New 280 Ultra and hunting accuracy

[coues2506]

Got a "find" in an as new 280 Ultra with brown lam stocks and a Bushnell Legend 2x7 scope for 261. Initial groups were not real bad but putting a pair of fiber washers on the forend stud got those groups down to close to an inch and stopped that vertical stringing as the barrel got hot. Now I am ready to see what my hunting groups will be like. It will take me weeks of shooting to find out. The group will be 5 shots plotted from the first shot only from a clean, cold barrel. The first shot from 5 separate trips to the range. The first shot is the only one that matters.

[mitchell]

nice find . let me know how your trip to the range goes i have a 280 i'm trying to tune right now too and would be interested in your findings

[canon6]

If I may be so bold. ::)I  am from the old school I always hunt with a fouled bore.ie; a barrel that has had one round fired  from  it.I have seen some accurate rifles do strange things from a  clean bore. As a matter of fact, I do not clean the bores of my hunting rifles till after hunting season.
That of course, doe's not include the necessary cleaning after the obligatory, snow bank,mud hole wallow.   just My 2 c       Doug

[quickdtoo]

Ditto on Doug's practice, been doing that for as long as I can remember.....for whatever that's worth!! 

Tim

[dpe.ahoy]

I'm chimin' in with Doug and Tim.  Couldn't be in better or more knowledgeble company.   DP

[double R]

here is something to think about.after you fire your shot with a clean bore,let the barrel cool down and shoot another group with a fouled barrel. see if there is a differents.just my 2cents

[zoner]

i agree that you should sight in the load....clean the bore real good...fire a fouling round...then let the barrel cool completely, then fire one round of yer huntin ammo and check poa/poi.....go thru this process several times keeping track of how consistent that round fired from a cold,fouled,bore and if everything is consistent you have established how your gun should be set up for hunting...before hunting season sight in the gun,clean it,fire one round,your rifle is ready to go...if you fire the gun during the season and intend to hunt more,clean the bore then foul it,your ready to go again....consistency and accuracy go hand in hand......works for me

[PHATINJUN]

Which ever way you decide to go about this knowing what your bbl will do is a great thing that many over look. Just to throw a monkey wrench into your mix...you also need to take into consideration the ambient temp as you may have it all figured out this summer and ready to go @70* then you step out in the field to hunt and it's been snowing all night and 22* just food for thought. What I would do if I was FILTHY rich would be to get it all dialed in then jump in my jet and go test a round in the mountains on a 20* morning. But that ain't gonna happen so good luck. Kurt

[rickt300]

I have several rifles that will put the first round from a clean and dry barrel to the same place as from a kept dirty barrel.  Meaning that before I go hunting I run a few dry tight patches down the barrel.

[coues2506]

I don't like dirty bores----------------------------------of any kind

[Singleshotsam]

Coues, if you don't like dirty bores of any kind then I suggest you buy a bow and arrow, or a sling shot, blowgun...ect...

No rifle is going to shoot well from a clean cold bore.  I don't know of anybody personally that takes their rifle on a field hunt after being cleaned and oiled w/o taking the gun out and shooting a 3 round group to verify accuracy from a fouled bore.  Anytime i've ever shot a rifle from a clean, cold bore, the bullet is usually 2-3" off zero in any given direction.  There is no consistancy to be had. 

These guys here know what they're talking about when they say, clean the bore well for copper and powder, and then fire a couple rounds coldbore to try this experiment.  Otherwise you'll be complaining that your handi accuracy sucks...

[rickt300]

Like I said, a dry clean barrel will put the first shot right on the money in several of my rifles.  I have so many rifles that keeping the ones I don't use all the time cleaned and oiled is a good idea.  My 44 magnum barrel on my Handi stays dirty because I shoot cast bullets in it and the bullet lube keeps the barrel conditioned.  If I clean this barrel and then shoot it it will hit several inches high for a couple shots and the next two will bring it back to it's sighted in point.