Cold shots observation

[staghunter]

I'm working on a couple rifles right now with Hammer Hunters and I see the same thing happening. I shot a cold shot and then run my test group. The group may be great but the cold shot was nowhere close to the group. The problem is when hunting your relying on that cold shot to do the job. Am I missing something with my group test. Does everyone shoot a cold shot first. Or incorporate it into your group test.

 

[Pdyson]

Just wondering if these are cold clean barrel with cold shooter. Oils and solvents can throw shots.

 

[Carlos88]

I'm working on a couple rifles right now with Hammer Hunters and I see the same thing happening. I shot a cold shot and then run my test group. The group may be great but the cold shot was nowhere close to the group. The problem is when hunting your relying on that cold shot to do the job. Am I missing something with my group test. Does everyone shoot a cold shot first. Or incorporate it into your group test.

Yes. Hunt with a dirty barrel and shoot groups after blowing out cleaning fluids.

 

[GLTaylor]

X2 above

 

[Idaho Lefty]

A GOOD "Straight" Barre,l with all of, the Steel's "Molecules", in the correct place, AND IF, "Broken in" carefully, will shoot, Cold Bore shots, CLOSER to the Group's center than, a Molecularly POOR, Steel Barrel. Sorry, but too lazy to, look up the correct spelling !
And YES you always want to Hunt with, a Dirty Barrel ! My Hammer Forged and properly broken in, Tikka Barrels, Print the First, Clean & dry barrel, Cold Bore shots about, a 1/4 to 1/2 an Inch away from, the Group, on ALL 3 of, my Tikka's.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I do not own a rifle that shoots cold bore shots out of the group…if it does and cannot be tuned not to do so, it goes down the road.
This is always a sign of improper steel normalising, if shots walk, the gun walks too.

Cheers.

 

[BrentM]

Bedding.
Or
If the rifle has been sitting a bit the carbon will oxidize. Run a dry patch or snake without solvent and remove the layer.

I don't have any rifles that shoot a cold bore out of the group. As a hunter my first shot and potential follow up must be the same.

 

[staghunter]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm going to give it another go before throwing in the towel. Maybe new barrel. It's a Rem 700 BDL fluted stainless with a brake from factory.

 

[BrentM]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm going to give it another go before throwing in the towel. Maybe new barrel. It's a Rem 700 BDL fluted stainless with a brake from factory.

Check all your screws and ensure the barrel is floated etc. Torque the action screws, don't just hand tight and call it good. Do it right. More often then not the action needs pillars at a minimum and really should be bedded properly then torqued to 65 inch lbs.

 

[staghunter]

Thanks I'll go through it.

 

[Csbc4fun]

I also follow Mr. Cortina's advice and leave my clean barrel with a last swab of Lockeeze graphite. Seems to minimize any first shot variance or I just have a good barrel, Benchmark.

 

[jeb405]

I find this topic to be one of the many with widely varying opinions and experiences, similar to the related topic of barrel break in. I have a Todd Hodnett video where he insists it is mental. I have seen it in my guns even when dirty, but never focussed on it enough to sort out the truth. Interestingly I saw an Erik Cortina video recently where he said he used Lockeze in the bore after all cleaning complete and he finds it improves cold bore shot consistency.

And yes, unfortunately and sadly I have more time to watch videos than shoot.

YMMV

JB

 

[BrentM]

I find this topic to be one of the many with widely varying opinions and experiences, similar to the related topic of barrel break in. I have a Todd Hodnett video where he insists it is mental. I have seen it in my guns even when dirty, but never focussed on it enough to sort out the truth. Interestingly I saw an Erik Cortina video recently where he said he used Lockeze in the bore after all cleaning complete and he finds it improves cold bore shot consistency.

And yes, unfortunately and sadly I have more time to watch videos than shoot.

YMMV

JB

Yep some say it's cold shooter. However it is easily related to bad loads, bad bedding or lack there of, etc. I had a rifle that would do this crap and I had a hot load. Backed off .5 and it was wicked accurate after that. Had another rifle that would only do weird groups in colder temps. Buddy convinced me to bed it, problem solved. Since then I approach it shooter first, then consider the ammo and rifle set up.

 

[Carlos88]

I find this topic to be one of the many with widely varying opinions and experiences, similar to the related topic of barrel break in. I have a Todd Hodnett video where he insists it is mental. I have seen it in my guns even when dirty, but never focussed on it enough to sort out the truth. Interestingly I saw an Erik Cortina video recently where he said he used Lockeze in the bore after all cleaning complete and he finds it improves cold bore shot consistency.

And yes, unfortunately and sadly I have more time to watch videos than shoot.

YMMV

JB

I'm grateful there is disagreement. Differing experiences and beliefs have resulted in increasingly accurate factory rifles and ridiculously accurate custom rigs. Stocks, barrels, actions, bedding, scopes & mounts, brass, powders, bullets have all evolved and improved beyond what many thought possible years ago.

It's not your Dad's model 70 anymore.

P.S. 99% of what I shoot are factory rigs.