Factory long range rifle that is cold-bore accurate?
- Thread starter 350 Mag
- Start date
Exactly the point of thread...
That's what I am looking for....but do not want to spend more than $2500.
RangerPark
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Near Edmonton, AB
I've been finding more consistency with a properly cleaned barrel. I saw a Gunwerks video on the matter and thought I would give it a try. I clean my barrels down to the metal. I use wipeout patchout and patches only. When clean I apply a very light coat of oil to the barrel. This is supposed to acts like fouling from a previous shot. The Gunwerks idea was that with using this technique, the first shot will always be part of the group. I've been finding this to be true with 10 shot groups from a clean and cold bore and any subsequent groups. This has been working well for me, you might consider giving it a try.
Top military sniping teams keep their bores fouled since a large group will by definition fired from a fouled barrel!
You should definitely properly clean your barrel, but if you want to have top cold bore accuracy, you need to fire 20-30 rounds after cleaning and keep it that way.
A cold bore shot at a small target at short unknow range is such a feat that barely 10% of top teams will even attempt it.
(Shooting at a tennis ball held by a string at unknown range from 100 to 200 yards with light/medium wind from a field position).
RangerPark
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Near Edmonton, AB
I'm very well aware of this. Military snipers don't pay for their ammo, but I sure do. I don't need to fire 20-30 rounds after cleaning my barrel to get optimal performance, I can do it using the technique I described. I confirmed it again this morning with two different rifles.
I had a 100% factory Rem 5R gen 1 (well, put a timney in it) that shot the same poi warm or cold. I had a few trips shooting at 1000 where i set up, dialled in 31 MOA, 1/2 MOA wind, and smacked a 10" gong cold bore 3 trips in a row. Proceeded on two occasions to shoot paper beside gong, each time adjusting one click brought the group over the bullseye.
I miss that rifle!
Will add that was with a dirty bore. Clean bore always needed some lovin' first (usually less than 5 shots would do it)!
My luck with other factory (sporter) rifles has certainly demonstrated a wandering POI when the rig warms up.
I miss that rifle!
Will add that was with a dirty bore. Clean bore always needed some lovin' first (usually less than 5 shots would do it)!
My luck with other factory (sporter) rifles has certainly demonstrated a wandering POI when the rig warms up.
I have a factory 700 Long Range in 7mm, it doesn't get shot much at short range, and my long range outings are few and far between over the year, but it always seems to print well if I don't heat it up, 5 mins between shots. I've probably got 250-300 rounds through it so far, and I do baby it as I don't think we get factory barrels this good very often.
This was the last cold bore group at 100m, I was trying a new brake (went from Thruster to PA-M41...Thruster is better for recoil) and wanted to see if POI was off and adjust. Shot the same place as the prior brake, only 3 rounds so not a group but at least some anecdotal evidence that cold bore doesn't shift in this rifle anyway.
This was the last cold bore group at 100m, I was trying a new brake (went from Thruster to PA-M41...Thruster is better for recoil) and wanted to see if POI was off and adjust. Shot the same place as the prior brake, only 3 rounds so not a group but at least some anecdotal evidence that cold bore doesn't shift in this rifle anyway.
I've had a number of heavy-barrelled tanks that did ok but the most consistent one I have in this regard is a Ruger Compact 16.5" barrel in .260 that shoots sub-moa, red hot or frosty cold, clean or dirty. Amazing little gun that bucks conventional wisdom.
Remington 700 5R was very good too.
Remington 700 5R was very good too.
I have found there's a big difference between a clean cold bore shot, a fouled cold bore shot and a freshly fouled cold bore shot.
I think any decent 1 moa rifle or better can do that from a recently fouled cold bore shot.
In the early days of F Class we were not permitted a blow off period to foul our clean barrels at the start of the day and I learned to bang a few off into a ditch somewhere on the way to the range each day.
If you clean a barrel today and look down the bore with a bore scope in 6 months, you will find white oxidization heavy at the muzzle and gradually fading toward the rear. That oxidization will affect POI.
Thankfully a blow off period is pretty much standard for F Class these days, but the same practice can apply to almost any shooting situation.
Clean it well... shoot it a few times... shoot it the same or next day.
If you leave the cleaned rifle sit for 6 months, clean it to remove oxidization before you shoot it.
I think any decent 1 moa rifle or better can do that from a recently fouled cold bore shot.
In the early days of F Class we were not permitted a blow off period to foul our clean barrels at the start of the day and I learned to bang a few off into a ditch somewhere on the way to the range each day.
If you clean a barrel today and look down the bore with a bore scope in 6 months, you will find white oxidization heavy at the muzzle and gradually fading toward the rear. That oxidization will affect POI.
Thankfully a blow off period is pretty much standard for F Class these days, but the same practice can apply to almost any shooting situation.
Clean it well... shoot it a few times... shoot it the same or next day.
If you leave the cleaned rifle sit for 6 months, clean it to remove oxidization before you shoot it.
Then avoid cheap rifles with poor build quality and QA/QC - Savage, Remington, etc. You may get a good one, very good chance you will not.
Get a Tikka or a Howa. Stick it in a good chassis or stock of your preference. Have a competent gunsmith bed it (some chassis don't need bedding). Ensure that the stock is free floating. If you want to go the extra mile, stick on a good barrel (Krieger, Bartlein, Benchmark, Brux, Rock Creek) spun up by a competent gunsmith.
^^this is good advice, I run a Tikka CTR in a Manners, it shoots a deadly cold bore, usually its my best shot of the day as I find im focusing on the fundamentals the most, and find myself getting sloppy as I shoot more. I try to not clean my bore, every time you touch it you change everything! Why keep cleaning and changing things then complain of cold bore and POI shifts? do load development with a seasoned bore and you'll have a predicable bore for hundreds of rounds, it takes about 60-70 rounds to get my rifle nice and predictable then I don't touch the bore for 400-500 rounds and then ill usualy see the groups open a bit and flyers. It may not shoot 1/4" groups all day but it does shoot sub 2/3" groups all day while being predicable.
I found that oxidization when inspecting my barrel after sitting in the gun safe all winter, so I got into making oiled swabs to put in the barrel during long term storage.
I've made barrel length strips of cotton towel material cut to a width that fits nicely in the barrel. I tie a length of Fishing line to the end and pull it into the barrel.
I've also made barrel length swabs out of cotton butcher string. Just pound a couple finishing nails into a 2x4 about as far apart as your barrel is long... then wrap around and around with cotton butcher string until you get enough strands to fill the bore.
Loosely braid it when done so the loops don't tangle. Tie a piece of fishing line to pull it into the barrel, soak it in oil and pull it in.
I keep little Keens mustard jars (best mustard BTW) around to store the swabs while they are out, then I re use them any time the rifle sits for a while.
Here's a video how to do it with samples of the oxidization in the barrel with a bore scope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxUIs5WkzS4
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It's Savage long range hunter....
I think I am going to abandon Accustock and get a Cadex....
