First shot inaccuracy

[jbierling]

Fouling, wet powder, bad shot, something else?

I went hunting Sat night and Sun morning. I left the powder (2 50(40) grain T7 pellets) in overnight in a cold gun and after finishing Sunday without shooting, I took a few test shots. From 130 yards, the first shot was 10 in low and 4 in right. The 2, 3, and 4th shots (without swabbing) were within MOA of the aim point.

Any ideas on whether the first shot's inaccuracy was caused by the barrel being clean (not having been fouled), the powder being wet/damp/old, just a bad shot, or something else?

If the former, what should I do to resolve the problem? Fire a couple primers? Fire a single pellet + sabot sleeve (how would I do this without disturbing the hunting area)? Something else?

Thanks,
-Joel

[oaks]

When I hunted with a flinter I would use about 30 gr powder and dicharge a grass load to foul the barrel. Under no circumstance would I leave a barrel loaded overnight. To many things to go wrong.
Oaks:

[7MM Magnum]

I always fire a "fouling shot" no matter what rifle I'm using. I've found that 9 out of 10 times it will remove that "flier" right from the get go. ;)

[bersh]

When you're starting with a clean barrel, you should either first shoot a couple primers, or even better shoot a fouling round before you load it for hunting (doesn't have to be a full load - even 50 grns. of powder will work). People seem to think that the barrel is going to corrode overnight, but that's just not the case. I've left my ML loaded for a week in fairly constant temps and at the end of the season when I touched it off I hit right on.

If you're worried about it, one thing you can do when you're sighting in is to clean the barrel after each shot, run dry patches through, then fire off a couple primers before the next shot. This is a PITA if you ask me, but the resulting group will be more reflective of what you can expect from that first shot out of a clean barrel.

[Nealbopper]

You are saying the first shot is a flier and all other shots are spot on due to fouling. Your not firing the correct size bullet. You need to find a sabot that fits better from the get go. The way you are approaching the extra fire and or primers are adding too many variables to go wrong. Eleviate the extra shot and you get less hastles and can be more confident with your first shot. By logic, the tighter the sobot the more accurate your shot's going to be. Personally that's what i would do since you are asking.

[jbierling]

dicharge a grass load to foul the barrel

Stupid question perhaps and assuming the answer isn't obvious, what exactly is a "grass load"?

-Joel

[jbierling]

doesn't have to be a full load - even 50 grns. of powder will work

With a sabot jacket + bullet, just a jacket, or something else?

-Joel

[jbierling]

Your not firing the correct size bullet. You need to find a sabot that fits better from the get go. The way you are approaching the extra fire and or primers are adding too many variables to go wrong.

I'm shooting Hornady 240 grain XTP with the included green sabot. Its already a extremely tight fit.

Eleviate the extra shot and you get less hastles and can be more confident with your first shot.

Elevate the first shot? The first shot was low.

-Joel

[oaks]

Rather than load a patched ball to foul my barrell, I would pack a small wad of grass over a light charge. I've never had a problem doing this and for the nighttime effect a full charge really puts the fire in the air.

[QuakrTrakr]

2 ways to do this. 1). The way I do it, fire a fouling shot to burn off any oil from the last cleaning (I personally don't think firing just a primer is hot enough to burn all the oil out of the barrel IMO) or 2). Swab your barrel after EVERY shot. It depends on how you sighted your gun in. You want to do what you did while sighting it in. An alternative to #1, is to clean your barrel with a a bore cleaner like Hoppes but don't re-oil it, then load it.

[TrekJeff]

Not to hijack, but related...what's the issue with having residue oil in the barrel?

[QuakrTrakr]

Not to hijack, but related...what's the issue with having residue oil in the barrel?

You're suppose to oil the bore before storing the gun for any extended time to prevent accuracy robbing rust.

[bersh]

Not to hijack, but related...what's the issue with having residue oil in the barrel?

It can foul the powder, either causing it to not fire, or only partially fire. The slug may or may not exit the barrel, which could potentially cause some issues. At the very least, you'll never get consistent groups.

TC makes something called bore butter that is a non-petroleum based lube/protectant that won't foul the powder, and it helps to season the barrel, similar to a cast iron frying pan.