, we squirt some Forrest bore foam up the barrel and leave it sitting for 24 hours to get out all the metal fouling. There is no way to quickly clean metal fouling out of a barrel and we find Forrest bore foam seems to do the job best as the foam clings to the whole interior surface of the barrel.

 

After 24 hours the Forrest bore foam has turned dark blue, but all traces of the metal fouling is gone. Now (after cleaning out the bore foam....) we fire another shot and repeat the process.

 

We do this about five times. Finally, we fire five shots and then give the barrel a final 24 hour soak in Forrest bore foam. The bore of the barrel will now have been 'conditioned' and metal fouling should be minimal from now on. Yes, we take a week to shoot in a barrel! But there is no quick way to remove heavy metal fouling. Anyone that says there is doesn't have a bore scope!

 

Using moly coated bullets seems to minimise the metal fouling during this shooting in process and makes it all a lot easier.

 

For general cleaning after shooting, we use a phosphor bronze brush dipped in Shooters Choice. This is pulled down the barrel from the muzzle a few times to loosen off the powder fouling. The barrel is then cleaned out using dry patches. It is important that the phosphor bronze brush is clean and in good condition. It should be kept in container so that does not pick up any sand and dirt. If the brush collapses on one side, as some makes tend to do, then throw it away and use a new one. A phosphor bronze brush will do no harm to your barrel provided it is free of dirt and in good condition. It is also important to clean out the chamber and the area in front of the locking lugs, just behind the back of the barrel.

 

I should just say at this point that we are getting no favours or promotional payments for mentioning Forrest bore foam or Shooters Choice. I mention these products because that is what we use - for now. Someday, we may find something that we like better for one reason or another and then we will use that instead.

[Olliesims]

Thank you very much for that, was very informative I'm just to used to rimfires and they don't take alot to zero in, and this being my first centerfire I don't know alot about them, the groups are starting to form and with your help hopefully I will be able to pull some even nicer groups, once again thank you