So as many of you know I have a Browning BAR 30-06 rifle. It's the older style BAR's from the late 80's and early 90's. Anyway, I've always had accuracy problems and to be frank it's always shot like **** to me. Anyway, I finally found after testing much factory ammo that Federal Fusions in 150 grain do decently and seem to shoot about 1.5"-2" groups. That's the only ammo I've found that shoots worth a crap and I've tried many brands and different varieties. Anyway, I got the urge to work up handloads and am seeing a problem that I also see with factory ammo. Anyway, I'm shooting 3 shot groups normally then letting the barrel cool. On this target I did shoot a 5 shot group then a 3 shot group. Anyway, after letting the barrel cool the first shot always seems to be 3-4" high. It's been this way with each load I've tested. It's also this way with factory ammo. Once you shoot that first round that's several inches high I found a load that will group well after that. Here is an example target. I shot a 3 shot group. The one right next to the bullseye was the first shot. The other two down with the rest. Then I let the gun cool and proceeded to shoot 5 shots this time. The first shot is the other high one. The other 4 went down there with the first two.



So what the heck is causing this issue? I can get it to group decently except for that first shot after letting the gun cool down.

BTW I'm also positive that it's not a scope issue and I really don't think I'm pulling that much and every time I take the first shot. I think If I was pulling I'd do it at other times too and it wouldn't always be on the first shot of a group.