question on shot groups

[paddle]

I'am still breaking in my rifle. The first shot goes were i want it at 12:00, The nest three shots go to the right like 2 1/2 to 3 inches and are like 2 i/2 inches apart from each other. The fith shot is touching the fourth shot at 2 o'clock low from the first shot about 2 inches low? any suggestions would be of help. Should i finish breaking in the rifle, or try glass bedding and free floating the barrel etc? Its a stainless steel with synthetic stock. Maybe it just likes to shoot dirty, With the 4th and 5th shots together. I have shot a little over 2 boxes of ammo so far, I'am at sooting 5 shots then cleaning, Should be about none with the break in.

[James B]

What kind of rifle is it? It sounds like a stock problem to me. Give a little more info.

[hardcorehunter]

My advise is to be patient and let the bbl cool down between shots. This is pertinent especially in a sporter bbl. 2-3 shots and they need to cool down. You also need to try different ammos in it. I have always felt that a bbl needs 100 rounds through it to be broke in.
HCH
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[Squirreldog]

Check your action screw, your scopemount screws, your ring screws.
any thing that might become loose, then check your barrell channel to see if you have any pressure points! if so address that problem.
And like HCH says let your barrel cool between shots, and try different ammo!
Good Luck and good shooting.

[Bulzeye]

I had a wandering zero once. It was everywhere.
Turned out to be a loose reticle in the scope.

If everything looks tight, and you are still getting funky groups after a few more boxes of ammo, swap scopes and try again.

[AmericanPioneer]

Make sure on the other shots that they aredone in the exact same way as the first such as where the rifle forearm is resting, where your hands are touching the rifle, pulling the trigger the same, etc. Make each shot a carbon copy of the first. Are you by chanceshooting a magnum or hard kicking rifle? You dont notice yourself flinching do you? How heavy is your trigger and how crisp is it? Exactly what type(brand) and caliber of rifle is it. Do you use an ammonia based solvent to remove copper fouling or just plain solvent. What kind of scope is on it. Your problem could be a number of things. Its better to try and eliminate the easier foundproblems before getting in to more technical things likefree floating or bedding of the barrel and action.

[JLmoore1956]

Not sure I can help you out too much. Will tell you last year before I came to Iraq, I had a single shot, 7 x 65R that one would be on target, fired two more to make adjustment and one would be like three feet low and one not on the paper, and this was a large cardboard box. After some choice words, I said it is either the scope, the gun or the shooter. The last I buy to a certain point but it was the only gun I could not get a group on. So I took the scope off the muzzle loader and put it on that gun, went to the gun smith, got some advice on reloading, choose some 140 and 150 grain lead, made up about 20 rounds of each and headed back to the range. In two shots I was on, and the five shot groups with both were astounding. All this time it was a certain scope that I had trouble with the same brand in Germany, so I threw it as far as I could, well actually sent it back, it was brand new, to the factory and actually told them to stick it. Anyway, being a single shot, have to wait about 15 minutes in between shots to allow for consistent barrel temp. and I was dead on with 5 through the lungs, quarter size group.

So it could be scope, stock, shooter, etc, etc. It took me almost three years to get mine and enough time to work it out. Now it will more then likely be my go to gun!

[eldeguello]

HOW MANY 5-shot groups have you fired that were repeats of this pattern?