Cold Bore Shots and Other Disturbing Trends

[polebarn]

This was sent to me via PM. Not sure why, but it seems obvious the sender would rather not be 'outed' so I can't really attribute it. But none the less . . it learnt me somethin.



Anyway, highly recommend that anyone really interested in making that first shot count read this. Then do as I have done and commit to doing just that:


http://m14forum.com/gus-fisher/63019...ing-rifle.html

You're welcome.

[AB]

One day I'll make the time to learn rifle/scope stuff!

[Airgator0470]

Cold shooter or cold bore? They're not one in the same. If you develop a routine say, getting behind the scope and just breathing, close eyes, open eyes, check for natural POI and that's being repeated with each cycle, then drying firing using the same principles and you feel effectively warmed up proceed to taking your shot. Now, if you track your first one or two shots over several sessions you'll see a pattern develop most likely.

Most excellent post Yankeeson....

That's exactly what we do at some of our training sessions at work (dry fire prior to live fire).

While firing a cold bore shot quickly under stress is ALSO a big part of our training, lots can be accomplished with dry fire exercises as you described.

[Rumbler]

OK. Time for a slice of humble pie.

I went to the range yesterday morning to fire one shot and one shot only.

I got everything setup just the way I wanted it, put the crosshair right on the end of the target's nose and carefully broke the shot. I missed the target by a full three inches. If the bad guy had really big ears (it did not), I might have pierced one of them.

This was a bit of a surprise to me.


Of course, my first thought after "WTF!?!?!?!?!" was "Wow. That cold bore shot is wilder than I remember it!" And even as I was saying that to myself I was already thinking: "no dumbass - you screwed something up."

To make a long painful story shorter . . . . A few weeks ago I finally bought the levels to actually level the reticle. So I did. But when I was finished the pro shop had gotten very busy so I put the gun back in the safe rather than taking it out and rezeroing it. Then completely forgot about doing it.


The next time I say I have never acted negligently with a firearm one of you folks smack me. I would have grabbed that rifle and used it without hesitation should the need have arisen. Seriously.

[YankeeFingergasm]

OK. Time for a slice of humble pie.

I went to the range yesterday morning to fire one shot and one shot only.

I got everything setup just the way I wanted it, put the crosshair right on the end of the target's nose and carefully broke the shot. I missed the target by a full three inches. If the bad guy had really big ears (it did not), I might have pierced one of them.

This was a bit of a surprise to me.


Of course, my first thought after "WTF!?!?!?!?!" was "Wow. That cold bore shot is wilder than I remember it!" And even as I was saying that to myself I was already thinking: "no dumbass - you screwed something up."

To make a long painful story shorter . . . . A few weeks ago I finally bought the levels to actually level the reticle. So I did. But when I was finished the pro shop had gotten very busy so I put the gun back in the safe rather than taking it out and rezeroing it. Then completely forgot about doing it.


The next time I say I have never acted negligently with a firearm one of you folks smack me. I would have grabbed that rifle and used it without hesitation should the need have arisen. Seriously.

Which reminds me.....when dialing in dope remember to return to zero. Especially if you've dialed in dope then say move to a further target and add the dope on top of it.

Example:
2 mils at 400 yards
3.5 mils at 575 yards

If you don't account for the first 2 mils you dialed and add 3.5 more you've now added 5.5 mils.

Just trying to explain what I meant.

[Rumbler]

Are you channeling Mark Wahlberg in "The Shooter"?


. . just teasing.

[TargetShooting]

YF please bring several blank books you made - I will buy Japanese.

[Rumbler]

"Japanese" ??

What is up with that?

All this time I have been thinking that you are Australian!

[Rumbler]

Update.

I got my remmy 700 zeroed for THE cold bore shot.

I fired three rounds today. All three very relaxed - no hurry. Took particular care to make every shot individually the very best shot I could.

The results are interesting. I look forward to seeing how consistent - if they are consistent at all - they are.

First shot - dead nuts right on the dot. Impact was just exactly where it should have been.
Second shot - 90 seconds later. Impact was almost 1.5 inches right; at exactly three o'clock. I could absolutely not have called that shot as 'off' when it broke.
Third shot - 90 seconds later. Impact was touching the second shot hole, toward the inside. Approximately one inch right of the cold bore shot at exactly 3 o'clock. I could absolutely not have called that shot as 'off' when it broke.

So . . three shots sharing exactly the same horizontal line but an inch to an inch and a half separating the cold bore shot from the 'warming up bore' shots.

I dunno about you, but I find this fascinating. I am looking forward to repeating the exercise tomorrow to see if and by how much it changes.

Shooting and learning is kinda fun, ya know!

[Cattle/Horses]

Any of you shooting bull/varmint barrels? I find them more consistent. Years ago I had an old M77 in 220 swift with bull barrel and it was the most consistent shooter I've ever had.


Rumbler, I've got an AR with a 20 varmint barrel I'll loan you to play with if you want to do any comparisons.