Shot group goes to shit after about 10 rounds

Joined
Jan 21, 2020
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Ok so it seems every time. I clean my 30-06 go to the range and send two cheap rounds through it. Then its spot on for the next (maybe) ten rounds easy with in an inch then the groups start to go to shit fast. My question is how often do you clean your barrel when trying to zero or find good ammo for your gun? Also do you think it's just me getting fatigued because I dont shoot high caliper? I bought a new 30-06 and I am hoping to draw for a cow tag this year and trying to find some ammo the gun likes.
 

SDHNTR

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Aug 30, 2012
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You gotta let it cool down. 10 shots will generate a lot of heat, especially on a light bbl contour. Slow way down.
 

tdhanses

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I clean about every 200-300rds, depending on the gun. My vote is its you. After it opens up take a long break and see if they tighten back up, also agree with the above, let it cool.
 

Reburn

Mayhem Contributor
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Feb 10, 2019
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For what I have found, like others.

Shooting a hot barrel will tell you if the rifle has some barrel stringing as it heats up. It shouldn't string, but many do. You can chase down a very expensive rabbit hole trying to fix the problem. The easiest solution is buy a great barrel spend the money make sure its free floated and go from there. Even if shooting a hot barrel doesn't move the POI know that you are increasing throat errosion that will normally shorten the barrel life.

If you choose to let the gun be what it is. Which I have done on certian guns, See how many shots you can shoot before the POI starts to move. Then you know what the gun will do. the best thing would be to fire 3 or 4 shots and let if cool. Then repeat a couple times with adaquate cooling time in-between.

Some guns like to be cleaned more then others and some barrels are more prone to fouling. I can tell you my barrett fieldcraft likes to be cleaned every 140 rounds or so otherwise the barrel opens from a 1.2" 10 shot group to a 2.5" 10 shot group that looks like buck shot. My bartlein 3b on the other hand I haven't found an upper limit yet. I shot 150 through it and cleaned it to see if the accuracy increased. It did not. So I have gone back to not cleaning it.

As with anything if you feel you aren't shooting well based on how you feel no what your groups say maybe walk away for a bit.
 
OP
T
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Jan 21, 2020
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Ok, thanks guys
I its was shooting like shit when I left and I wont touch anything. Then I'll head back next week and see how it is. That will tell me if it's the barrel heating up or not. Im thinking it's the barrel.
 
OP
T
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Oh, the set up is a ruger American with a vortex crossfire scope. I dont expect to shoot dimes at 300 yrds but I would think it should hit a baseball at 300.
 
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Oh, the set up is a ruger American with a vortex crossfire scope. I dont expect to shoot dimes at 300 yrds but I would think it should hit a baseball at 300.

Concentrate on your fundamentals and get the rifle and ammo optimized at 100 yards first. Keep in mind that many factory rifles won't hit a baseball every time at 300 yards, many shooters can't either.
 

gbflyer

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Feb 20, 2017
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If you’re putting 10 in an inch with an over the counter Ruger American I’d stop right there and never worry again. And you’ve found your load. Clean it, shoot your 2 foulers and go hunting. I doubt you’ll be shooting 10 in a row in the field.
 

EastMT

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Yup what everyone else says. I’d say clean it before you go hunting, shoot a couple to foul it and double check, go hunting as is.
 
OP
T
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Jan 21, 2020
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Concentrate on your fundamentals and get the rifle and ammo optimized at 100 yards first. Keep in mind that many factory rifles won't hit a baseball every time at 300 yards, many shooters can't either.

I am a good shooter. The best I know on an the military's range with iorn sights. But I do start to fear the kick once my shoulder gets a good hit. I try not to death grip the rifle into it. As far as the rifle goes, I have no idea what it can do. Currently I'm trying the hornady gmx outfitter ammo.
 
OP
T
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Jan 21, 2020
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Btw I'm also only shooting 100 yrd zero. It's the best I have to use in Connecticut.
 

Low_Sky

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Nov 7, 2016
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Ok, thanks guys
I its was shooting like shit when I left and I wont touch anything. Then I'll head back next week and see how it is. That will tell me if it's the barrel heating up or not. Im thinking it's the barrel.

Scanning this thread, I see two "smoking guns".
1. If you aren't intentional about barrel cooling, you aren't giving your barrel enough time to cool. Some guns are worse about this than others, but heat could be a culprit here.
2. Shooter fatigue. If your fundamentals aren't dialed, and you aren't used to shooting big rifles, this could very well be operator error. When the groups open up, ask a good shooter (if you have access to one) to shoot the rifle and see how it groups.
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
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I wait 3-4 minutes between shots. That is why I take more than 1 gun or get on Rokslide and browse between shots. The barrel needs to cool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Motown

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Dec 11, 2019
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With sporter weight barrels I always allow 3-5 minutes to cool between shots and then 10-15 mins to cool after 3-5 shot strings depending on the temps outside. This has always seemed to work well for me.
 

Lwilliams

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Oct 21, 2019
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There are other cheaper coolers but we use these during long strings to cool barrels. This happens to have a filter so you’re not blowing dirt down your barrel also.
 
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