First shot???

[NSP64]

After previous success with 12.5gr 2400 under 100gr .244 I upped the load to 13.0gr. Went to the range after remnants of IKE went through Sunday and results were less than expected. Fired 3 sets of 5 rnds and the first round of each set was a flier:confused: I would fire the first round and it would strike 2" outside of POA. never in the same position. Then the next 4 rnds would group in 1/2". Whats up with this???

[Kraschenbirn]

Are you feeding rounds from the magazine or single-loading? I've noticed that a couple of my bolt guns tend to feed the top round from a full mag at a somewhat steeper angle. If your gun is doing something similar, the boolit nose could be deforming slightly as it contacts the chamber shoulder.

Bill

[NSP64]

I'm single loading them. The time between groups was 1 minute and time between shots in group was 10 seconds? weighed all powder and boolits. Boolits all 104.2gr lubed with LLA and Hornady GC.

[HeavyMetal]

I'm going to suggest a barrel bedding issue?

I'm thinking the first round heats and moves the barrel,? the rest of the shots are now "pre tensioned" and group in one spot.

in the time you take to examine the group on paper the rifle has had time to cool and "settle" back down.

Load up another string and "bingo" same issue!

How is the rifle bedded? Can you shift the barrel by hand? Can you get the stock screws to tighten some more? All of these and more are clues to your problem!

You, and we, need more info on the gun.

[Bigjohn]

Did you clean the barrel between strings? Even just a dry patch to wipe out the gunk?

If so, try a number of groups without wiping out.

John

[NSP64]

Rifle is Howa 1500 .243 original synthetic stock. have to check screws, but figured screws being loose all shots would wander. Dont clean between groups.:confused:

[Bigjohn]

Oops!

Try a group with a fouling shot into the berm before settling in for the group shoot. Some rifle and ammunition combinations need a little fouling in the bore to settle in.

It only affects the first round so it doesn't sound like bedding issues to me.

IMHO, if you are wiping between groups; this could cause extra friction for the first boolit of each group hence slowing it down and allowing the muzzle to rise under recoil. I note that you did not say what distance you where shooting over. To back up my previous statement consider this; a rifle recoils and the muzzle rises, so a slower shot will leave the muzzle after the muzzle has risen further than it would for a faster boolit. At 100 yards; a muzzle only needs to rise 1/60th of 1 degree to move the point of impact up 1". The reverse applies for faster shots.

This is the way I understand it.

John.

[HeavyMetal]

I think synthetic stock says it all!

I have not seen a Howa stock however I have seen several aftermarkets that left a lot to be disired in the bedding dept! I've also heard, on this site, that most of them need the forearm "stabilized" to get them to shoot.

Heck I've seen the photo of the remington synthetic fore arm bent back like a wet noodle!

Suggest you do a search for these stocks on this site and see what you can turn up.

This is your problem I'd bet the farm on it!