Cold fouled bore 1” high

[Orr89rocz]

With this one you'll need to choose: cold bore accuracy, or hot bore precision.
Make your choice and load develop for that

Well id like to use it as a cornfield gun where 500-600 yrds is possible but i got my 300 wsm for that and building a lighter 28 nosler as well. But i use it as a long range steel gun for fun cuz its cheaper to load for than my 300 wsm where reloder 23 powder is nonexistent and im getting low lol
I need to test on paper again at long range to see what that first shot does. If not significantly far off i feel ok. If it is, i can note change and compensate as long as it proves consistent and repeatable.

The load wont change im happy where its at. Just the dial on the scope will need to change

 

[Orr89rocz]

Aim 1" low on the first shot. Problem solved.



Trying to understand why it happens may be a bit more difficult. Have you ever measured velocity for that first shot as compared to the others? Clearly velocity changes happen with a clean bore, but may be also occurring be occurring with a fouled, cold bore. A sufficient velocity change could mean a different muzzle launch angle, which can be enough to displace a shot 1" at 100 yd.

Havent done that on this gun since the long muzzle brake doesnt work with the magnetospeed sporter. I could try taking it off again and see how it does then.

Also may try 3 shots in 3 days lol go up shoot one, save paper, then go another day and shot at same spot to see where that cold bore goes to get a cold bore group lol

Then i’ll try a cold bore shot after i smack barrel and stock with rubber mallet to put some vibration thru it

 

[Orr89rocz]

What stock is on it?

Just a savage short action in a choate tactical. Alum bed block but i didn’t do anything else but bolt it in

 

[SKWERLZ]

I’ve seen that with clean and oiled bore where first shot or two is wonky and can be solved with not oiling bore after cleaning.

In other cases it’s just cold bore, clean or fouled and I think that’s just an example of barrel voodoo.

 

[Orr89rocz]

Had a FN Browning in 30.06 Cold and Clean first shot High and Right.
Always went Hunting with a dirty Barrel ?

Yes i never hunt with a clean barrel. My issue is with a fouled barrel

 

[Bill Norris]

I’ve seen that with clean and oiled bore where first shot or two is wonky and can be solved with not oiling bore after cleaning.

In other cases it’s just cold bore, clean or fouled and I think that’s just an example of barrel voodoo.

Agree. And I have seen barrels have the "cold bore" disease with a certain load but swap over to a different bullet and it disappear as well.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Havent done that on this gun since the long muzzle brake doesnt work with the magnetospeed sporter. I could try taking it off again and see how it does then.

Also may try 3 shots in 3 days lol go up shoot one, save paper, then go another day and shot at same spot to see where that cold bore goes to get a cold bore group lol

Then i’ll try a cold bore shot after i smack barrel and stock with rubber mallet to put some vibration thru it

I'm not sure how much velocity variance you might observe in the fouled, cold bore as compared to after the first shot as I don't typically measure it that way (I clean every time a rifle is fired). Nonetheless, it is a measurable quantity that could affect POI. In a cleaned, cold bore, my velocity increases approximately 75-100 fps after the first shot, perhaps another 20-30 fps after the second, then remains stable after that.

FWIW - I'm not a big fan of "smacking" a precision rifle with anything, rubber mallet or otherwise. If you're going to do that, a very conservative approach might be best to start out.

 

[ASD9055]

The title says "Cold fouled bore". So, I don't understand why so many talk about clean cold bore. Unless the OP misspoke,

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[AlNyhus]

Just a savage short action in a choate tactical. Alum bed block but i didn’t do anything else but bolt it in

Try this....take the barreled action out. Then just put it back in. With the butt down and the action screws just a little loose, rap the butt down on the floor and without moving anything, tighten the action screws a little at a time alternating from one to the other.

See how it acts then.

 

[Orr89rocz]

I'm not sure how much velocity variance you might observe in the fouled, cold bore as compared to after the first shot as I don't typically measure it that way (I clean every time a rifle is fired). Nonetheless, it is a measurable quantity that could affect POI. In a cleaned, cold bore, my velocity increases approximately 75-100 fps after the first shot, perhaps another 20-30 fps after the second, then remains stable after that.

FWIW - I'm not a big fan of "smacking" a precision rifle with anything, rubber mallet or otherwise. If you're going to do that, a very conservative approach might be best to start out.

Lol
Im not gonna beat it to death just a simulated recoil event to see if it relaxes any residual stress. My hunting guns have seen worse drops. Probably wont do anything but just a thought

 

[Martin52]

.... i got a first round cold bore fouled barrel shot that seems 1” high. Barrel has 30-40 rounds or so since last cleaning and shooting good but that first shot of the day is 1” high and wondering why.

After cleaning and before shooting again try patching out any residual oil/solvent with acetone.

Then patch with 2-3 drops of Lock Ease and let dry with bore pointing down.

Some time ago my first shot tended to go 1/2 to 1 MoA low - the above regime generally gets the first shot in the group. May work in your case.

 

[K22]

If this is occurring at 100 yards its not unusual. The velocity is lower causing this. As you lay more fouling down in a cold fouled barrel it can take a few rounds for the velocity to stabilize again. You can see this in the lower bullet strikes. As the velocity increases at 100 yards the rifle shoots " flatter" due to the increase in velocity. At longer ranges this will be reversed. The cold fouled bore strikes will be lower. As the next rounds are fired the round strikes climb on the target till the velocity is stabilized due to fouling added to the barrel. I experienced this at CAMP PERRY shooting PALMA. I never cleaned the rifle the whole week. And every day on the first relay it took at least 5 sighters till my elevation came back.

That is extremely interesting and profound. In my case, yes, it happens at the 100 yard target.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Since it is a hunting rifle I would shoot a 3 shot in 1 min(each distance) group at 250 and 500 yards. If it holds moa-ish, who cares if the first shot is 1" high at 100. Probably not shooting that close or you wouldn't be concerned about the other end of the field. And wind drift a bigger value than vertical dispersion @500.

 

[Orr89rocz]

After cleaning and before shooting again try patching out any residual oil/solvent with acetone.

Then patch with 2-3 drops of Lock Ease and let dry with bore pointing down.

Some time ago my first shot tended to go 1/2 to 1 MoA low - the above regime generally gets the first shot in the group. May work in your case.

I could care less where the first shot goes on a fresh clean barrel lol most times i fire into the bank and dont even know. I never shoot load development or targets for group or hunt with a fresh clean bore. This is strickly about a fouled dirty bore

 

[rmeyerwy]

Just wondering, maybe a couple of options
Try it without a brake and see what happens?

Wonder if a tuner would do any good?

 

[Dimner]

Aim 1" low on the first shot. Problem solved.



Trying to understand why it happens may be a bit more difficult. Have you ever measured velocity for that first shot as compared to the others? Clearly velocity changes happen with a clean bore, but may be also occurring be occurring with a fouled, cold bore. A sufficient velocity change could mean a different muzzle launch angle, which can be enough to displace a shot 1" at 100 yd.

In nearly every rifle I have used with (these are huntjng rifles) my labradar, the first shot from a dead cold yet fouled barrel is always at lower velocity. In my experience, with the lower velcoity the shot will be higher than the standard group for that load. I have had anywhere from 1 to 3 inches. I can't explain why, it just does.

For hunting season, what I end up doing is sighting in the scope only on a dead cold bore. I'll go out on a 30ish degree day and shoot one shot every 20 minutes. It's slow going but you eventually get the scope sighted to that exact spot.. When that is done, I will shoot some "groups" for a lack of a better term. I'll shoot a dead cold bore, cycle quickly, wait 3 seconds and shoot (mimicking a follow up shot) wait 20 minutes then repeat that a few times to get a mental picture of how those groups look. It usually ends up if I'm hunting under 250yards, its nothing to worry about.

During the wait periods in regards to barrel cool downs, this forum comes in very handy

 

[Orr89rocz]

Took the brake off. First shot way high. And for whatever reason the chronograph did not pick it up. The piece of info i wanted to get and got nothing.
Next two shots on top of each other 2794 2786…. Gotta be something with the bedding/stock. May swap stocks with one of my others and see what happens. Also may try a soft rubber mallet strike to settle it before the next cold one lol.

 

[jelenko]

Took the brake off. First shot way high. And for whatever reason the chronograph did not pick it up. The piece of info i wanted to get and got nothing.
Next two shots on top of each other 2794 2786…. Gotta be something with the bedding/stock. May swap stocks with one of my others and see what happens. Also may try a soft rubber mallet strike to settle it before the next cold one lol.

That shot is 3" higher than the other two, yes?

Assuming so, it has to be something other than the load/barrel.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Just a thought, What about warming the barrel before the first shot and see where it impacts

 

[K22]

In nearly every rifle I have used with (these are huntjng rifles) my labradar, the first shot from a dead cold yet fouled barrel is always at lower velocity. In my experience, with the lower velcoity the shot will be higher than the standard group for that load. I have had anywhere from 1 to 3 inches. I can't explain why, it just does.

For hunting season, what I end up doing is sighting in the scope only on a dead cold bore. I'll go out on a 30ish degree day and shoot one shot every 20 minutes. It's slow going but you eventually get the scope sighted to that exact spot.. When that is done, I will shoot some "groups" for a lack of a better term. I'll shoot a dead cold bore, cycle quickly, wait 3 seconds and shoot (mimicking a follow up shot) wait 20 minutes then repeat that a few times to get a mental picture of how those groups look. It usually ends up if I'm hunting under 250yards, its nothing to worry about.

During the wait periods in regards to barrel cool downs, this forum comes in very handy

I am in the "cold barrel" club too and it has paid significant dividends for my hunting endeavors; especially for varmint hunting where there is little margin for error. These days, in my area, cold barrel shots on groundhogs are the norm due to the massive decline in shot opportunities.

Since I am primarily a hunter when it comes to shooting, all my range practice, reloading, cleaning, etc. is focused on hunting. The "cold barrel" shot is the "money" shot for me. Thus, when I practice at the range, my focus is on cold barrel shots to assess me and my equipment's performance.

Many years ago, I was influenced by a State Police sniper who schooled me on managing, training, and preparation for the "cold barrel club" since the first shot in hunting is analogous to a sniper's first shot. The stakes are different, but the principle is the same.