Okay, I know a poll is a little strange to have in a range report, but I'd really like your vote AFTER reading the range report to help me decide what to do.
Constants: T/C Omega, Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9x40 mounted on Game Reaper low mount, BH209 powder, CCI 209M primers, 100 yard range.
Condition of gun prior to first shot was that I had run a wet patch of CLP (Gunzilla) down the bore last week and forgot to wipe it out before shooting today. Had not finished zeroing with my chosen poison last week because I ran out of bullets, Harvester Scorpion 260 gr in crushed rib black sabot. Last shot previous week was two inches high and two inches left after approx 35 shots with no swabbing. Fired two primers to foul the clean barrel before beginning today. Never swabbed the barrel throughout the session.
Field conditions were between 50-65 degrees, dry and windy. Had good luck in waiting for wind to calm before firing.
Started with 80 gr BH209 and the Scorpions. As you can see, the first shot was a bullseye (large center target), and I was quite excited to see it after the smoke cleared. The excitement passed as shot two was way left and down. Shots 3-5 were anywhere from just over an inch to 2.5 inches from the first shot.
Next was 100 gr BH209 and 250 gr Barnes TEZs, aiming toward the lower right target (same paper). I had horrible luck with this bullet/sabot combination last week, but another member got good groups with his Triumph using 100 gr BH209, so I decided to try it. Shots 1 & 3 were 2.5 inches apart, and shot 2 didn't even hit the paper.
Next target I bumped the Scorpion load up to 90 gr BH209, and lowered the Barnes TEZ load to 90, but replaced the TEZ sabots with the Harvester black crushed rib. Grouping was better for the Barnes, and a little worse for the Scorpions.
Suddenly, everything changed. The target below has two black POAs. The lower one was fired at FIRST. Using the SAME load for the Scorpions (90 gr), the group suddenly shrank drastically. In 3 shots, the closest two holes were 0.5" and the farthest were 1.5".
Being an IDIOT, and knowing that my Leopold scope's adjustment mechanisms are pieces of CRAP, I couldn't leave well enough alone. Since I wasn't QUITE touching my POA, I decided to go ahead and move the crosshairs just a tiny bit. I moved two clicks up and one click right. Well, the next shot (at POA 2, top of sheet) ended up 2 inches high and 2 inches LEFT. All my adjustments were less than 2 clicks at a time, and I got lucky and nicked my POA on the 6th shot. I left the scope alone and fired another, again nicking my POA. I wanted to take a 3rd shot, but I was already running late for something so I had to pack it in.
I am not sure why my groups suddenly shrank. In the prior week's range session, I had a 1 MOA group at 100 yards with the Scorpions, which is why I chose them to zero the scope. But when I hit that small group, it was after I had fired at least 10 or 11 shots of other bullets/sabots in an attempt to find what grouped the best.
So, my poll question is, should I clean my barrel, or not? I have already cleaned the breach plug, but I want to leave the bore alone. BH209 is supposed to be noncorrosive and non-hydroscopic. It was a dry day today, and I did have that layer of CLP on the bore, quite by accident, before shooting. What would you do?
And since they were part of my range session, I'll include two other small and undetailed reports.
The first is my bolt action slug gun, the Marlin 512 Slugmaster. Using open sights at 100 yards, I'm very satisfied with the group. I'm sure it would get a lot smaller if scoped. And I swear, the trigger on that thing is probably 12 pounds. No joke!
The second is my M1A Scout. I'll spare you the details of the problem I am experiencing (currently under investigation over at the M14 forum!), but the first 3-shot group ain't half bad, especially for Winchester white-box FMJ ball ammo (nutin' fancy there)! Aimpoint red dot sight (no magnification) at 100 yards.
Range Report - My guns likes it dirty...not too fond of Barnes!
