throws the 1st (sometimes 2nd) shot high

[n8dawg6]

i have a .44 mag handi, purchased about a month ago.  this is the synthetic stock rifle, no sights, SB1 frame, etc.  at this point probably have about 70-80 rounds through it, and ive noticed a pattern.  at 100 yds, it will consistently throw the 1st shot 4-6" high and about 1" to the right.  after that, it settles down and will shoot the next 5 or so shots (if i keep shooting at a steady pace) into a real nice group, dead center of the bullseye, typically 1-2".  after the barrel gets too hot, it starts throwing shots all over the place.

now, im not worried about the shots going everywhere after the barrel gets hot, ive experienced that before.  but that 1st shot off the cold bore is consistently impacting high and well off my point of aim ... not sure if its enough to miss a deer at that range, but its enough to make me uncomfortable. 

is this an issue anyone else has experienced before?  i have read that forearm pressure can have an impact on groups, so i tried shooting with the trigger guard next to the bag, and putting my hand between the rifle and the bag ... none of it seemed to have an impact on that cold bore flyer.  just curious if its a repeating problem for which there is a known solution.  thanks

[quickdtoo]

Is that from a cold clean bore or a cold dirty bore? If it's cold clean, that's not unusual for a lot of rifles, that's why many hunters(myself included) sight in and don't clean until after they season is over unless they have to due to weather. It's a well known fact that Handis shoot best with a fouled bore. 

Tim

[MSP Ret]

Quick is right on point. That is where the idea and terms "fouling shots" came from. I never hunt with a squeaky clean and oiled barrel, rather I shoot a few shots (3 or 4) to "foul" the bore and check the sights against my results of the last couple of shots, that is what I hunt with....<><....

[yukondog]

Same here, all my guns that I'm going to hunt with [ some handi's some not ] are fouled right now till after season.

[necchi]

Good points about the fouled bore 2 of mine works best fouled, one surprised me and shot POA with a clean bore, but I'm still gonna prove that again.
 My 7-08 put's the first round down the bore 4"s low, every time! After that first round they all group center. It's just something we've come to know, it just plain does it. (everytime, no matter what bullet/charge I use)
 Sooooo, it being a hunter, we sight for the first shot and KNOW too hold low for any subsequent shot's. I can do load development with the bore warm to prove the load for consistancy, but once I find the load the scope is set for the first cold fouled shot.

[n8dawg6]

actually this is a cold dirty bore.  yesterday it was cold enough that i was able to let the barrel cool down completely between shots (cool/cold to the touch) in order to replicate the effect.  always wants to throw that 1st shot high and right, as the barrel warms up it settles down.  thanks for the input and it also occurred to me to sight in for the cold bore shot, its just such a great discrepancy between the cold bore shot and everything else, i'd have to re-sight it in if i wanted to do any sort of extended shooting/plinking/etc.

[quickdtoo]

Try it without the forend, if the first couple rounds shoot where the rest do from a fouled bore, then the forend needs work, lots of options for forend work in the FAQs. 

Tim

[torpedoman]

actually this is a cold dirty bore.  yesterday it was cold enough that i was able to let the barrel cool down completely between shots (cool/cold to the touch) in order to replicate the effect.  always wants to throw that 1st shot high and right, as the barrel warms up it settles down.  thanks for the input and it also occurred to me to sight in for the cold bore shot, its just such a great discrepancy between the cold bore shot and everything else, i'd have to re-sight it in if i wanted to do any sort of extended shooting/plinking/etc.

Unless you are planning on getting 4-5 shots at your deer you should set your sights to the cold shot hole. I'd do that anyway just in case the one i started shooting at was smart enough to run off, a few of them are.

[Mac11700]

Sounds like a perfect candidate for a good bedding job to me.

Mac

[gcrank1]

Most of us are up against the calendar for hunting season. How is the second (your follow-up shot) compared to the 1st one? Ive never had a chance for a third shot at a deer, and If I picked my first one right, really didnt need the second except to end the suffering quicker.

[n8dawg6]

Most of us are up against the calendar for hunting season. How is the second (your follow-up shot) compared to the 1st one? Ive never had a chance for a third shot at a deer, and If I picked my first one right, really didnt need the second except to end the suffering quicker.

thought it might be helpful to actually post a pic of a representative group:



cold bore shot is about 5" above POA.  the next 3 are about 1" high.  this is at about 120 yds, which i consider max range for a .44 mag for deer hunting.  only have a little 4x leupold scope on it, so if i can keep groups around 2" at this range im more than satisfied.

here is a warm-barrel group at the same range (circled, there are a couple of .308 holes there to ignore).  yes, those 3 shots making about .7" were consecutive:



but, alas, moving further up the same target, you can see the "group" (circled) of cold bore shots i fired:

[gcrank1]

You would like to see better to have confidence in your equipment.
Stats show only just so much, but the 'average' deer is taken at about 35yds. A 100 yd. -0- for this cartridge would be good. Set a target up at that and shoot only 2 shots, back to back, from your likely field position. See if they are 'minute of deer' and just know to hold no higher than the backbone if you get that 'long shot', they will drop into the kill zone. But dont overreach the cartridge capability. Odds are your shot will be shorter and you can just aim dead-on the heart/lung zone and have venison.
If you dont like the two shot group size at 100yd. drop to 75. If that looks better know to call your distance limits and feel OK about it. Odds are you will still be OK.
After season you can start tuning this rifle to get what you want.

[moorepower]

If you were a pitcher, you would shoot the first shot low and away. Yes that will kill a deer, no it is not acceptable. No matter what the group looks like, always eliminate the scope mount and rings first. It looks like either the forearm has a bad fit, or the barrel is "stress relieving" it self as it warms up. I seriously would try the o-ring trick before I shot it again.