2-3 shots for clean barrel to settle down?

Tim N · Post by **Tim N** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:34 am

Hi All,
If this is the case for a particular barrel, any tips for what to do during a comp if cleaning each day?
Assuming there's no way to fire some fouling shots.

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:07 pm

your first shot is to gauge the wind on the second adjust about 50% of the vertical will be fairly close
RB

johnk · Post by **johnk** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:27 pm

Alternatively, note (plot) your first shots over time to find if there's an algorithm to them.

I'm lucky that my molied loads generally shoot the first shots right into the group, but friends who shoot bare projectiles generally find that their first shot is around 1 MOA low & the rest close to the money.

Cold, cold, cold barrels can be another issue.

John

Peterla · Post by **Peterla** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 3:05 pm

Tim
another thing to try which I have used well before is to see how many shots you can do before your group opens up.
I found that I could shoot 80 rounds from my 308 before the signs of group opening up.
This usually gets me through two day shoots but I still clean at local club shoots at the end of each day.

My 223 does not like this only my 308. Something else for you to consider.

Pete

richmac · Post by **richmac** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:12 pm

A tip I was given was to make a solution of graphite powder mixed with aftershave .when mixing shake the hell out of it and pour it on a patch and rub it into the bore several times.The aftershave will evaporate and leave a film of graphite in the barrel.Your first shot will be on elevation instead of being low.Worth a try
Cheers Rich

ecomeat · Post by **ecomeat** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:12 pm

richmac wrote:A tip I was given was to make a solution of graphite powder mixed with aftershave .when mixing shake the hell out of it and pour it on a patch and rub it into the bore several times.The aftershave will evaporate and leave a film of graphite in the barrel.Your first shot will be on elevation instead of being low.Worth a try
Cheers Rich

Or just buy Lockeze, which is graphite suspended in pure alcohol, for about $10 and send the aftershave over to Bruce in SA

A good number of bench rest shooters do this, apparently.
I reckon I went close on 12 months without keeping a sighter, but since getting barred from the Zeroing range at Sydney Queens on the last day, I have discovered that patching with Shooters Choice, then dry patching before the first shot normally let's me keep at least one. They actually claim "first shot" accuracy on the bottle ! :idea:

bruce moulds · Post by **bruce moulds** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:18 am

tony,
if you wax rather than shave, there is no need for aftershave.
keep safe,
bruce.

IanP · Post by **IanP** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:43 am

Shooting is a combination of art and science and this thread is a good example of how you can use a number of means to arrive at the same result.

I found during load development, now with my MagnetoSpeed chronograph as an essential tool for getting accurate muzzle velocity, that the first shot from a clean cold barrel is fairly uniform.

Its uniform to the degree that I now have a column on my sighting charts that includes the amount in moa I need to come up for my first shot. If you clean your barrel pretty much the same after every shoot and you are shooting the same load, then the velocity is the same, (or very close) every time.

Different ambient atmospherics will obviously need to included if you want to be pedantic but science seems to work with first shot data.

Having said all that, I still tend to leave my sights set on the fouled barrel setting and make my final elevation adjustment after my sighters. Old habits are hard to break!

Ian

Longranger · Post by **Longranger** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:41 am

Naturally after graphite is mixed with aftershave, it shouldn't be used for it's original purpose unless you wish to sport an interesting complexion...

Paul Janzso · Post by **Paul Janzso** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:45 pm

I have noticed a lot of people that they shoot with a dry barrel after cleaning. They push metho or alcohol through there barrels after they clean.
Well I was tought by my gunsmith that you should never shoot a dry barrel, always leave a light coating of oil for your first shot.
I experimented with light oils and bore conditioners until I came up with a mix of Montana Bore Conditioner and INOX that will give a cold bore shot with no elevation.
There you go start experimenting with your own mix and follow your first shot.
Cheers
Paul

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:16 pm

I think Bruce uses Bees Wax and Duck Fat :lol:

DaveMc · Post by **DaveMc** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:23 pm

Was that Duck Fat or ..... Dat

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:37 pm

Dat toe jam

Cameron Mc · Post by **Cameron Mc** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:12 pm

Agree Paul. Should be some sort of oil in the bore.
Importantly, it must be a very light coating. Balostol oil works for me.
Cheers

BATattack · Post by **BATattack** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:48 pm

Paul Janzso wrote:I have noticed a lot of people that they shoot with a dry barrel after cleaning. They push metho or alcohol through there barrels after they clean.
Well I was tought by my gunsmith that you should never shoot a dry barrel, always leave a light coating of oil for your first shot.
I experimented with light oils and bore conditioners until I came up with a mix of Montana Bore Conditioner and INOX that will give a cold bore shot with no elevation.
There you go start experimenting with your own mix and follow your first shot.
Cheers
Paul

Those SAUMS you were steering at the state teams were all patched out with contact cleaner and shot on squeaky clean bores. . . . . And you know how horrible they we're PJ :-)

Every single barrel is different but I seem to get CONSISTENT results with a squeaky clean barrel. So I know the first shot will be 1moa low. . . The second will be .5moa low and the 3rd will be on the money so I'll generally dial in the extra elevation for the first shot and come down a couple clicks for the second shot.