5 shot groups 3 together and 2 fliers?

[chrisb97]

I've been doing a load workup for my 300 win mag and I can't seem to get the fliers to go away. I found my powder node and then tried to tune the fliers out with my seating depth. I'm doing 5 shot groups and the first 3 are usually stacking on top of each other and then the next 2 are fliers. I am shooting these 5 round groups with about 30 seconds between each shot. Do yall think it's my barrel getting too hot?

 

[Pilsner]

I've got a Kimber 30-06 with a pencil barrel that does the same thing regardless of load. Barrel gets hot and it starts throwing "fliers" further and further upward. Testable theory:
Shot 1 shot every 5 mins and see what the 5 shot group looks like.

 

[birddog 68]

I am shooting these 5 round groups with about 30 seconds between each shot. Do yall think it's my barrel getting too hot?

YES. 30 seconds isn't nearly enough unless it's 30 degrees.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Most likely. Try waiting longer between shots. Not certain where you live. But in this heat, barrels heat up quickly. Use a barrel cooler. Lots of options.

 

[willfrye027]

If you shot a 20 shot group those "fliers" would probably be part of the whole group.

Barring any scope, action screw, or scope mount issue they are probably not fliers

 

[bamban]

I don't know Carlos but I know Gus really well. Gus built a JC Garand legal rifle for me that shot every bit as good as any NM M1. Being a former shop chief at PWS/RTE, he knows his way around weapons.

Carlos Hathcock Method of Sighting in a Rifle

Carlos had me Shoot 1x/day & record everything into a log book, the Rationale was that "How many shots do you think you are going to get at a deer?"

americanshootingjournal.com

 

[Eric H]

If this is a hunting rifle, only the first 2 shots matter. If you're able to do 3 shots back to back with each touching each other and then do it again numerous times on cold bore shots, you're good. Don't go down that rabbit hole attempting to make it shoot like a target gun if it's not. "Long Range Hunting". Try it in cool and hot weather to see how your powder reacts to temperature change. That pattern is great.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Use a cordless air mattress inflator to blow ambient air down the barrel between shots and give it 3 minutes between shots. You'll only have to do this once or twice to see if it's a rapid heat buildup that's causing the problem.

I only shoot 3-shot groups with my big guns and I still use the inflator to mildly cool the inside of the bore. If you want more conformation of accuracy, shoot a second 3-shot group when the barrel is completely cool again.

 

[chrisb97]

Thanks for the replies guys. It's a savage 110 high country so it's got a decently thick fluted barrel on it but it was about 75° when I was shooting. I'll try 5 minutes between shots and see how it looks later this week

 

[MagnumManiac]

I've been doing a load workup for my 300 win mag and I can't seem to get the fliers to go away. I found my powder node and then tried to tune the fliers out with my seating depth. I'm doing 5 shot groups and the first 3 are usually stacking on top of each other and then the next 2 are fliers. I am shooting these 5 round groups with about 30 seconds between each shot. Do yall think it's my barrel getting too hot?

Yes.
Don't want to burst your bubble, but 3 shot groups are ample in a HUNTING RIFLE and you will most likely NEVER see an improvement.

Cheers.

 

[Trm82]

3 shot groups and all your issues are solved !!

I find 5 shot groups a waste of time and components in my hunting rifles.

 

[chrisb97]

Yes.
Don't want to burst your bubble, but 3 shot groups are ample in a HUNTING RIFLE and you will most likely NEVER see an improvement.

Cheers.

It's more of a multi purpose rifle. I bang steel with it out to 600 or so and I hunt with it. I finally decided to stop shooting factory and work up a load for it and ran into this. I've never done more than 3 shot groups so I wasn't sure if my results were typical with the barrel warming up. But I would like to be able to do a 5 round group and get rid of the fliers if possible.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The problem is that they probably are not fliers, just the barrel walking shots as it warms. In most comp guns, you don't get the luxury of waiting 5 minutes between shots and it really doesn't prove anything.
Shoot it at 300 and see what it does with 10 shots fired in 2 minutes…

Cheers.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Shoot 3
Let cool for 15-20 minutes
Shoot 3 more

See if they all go into the same group.