That First Shot--Conclusion

Three days ago i went up in the hills, and shot the target pictured above. The taped holes were made from the X7 after it was cleaned, and primers used to foul the barrel. Then i went for a hike for a few hours. When i finished the hike the breeze wasn't bad so i taped the target, and shot 3 more shots from the dirty barrel. It seemed weird the first shots, hit about the same place, as did the second shots, and the third shots kinda did too.

The range was 93 yard. The X7 with the 1X scope mounted was loaded with 110g Blackhorn, 300g Deep Curl, crush rib sabot, and Federal 215 large rifle magnum primers.



Today, i went up to shoot again using the same rifle, same load, same 93 yard, but this time i began with a squeaky, shiny clean barrel, no primer fouling.










Looking back through previous threads, and previous posts one thing stood out to me. The first shot from this rifle, is almost always the lowest shot, whether from a dirty barrel, clean barrel, or primer fouled barrel. The next two shots are usually some higher. So.. now what?

When hunting season begins, i will be out there carrying this rifle. A loaded rifle, with a squeaky shiny clean barrel.

I conclude you're a darn good shot whether its fouled or not. It is strange that the #1 and #2 were so close like that. It can't be heat waves off the barrel and you have not shot enough to cause that.

Maybe the barrel is warned up after the first shot so you get more burn out of the 2nd and 3rd shot causing little higher velocities therefore your impact is little higher???

Watch out deer !

River Rat said:

Maybe the barrel is warned up after the first shot so you get more burn out of the 2nd and 3rd shot causing little higher velocities therefore your impact is little higher???

Click to expand...

Some have written that higher velocities will result in the bullet hitting lower. Me, i don't know. However, it does seem that the warming barrel does indeed change the point of impact.

You are a real good shot and the rifle is consistant; I'd say the deer had better watch out.

I start the hunt with a clean barrel, with my average shot distance and all, the difference is not enough to matter. When hunting QDM type areas I may be going 2 days or so without a shot anyway. I'd rather have a clean barrel for that time. Once fouled with B209 I leave it go a few days.

Great shooting Ron, as usual! My thoughts are, warmer barrels give a little better seal to the sabot than cold, as long as it isn't so hot as to degrade the sabot. A little fouling does that too though......

Sounds like what others are thinking too. Bottom line, that's some dang fine shooting with a 1X scope! :applause: