Trying to refine loads for a Ruger 22-250. The left target shows a decent 3 shot group with H380, plus the first fouling shot which was the first shot after a good cleaning. To be expected. The group on the right shows another decent 3 shot group with Varget, the flier is the first shot with Varget after the 380 group.

I've heard that this can occur when switching powders in a string, just never seen it demonstrated like this.

How much time elapsed between the 2 groups?

You expect a conclusion from one wild shot?.

Just enough time to reload, the barrel probably didn't cool much.

Could have been a wild shot I guess. I have a good rest and the others were pretty consistent, so wasn't factoring that too much.

This is consistant with a video I recently saw from the US Army Marksmanship team. They showed that the first shot from a clean, cold barrel would be quite a bit off from subsequent shots. The first shot from a dirty, cold barrel would also be off, but considerably less than the clean, cold barrel shot.

I'm not saying that your barrel cooled off enough between loadings, but it may have happened.

There can be no conclusion from 1 flier.
I would be more concerned about the 1 shot outside the the 2 hole groups.
looks consistent from one powder to the other.
I would load and shoot several groups with each powder and determine if the 1 shot out of the group followed any pattern. the first shot, second, or third. if its random then I would look at the bedding, make sure the scope didnt shift. make sure its not me that caused the shift. there is a lot to consider

There are issues from changing powders from string to string. Usually it takes several shots to settle in from powder to powder though.

I think your "flier" is the rifle settling in after changing point of aim. Is the out lier of each 3 shot group the second shot in each postion?

The group on the left, the flier was the second shot. Can't say for sure on the second group.

Makes sense that it may be a bedding issue. The gun is a Hawkeye all weather. The barrel is tight to the stock at the fore end. I've never tried to free float a synthetic, can it be sanded like wood or is there a better method?

Probably should load up a dozen rounds of one of these recipes and have another go. I've only fired a few shots out of this rifle, it was a recent acquisition. I'm trying to find a good coyote load for it.

the cold shot is the first shot when hunting.
that's the one i worry about.
one shot off somewhere after a powder change is nothing.
changing bullets can take a number of shots if the jaxket material is vastly different.

and you should see what happens if you change lubes when using cast.
i have seen 8-10 wild shots then a 3/4" 100 yd 6-10 shot group suddenly appear.

Target 1: I've found the first shot being very high like this one is not because the barrel is clean and cold but because some oily substance has been left in the bore.

Target 2: I've many times shot loads in one shooting session testing 2 or 3 types of powders and have never seen convincing evidence that powder switch in and of itself will change group size.

As others have noted, no conclusion can be drawn from one group.

i have a ruger M-77 S.S. in .260 rem. it usually takes sometimes 4-6 fouler shots to get my gun grouping again. i dont worry about groups untill at least 4 shots..

quote:

Originally posted by vines:
i have a ruger M-77 S.S. in .260 rem. it usually takes sometimes 4-6 fouler shots to get my gun grouping again. i dont worry about groups untill at least 4 shots..

Same gun and cal here, mine wants a warm dirty barrel.

I loaded up some more of this load. Put some electrical tape in the stock on the post by the recoil lug to float the barrel. Groups were worse. Don't think it was my shooting, because in the same session I checked zero on my 300 with two shots, they were almost touching. Maybe try to apply some forend pressure? Somehow got to get this thing to shoot.

Those "flyers" could easily be contributed to shooter error. 2 three shot "groups" don't really tell you anything. Had you continued to shoot with either group, it may well have filled in and the flyers weren't flyers at all.

This is always an interesting observation. Target shooters hardly give it a thought but when I hunted, the first shot from a cold barrel (clean or fouled) was always a concern.