Been having an issue with my rifle. It's a 6.5 creed Tikka superlite with a swaro z3 3-10x42 and talley rings. Recently I had the barrel cut to 18" and threaded for a suppressor (which I don't have yet) and seemingly that's when this issue started.
Basically it seems like the first time I shoot the rifle one day to the next, the shot is about 6" off at 100 yards. The first time I shot it after having the barrel shortened, I was checking the zero at 100 so it didn't surprise me a lot that the first shot was off, and I don't exactly remember how the rest of the shots played out that day. The only other time I shot the rifle until a few days ago, it was at 300 yards and I wound up having a shot totally off paper, while all my other shots were acceptable. I didn't suspect it was the first shot since I didn't check the target till I had fired 4 times. I figured it was my error.
The problem came to ahead a few days ago when I was deer hunting. I shot at a deer prone with a bipod and my backpack as a back rest from 220 yards and had a clean miss. I did rush the shot but I was a bit surprised I missed since it felt good. The next day I found another buck. This time he was only 135 yards away. I shot prone with the bipod and the backrest again. He was not moving and not behind any brush. I also remembered my miss and took time to control my breathing. I hit him, but the shot was about five inches from the shot I thought I was taking. This time I was really surprised and I had to take a follow up shot, which was perfect.
Today on a hunch, I took the rifle out and the pattern confirmed itself. First shot, six inches or so high. Let the barrel cool completely, and the next shot was good. I let it cool again and same result. Every subsequent shot on a hot barrel was good as well, I shot a sub moa 4 round group at 100 yards. Very perplexed why only the first shot is off every time, but apparently not because of barrel temperature. Anyone have any ideas?
Basically it seems like the first time I shoot the rifle one day to the next, the shot is about 6" off at 100 yards. The first time I shot it after having the barrel shortened, I was checking the zero at 100 so it didn't surprise me a lot that the first shot was off, and I don't exactly remember how the rest of the shots played out that day. The only other time I shot the rifle until a few days ago, it was at 300 yards and I wound up having a shot totally off paper, while all my other shots were acceptable. I didn't suspect it was the first shot since I didn't check the target till I had fired 4 times. I figured it was my error.
The problem came to ahead a few days ago when I was deer hunting. I shot at a deer prone with a bipod and my backpack as a back rest from 220 yards and had a clean miss. I did rush the shot but I was a bit surprised I missed since it felt good. The next day I found another buck. This time he was only 135 yards away. I shot prone with the bipod and the backrest again. He was not moving and not behind any brush. I also remembered my miss and took time to control my breathing. I hit him, but the shot was about five inches from the shot I thought I was taking. This time I was really surprised and I had to take a follow up shot, which was perfect.
Today on a hunch, I took the rifle out and the pattern confirmed itself. First shot, six inches or so high. Let the barrel cool completely, and the next shot was good. I let it cool again and same result. Every subsequent shot on a hot barrel was good as well, I shot a sub moa 4 round group at 100 yards. Very perplexed why only the first shot is off every time, but apparently not because of barrel temperature. Anyone have any ideas?
