Why is my first shot always high?
 

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.

Is your 1st shot from a clean barrel vs. the others?

Nope, I've been shooting all day. I'm shooting 3-5 shot groups then letting the barrel cool for 15-20 minutes. It gets hot after 3 shots, but I did shoot 5 just to see what would happen. After I let it cool down for 15-20 minutes it throws the first shot high. The rest will group, then after letting it cool down again it will throw the first shot high again.

This is my totally unprofessional opinion. My guess is you have fissures in your barrel. After a round goes down the barrel the temperature causes the barrel to flex thereby changing the POI.

Some folks spend good money having barrels chryo treated. My dad is a metalurgist/robotics engineer and he says the form of chryo treatment that is applied to barrels doesn't do much to the metal to be worth even trying.

Either know how the rifle hits on the first shot or get a new barrel.

Good Luck

Tom

Problem is pressure. BAR's and 7400's and even encores have pressure on the forarm.

You can releieve this pressure as well as you can, ensureing nothing is pushing up.

perhaps the first shot is not high...but the rest are low

Get rid of it, get a bolt action... :)

Goodness gracious, I now realize why I quit posting here. Ignorance is rampant.

your anticipating the first shot.

HTM,JMHO but I agree with big.I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer but he usually knows what he's talking about .I had a Brownie BAR in .270.,It was an older belgium.It would not shoot a group if it had to.Upon further inspection I noticed that the stock was loose ( very little ) but you could twist the stock maybe 1/16" to 1/8 " after tightening up the stock you could not ask for a better shooting semi hunting rifle.I'D say go over the basics first .Mounts, bases ,rings ,etc,and anything else you can think of.Can't hurt.