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When shooting your rifle do you ever do this?
- Thread starter habersham hammer
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Havana Dude
Senior Member
Final post on the subject to clear any misconceptions about me. First, my apologies for the wasted lead comment. That comment honestly comes from someone(me) who regrets not buying a couple boxes of ammo every time I went into a gun store. I simply don’t have enough “play” ammo, for my hunting rifle, to just go fire off 20 rounds for fun. I begrudge no one the right to do just that themselves. I do however, have enough ammo to basically get me to the end of my hunting days, plus a few check shots. It is clearly my fault. I have other rifles/ ammo, that I can lean on if need be. I stated in my original post, I’m a simple man, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it kinda guy. I sincerely meant no I’ll will towards anyone with my comments. Pacecars and I used to do range time pretty regular. He’s good peeps, been best of friends for 45 years. Y’all don’t diss him for speaking on my behalf. Once again, I’m sorry.
Darkhorse
Senior Member
Sounds like a big misunderstanding to me. I too am sorry for my part in this.
Mars
Senior Member
To throw in my 2 pennies on the original question, I do not do that and agree with most that the cold bore shot is most important for hunting. If I were going to do something similar to what was described, I would have a second target to be used for that first shot rather than just wasting it in the dirt and not knowing if it would have been off your point of aim or not.
Y'all have a good day and be safe if you are able to get out to the range!
Y'all have a good day and be safe if you are able to get out to the range!
Jester896
Senior Clown
I keep track of where my rifles shoot with CCB, CFB and HFB for many of them. There are a few hunting rifles I just keep CFB info for
menhadenman
Senior Member
How much difference (roughly) have you observed in both POI and MOA?
I tend to not clean the barrel following the last range session before hunting these days... but never did that before on 50+ critters.
Railroader
Billy’s Security Guard.
I have owned a bunch of rifles in my day, and shot a whole bunch of rifle rounds...
I have never experienced any rifle do anything crazy with a cold bore, as opposed to a warm bore. I've never even seen one do anything surprising, or out of the question when dirty...
Usually for me, groups just start opening up a bit, and it's time to run the bore snake and some cleaner a few times.
Hunting accuracy of an inch or two should be a given. Hot, cold, wet, dry or dirty.
Right or wrong, back when I was on SWAT, the standard was three touching, once a week, at the 80 yards our range provided. You got two chances, or six rounds. Whichever one of the three of us had turned in the most recent target was designated shooter on a call out. This kept it standardized, and random.
The "cleaning protocol" we used, again for standardization, was one pass with a brush, and pull a bore snake thru it. This was done every time before leaving the range.
That's it.
If I did my part, the rifle always did it's part.
I think that people get way too caught up in looking at any possibility for something being wrong, other than themselves.
Shooting an inch or two at 100 is child's play...Putting them all in one hole consistently takes a LOT of work, even at 100.
I don't shoot enough to do that anymore, and that's 100% on ME.
I have never experienced any rifle do anything crazy with a cold bore, as opposed to a warm bore. I've never even seen one do anything surprising, or out of the question when dirty...
Usually for me, groups just start opening up a bit, and it's time to run the bore snake and some cleaner a few times.
Hunting accuracy of an inch or two should be a given. Hot, cold, wet, dry or dirty.
Right or wrong, back when I was on SWAT, the standard was three touching, once a week, at the 80 yards our range provided. You got two chances, or six rounds. Whichever one of the three of us had turned in the most recent target was designated shooter on a call out. This kept it standardized, and random.
The "cleaning protocol" we used, again for standardization, was one pass with a brush, and pull a bore snake thru it. This was done every time before leaving the range.
That's it.
If I did my part, the rifle always did it's part.
I think that people get way too caught up in looking at any possibility for something being wrong, other than themselves.
Shooting an inch or two at 100 is child's play...Putting them all in one hole consistently takes a LOT of work, even at 100.
I don't shoot enough to do that anymore, and that's 100% on ME.
rmp
Senior Member
Lots of good information in that post Railroader. ? all of it.
I can be super picky about precision but you’re right, hunting accuracy doesn’t require it. Exactly why most of those guys that shoot a pie plate at 50 yards, the day before opening, punch their tag.
To each their own but if I cleaned rifles using the tedious methods I’ve read about, I’d probably give up shooting.
I can be super picky about precision but you’re right, hunting accuracy doesn’t require it. Exactly why most of those guys that shoot a pie plate at 50 yards, the day before opening, punch their tag.
To each their own but if I cleaned rifles using the tedious methods I’ve read about, I’d probably give up shooting.
Jester896
Senior Clown
I don't clean one either after I start until the groups opens...I don't generally shoot enough during the season to experience the group.
.25-06 #1 CCB is not measured in the group size
.260 5 shots
all minute of deer...but the point was there is a difference in a lot of cases...and it doesn't hurt a thing to know what they are.
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rmp
Senior Member
Another to each their own.
I have no idea if any of my rifles shoot to different POI on a clean, cold bore but I assume they do and thus, never go into the field clean. I know where they are cold and that’s what matters to me. Hasn’t failed me yet.
ETA: as another mentioned, my Shilohs being the exception. My mistake.
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Jester896
Senior Clown
it's fine with me if you want to assume...you're correct... if you never go into the field clean it wouldn't matter. Knowing won't fail you either.
rmp
Senior Member
Jester896
Senior Clown
I have at times
rmp
Senior Member
I try to reduce the number of variables while in the field and knowing where I am with the cold, fouled bore never disappoints.
The point being, knowing with a clean bore is far from a should.
rmp
Senior Member
It was fine the way it was. Thanks
Perhaps your original post should have said "I" should know what they are instead of "you". I was simply stating it wasn't necessary.
Jester896
Senior Clown
there I fixed it for you
Darkhorse
Senior Member
Looks like Jester and I are the main ones that go to extremes to fully know their rifles.
My M700 in 7 mag. shoots the same cold bore or not, fouled bore or clean. The target in my Avatar was shot with round #27,28,and 29, after cleaning, on a hot summer day. It still managed to shoot a .181 group. That's my idea of minute of deer.
My Tikka hasn't been fully vetted yet but it will be. I do know that after firing 3 shots to check zero It will shoot into less than an inch.
My Browning .300 Win. Mag. requires at least 3 fouling shots before it shoots into a small group cold bore. So for it I'll be sure and shoot 3 to 5 fouling shots before taking it hunting. Once fouled it will shoot into the group cold bore or not. However, starting with a fouled, cold bore, it shoots 3 shots into about 1/4", then it begins to string left with the group growing larger each shot. That's not many shots on target I know, but if I can get 3 shots on the nails head then that's enough.
I've only got 2 other deer rifles in the rotation, a Ruger .44 auto carbine and a .54 caliber flintlock. The .44 shoots with most shots touching at 50 yards. And the .54 shoots even tighter. Neither rifle seems to care whether it's hot or cold.
Yeah, I know. This is probably overkill. I mean who needs a 1/4" rifle to hunt deer? And clean or not, cold or not. Any of these rifles would kill a deer any given day. Especially at the distance we shoot them.
But I have killed both deer and elk at long range (for me). And it sure felt good having a .250 inch rifle when I took the shot.
Each to his own.
But for me my serious hunting rifles must shoot less than in inch. 1/2" if possible. I can do it. My rifles can do it. So why not establish that as my minimum?
Nobody ever killed a deer with a rifle that was too accurate.
I like to shoot. I was taught by a mentor long ago that just going out and shooting cans and bottles was not the kind of practice I needed. That every shot should be the most accurate I could make to continually improve myself. That mentor had it tough, teaching me, how to slow down and breathe, and how to form a position where bone supported bone and how to squeeze a trigger. But he got it done.
So if I must constantly judge myself against myself, then I'm can only judge my rifles the same way.
I hope some of that made sense. Seemed like a long winded ramble to me.
Here's a group from that .54 flintlock. This is the kind of accuracy I strive for every shot I take.
My M700 in 7 mag. shoots the same cold bore or not, fouled bore or clean. The target in my Avatar was shot with round #27,28,and 29, after cleaning, on a hot summer day. It still managed to shoot a .181 group. That's my idea of minute of deer.
My Tikka hasn't been fully vetted yet but it will be. I do know that after firing 3 shots to check zero It will shoot into less than an inch.
My Browning .300 Win. Mag. requires at least 3 fouling shots before it shoots into a small group cold bore. So for it I'll be sure and shoot 3 to 5 fouling shots before taking it hunting. Once fouled it will shoot into the group cold bore or not. However, starting with a fouled, cold bore, it shoots 3 shots into about 1/4", then it begins to string left with the group growing larger each shot. That's not many shots on target I know, but if I can get 3 shots on the nails head then that's enough.
I've only got 2 other deer rifles in the rotation, a Ruger .44 auto carbine and a .54 caliber flintlock. The .44 shoots with most shots touching at 50 yards. And the .54 shoots even tighter. Neither rifle seems to care whether it's hot or cold.
Yeah, I know. This is probably overkill. I mean who needs a 1/4" rifle to hunt deer? And clean or not, cold or not. Any of these rifles would kill a deer any given day. Especially at the distance we shoot them.
But I have killed both deer and elk at long range (for me). And it sure felt good having a .250 inch rifle when I took the shot.
Each to his own.
But for me my serious hunting rifles must shoot less than in inch. 1/2" if possible. I can do it. My rifles can do it. So why not establish that as my minimum?
Nobody ever killed a deer with a rifle that was too accurate.
I like to shoot. I was taught by a mentor long ago that just going out and shooting cans and bottles was not the kind of practice I needed. That every shot should be the most accurate I could make to continually improve myself. That mentor had it tough, teaching me, how to slow down and breathe, and how to form a position where bone supported bone and how to squeeze a trigger. But he got it done.
So if I must constantly judge myself against myself, then I'm can only judge my rifles the same way.
I hope some of that made sense. Seemed like a long winded ramble to me.
Here's a group from that .54 flintlock. This is the kind of accuracy I strive for every shot I take.
pacecars
Senior Member
This one shoots under 1/2” for 5 shots from a fouled bore every time I do my part
pacecars
Senior Member
This one will shoot three shots under 3.5” at 200 yards before having to wipe
