how many rounds before bullet pattern opens up

[Deerhunter#1]

I know this depends on the gun itself but what have you experienced with your handi. I would think some calibers are better them others. My 30-30 gets 4. My 223 gets 3. I know conditions can also play a role by generaly what can be expected.

[LaOtto222]

That question has been asked since smokeless powder and jacketed bullets have been in existence. Bench Rest folks clean their rifles every 5 rounds or so to keep their "edge". I have had rifles that did not shoot good until they had 50-60 rounds down their tube and stayed that way for several hundred rounds or at least until I felt guilty and cleaned them, usually sorry that I did. I have had some rough barrels that needed to be cleaned every 10 - 20 shots or so to hold their group size. I had to polish the heck out of the bore to straighten them up. I have never had a gun where the group size opened up after only three or 4 shots. I would try to either shoot it 50 rounds or so to see if it straightened up or not. If not, I would do a lot of polishing of the bore and try again. If that did not work, trade off the gun. Personally I would not own a gun where I had to clean the bore every 3 rounds. I really do not mind cleaning a rifle, but every 3 rounds is just way too much.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[quickdtoo]

The lighter the barrel, the sooner heat will cause groups to open up, bull barrels are less prone to this, Superlights are more prone, specially with the hotter cartridges like the 243, the 22 Hornet is far less subject to larger groups caused by barrel heat than a 243 or even the 223. For a big game rifle, it's real simple, since only one round is normally used, I only shoot two shot groups with the light barrels, seldom are two shots ever needed if the first shot is well placed. For a colony shooting round for varmints some forend work like full bedding or pillar bedding may be required.

Tim

[mechanic]

With my bull barrel .223 I can shoot honest 5 shot groups.  With my light ...........243, I shoot two at a time, then cool....  My 45-70 doesn't seem to mind...shoot it all day.  My .280 is good for 3 shots, then cool. 
 
If I were really trying to get a bench rest quality group, I would fire a round about every 5 min. or so..
 
Ben

[Spanky]

It takes exactly 207 shots.
 
 
 
Spanky

[Dinny]

It takes exactly 207 shots.
Spanky

Really!? 




Thanks, Dinny