rlshrumva
Well-Known Member
Really interesting topic for all of us hunters to consider. So the short version is sight-in your rifle, then check it on your next trip to the range with a cold bore, and adjust if necessary. How did I do?
shot conformation
- Thread starter ARlife4me
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I always do 3 shots one after another to eliminate any questions. But it may not work for everyone. Has never let me down yet but probably not the most scientific way. This is once I find the load I want to go with. There are a lot more parameters that can an will come into play on a shoot
No need to wait for a seperate trip, you can wait for the barrel to cool and do it the same day. If cold bore is the only thing you care about you still need to shoot more than 1 round, just let the barrel cool in between rounds. Checking anything (zero, precision, accuracy, cold bore zero, whatever) with a single round is a waste. One round doesn't tell you where the next 100 rounds will hit. You can do it over multiple days if you want to see how environmentals affect your results. I like to use the same target and shoot a round on it every day two for a few months when I can.
Allen Lone wolf
Well-Known Member
For my hunting rifles I hunt with fouled barrel. When testing what's acceptable accuracy for me, I will fire 2 rds back to back and that simulates a follow up shot if needed in a hunting situation. I'll wait 10min. and repeat to see if I get the same results. Shooting 6ppc competition it's fouled bbl then 5 shots must be in a hole as fast as I can consecutively fire upon returning to battery. If competing with wind conditions it's necessary to catch the wind blowing consistently to maintain the tightest grouping.
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With those skinny barrel rifles I take a shot and a followup shot then let the barrel cool. If I can do that numerous times with sub moa results I'm leaving it alone and test again before a hunt. If I can't take the animal out in 2 shots I need more practice.
For my long range hunting rifles , after a chosen load is decided on , which has a low SD and ES to minimize vertical stringing at longer ranges.
i ll run 2 rounds on separate targets .
left hand target is cold bore shot ,
right hand target is followup shot .
i do this everyday for 10 days ,the 10 days normally gives me a very good indication of how this rifle and load will perform over different weather conditions .
this 10 day test has shown me more than once that a 1/2 moa or better rifle turns into a 1moa rifle . Now im not to concerned with that as the rifle is set up 10 different times and cheekwelds and bench or bipod setups are into play also .
after this is a first shot second shot at longer ranges after a turret adjustment , this is more of a scope turret test than a rifle ,load test ,but very relevant to a hunting rig situation .
i ll run 2 rounds on separate targets .
left hand target is cold bore shot ,
right hand target is followup shot .
i do this everyday for 10 days ,the 10 days normally gives me a very good indication of how this rifle and load will perform over different weather conditions .
this 10 day test has shown me more than once that a 1/2 moa or better rifle turns into a 1moa rifle . Now im not to concerned with that as the rifle is set up 10 different times and cheekwelds and bench or bipod setups are into play also .
after this is a first shot second shot at longer ranges after a turret adjustment , this is more of a scope turret test than a rifle ,load test ,but very relevant to a hunting rig situation .
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Agreed. Similar to what I do. One of the most accurate hunting rifles I ever owned was a 300 Weatherby. Problem was it would shoot the cold bore shot about 1 minute higher than the following shots. Nothing I ever tried would make it better, and most things would make it worse. I sold it. This was many years ago and that rifle led me down a rabbit hole I've never climbed out of. Now, I never shoot a hunting bullet that is not coated with HBN. That stuff helps. When I think I'm getting there with load development the first thing I do is shoot a group at midrange, 4-600 yds depending on the cartridge. If the first shot doesn't fall in the group with the rest, I'll change powder and start over. If that doesn't work, the rifle either gets a new barrel or sold. I'm not going to chase my tail any more, I'm too old, and just don't want to fool with it. During hunting season I fire at least two shots every day. On the way back to camp I keep a target in front of a levee. somewhere along the way I will stop and set up for a shot. I will dial and shoot a cold bore and a follow up. Keeps both the gun and myself sighted it. Keeps me totally confident in both myself and my equipment.
3 shots IMHO....tells you story...no need to waste more.....2 shots...if both are touching or within 1/4" most. But if only 2 and say they are 1"-2" apart....how do you know which one you may have pulled on...3 gives you the confirmation you really want! Just me
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lordofbarbeque
Active Member
Well I thought I was learnt till I read this thread. Thanks for the humbling as usual!
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the rabbit hole. You are trapped and will never dig out either.
Since I hunt, and hunt with a bolt action rifle, the single cold bore shot is the only one that matters to me and has to count. If that one shot is consistently where I want it to be then I am satisfied. I don't really care if the 5th shot in a string, out of a warm or hot barrel, has walked 1.5moa from the first. If I missed the animal with that first shot, most likely I now have a quickly moving target which I probably would not have hit anyway regardless of where shots 4 & 5 go. Check out The Hathcock method.
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Totally agree the first cold bore shot is the most important in a hunting rifle. However, I enjoy shooting and confirming consistency with say 30 or so shots from a rifle in a range session. I still believe the weakest attribute of a hunter and rifle is the hunter. More time shooting typically improves the weakest link. Now if I was lucky enough to have a range on my property, I could focus more on the cold bore shots.
The Hathcock method is just a string of cold bore shots. You're still testing with multiple shots, but you're spreading them over a longer period of time. The math behind your performance doesn't change if you're only interested in cold bore performance even if your test methodology does.
SSG Graybush
Well-Known Member
You need to understand that velocity ES(extreme spread) causes vertical dispersion, combined with group size/moa determines how accurate at longer ranges your rifle will be. Then throw in your ability to call wind and the environment, are all factors that should determine a hunters max effective range on a given day.When doing single shot testing does anyone do 2 shot per for conformation? I state this as maybe the 2nd shot could be further away? Are the single shot test you do for velocity nodes and pressure test or accuracy? All I've done is load, shoot and zero optic. Reading so much of what most have done on this forum is driving me to the nut house
. I'm not overthinking unless it's math involved word problems that I know too much about. You know the ones about flying from 1 place to another? Factor in taking off from the west coast (Long Beach Airport) requiring you to fly out 2 miles over the Pacific before coming back over land. Then you have clearance authorizing for altitude change, time loss due to altitude change going from 10k to 40k. The it's vector change and decent for landing. See what I mean!
I've never tried any ladder or pressure test, but will need to as I've accumulated more than just the pre'64 to shoot.
As far as rifle set up, I cold bore zero all my hunting rifles. Shoot it, leave it till its back to ambient temperature, and repeat.
A good load will shoot sub half moa with a ES of 15 fps or less. And for long range a .65+ g1 bc bullet going 2900+ fps are necessary. IMO. This is tested at 100 yards and as far as I can shoot it to confirm dope(ballistics). And at temps as close to the hunting environment as possible. A good ballistic app like Applied Ballistics will adjust your dope as needed if you input the correct values. I live in Virginia(1000 ft elevation), hunt in Wyoming(7500 ft elevation), when I draw. First thing I do in WY is test my rifle at distance. Like 485 yards with a 25 mph FV(full value) wind. That was last time I was there. WY is windy. Both shots were within 5", I was getting blown around even though I was prone, wind was gusting. But Applied Ballistics adjusted and did its job.
Oh, I carry a Kestrel meter and range finder around my neck. And have a dope sheet taped to rifle. Range target, check wind with Kestrel, check dope sheet, dail up elevation and hold off for wind using a mil reticle as needed. Unfortunately, or fortunately while out in WY I've never had to take a shot over 100 yards. But I'd shoot out to 1000 in the right conditions. Like a zero value wind.
And like you, I shoot a fouled barrel. Once I am done before a trip I tape over the barrel tip, with electrical tape. This ensures the fouled barrel stays the same, fouled. I don't want to have to clean it due to sticking it in the mud. And it doesn't effect accuracy one bit. Once there test it, and retape it.
To understand what people are talking about, look up Satterly load development, anything Brain Litz, and Erik Cortina videos. Read the Berger and Lyman reloading manuals. And then ask questions as needed.
