Problem : Flyer always way high

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VZsammy

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Hi guys,
I am new to "precision" shooting and really need some advices. I've got very average gear to begin with and I shoot low priced hunting ammo for now so I am not expecting stellar result.

What I am really looking for this summer is hitting Woodchucks at 100yards with my .308 Remington 700 and the grouping at the range are good enough for this.

The problem is that from time to time a shot will hit something like 3" higher, not lower, not left, not right but HIGHER... And it seems to me that it tends to happen on the first shot of a group like with the first shot out of the case.

I was thinking it could be from the barrel being colder but I can't believe it could really mean a 3" difference at 100 Yards.

Any help will be welcome.

Thanks.
 
Are you putting the same amount of shoulder into all rounds in your group, including the first one?

Have you chronied your rifle going from cold barrel first shot to warm barrel last shot in the group. Test the ammo you are shooting and see what the velocity difference is with the cold bore shot and the next 5 or six shots. If you are getting 100fps or better difference in the ammo (cold or warm) then this, along with having a cold bore, could contribute.

For example, I never count the first cold bore shot in a group I am chrony'ing simply because I know that (for the most part) the first shot will always be faster than the next shots in the string, sometimes by quite a margin.

Have you tried shooting 1 or 2 fouling shots, then shooting 5 for group?

What is your average group size with the ammo you are using not including the high flier?

You said this happens from time to time....how often? First cold bore shot every range trip, once every 3 range trips?

If it is periodic I would tend to think it's the nut behind the bolt that is putting it up there. If it is every range trip or most every range trip then I would think that perhaps the combination of cold bore with ammo that is (probably) getting high Extreme Spreads could be contributing factors.

Have you let someone else take the first shots at the range? If so...did they have the same results as you?
 
You say it doesn't happen all the time - does it just happen on the first shot after a cleaning? It is very common for some rifles to be sensitive to the amount of fouling (or conversely the amount of cleaning stuff in the bore).

Very often hunters sight in their rifle, clean it, and then take one shot before heading out.

If this is the case, you might reduce the effect by using a light oil, and by putting a couple of dry patches through as the last step of your cleaning. Otherwise, always treat the first shot after cleaning as a write-off fouling shot.

RG

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I think the flyer is the result of a cold maybe slightly oiled bore. I had a 40x that would put the first two shots high right, into the 4 ring with a clean bore. If I made the full correction on the sight the first shot on score was low left into the 4 ring. I stopped cleaning the bore and the problem went away. Cleaning is over rated. Don't clean until your groups open up.
 
+1 on fouling. Lots of rifles require at least one fouling shot before they settle down and shoot consistently.

You don't really need to clean the bore until accuracy starts to drop off with modern non-corrosive ammunition.
 
Hi, just wanted to let you know that things had improved since the last trip to the range.

I put a lot of attention on constant firm shoulder pressure, loaded one round at the time, didn't clean the rifle before and let the barrel cool down a bit more than usual.

The upper flyer didn't show up tonight and the first group has to be one of the tighter 100 yards group I made to date.

I should be able to find a woodchuck or two this weekend to test the rig.

Thanks to every gunnutz who gave those advices.
 
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