Cold Bore / Clean Bore shots

[Vern400]

It's critical to understand what your rifle does with cold bore shots, AND with clean bore shots. Without that knowledge it's tough to know where that first bullet is going. This particular rifle shoots true after 2 fouler rounds. This one is very consistent. So I know where the first one is going.

I don't mean to start a comment shootout but I think the pics are pretty helpful. Understanding this has earned me a few $20 bills hitting clay pigeons at 400 yards right after cleaning my barrel at a fun shoot. I dry patch it extra if my money hangs in the in the balance. Yes. I cheat if that's cheating.
I occasionally hunt the coastal Islands and if you dont clean and oil daily you'll be pitted bore. Even stainless can take a beating there. That's a different target pic. So I kinda learned this from necessity.

Cold bore isn't interesting for my rifles- just a tiny bit of vertical stretch in the groups. Maybe 50 fps slow on the first shot. But 20F is cold here. RL15 gets interesting when it's hot and you heat a chambered round for a minute or two!

I don't change recipes often. I'd rather know exactly what they do. Guess I'm a boring old guy now. But I might take a twenty now and again

 

[nimrod_gn]

This is so true. Clean bore is easy to fix but some rifles throw a significant flyer with a cold bore shot that can really mess things up, particularly with a hunting rifle.

 

[Vern400]

This is so true. Clean bore is easy to fix but some rifles throw a significant flyer with a cold bore shot that can really mess things up, particularly with a hunting rifle.

Exactly. If a fellow spends all his time on tweaking loads it's hard to get a handle on the shot that matters. Sometimes I even have to put cellophane tape over the tube to keep water out. Never seen tape hurt POI or groups, but water down the tube will make a sho 'nuff bad cold bore shot!

 

[JoeDirt]

I think its interesting those PRS guys hardly clean their bores. When they do clean they dont use solvent.

A lot report that they find grouping equilibrium in between 50 to 350 rounds.

Ive since worried less about my bore and have paper punched my best groups recently.

 

[Vern400]

I think its interesting those PRS guys hardly clean their bores. When they do clean they dont use solvent.

A lot report that they find grouping equilibrium in between 50 to 350 rounds.

Ive since worried less about my bore and have paper punched my best groups recently.

Absolutely! I'd never argue the point with a competitive shooter with a highly finished stainless steel barrel. Accuracy says it all. They know more about that than I do.

Hunting in rain, snow, mud, keeping a rifle in a humid tent, and especially salt environments is a different beast. A lightly oiled patch is sufficient for some hunters for years on end. But no bore care at all easily results in pitted bore. I misspoke saying clean and oil daily. Sorry. The oil part- I'm sticking with it. There we're only talking trashed barrel and some rust spots

Now let's talk failed hunts. Still need to know where the first shot is going. My rifles are pretty tame. Some throw wild first shots. I've seen some 4 minute errors! It's easy to convince oneself everything is ok if we all discount the first shot at the range like it doesn't matter. 95% of the time (for me) it's the ONLY shot that matters.

That's all I'm layin' down for thought.