Guys,

I did indeed back off the charge weight on my 338-06. At 51 grains of BLC-(2) it shoots nice groups with 225 gr Hornady SPs, CCI 200 primers, on R-P brass.

Interestingly, the group for the first three rounds stinks ... 2" or so. With the barrel warm (not hot) from the first three it shoots under an inch.

Rifle is a commercial FN Mauser action with a 22" Douglas barrel, Timney trigger, and a Zeiss 1.8-5.5 Conquest in Leupold QRW rings on custom bases. Is in a bedded Fajen's synthetic stock. Has no pressure point at the forend of the stock. Has 122 rounds fired through it.

Ideas?

Thanks!

One suggestion...
Do you clean it allways after use?
Don't clean it and try it again when it is cold.

Second suggestion...
Can't figure any yet..

It seems that the cold barrel is the only option if you're a hunter. Forget the group and just know where the first one will hit. roger

Today I did not clean it between two sessions. It cooled and group sucked.

Will fiddle more with it over the next couple of weeks to see what happens.

Ditto on what bartsche said. For hunting you have to know what the gun is going to do with the first shot from a cold barrel. It can shoot three shots in the same hole with a warm barrel and not be worth a nickel for hunting if you can't depend on where the first shot from a cold barrel is going to go.

Mike,

I always try to come up with a load that is consistent whether the barrel is cool or warm. Your hunting shots will be from cool bbls, so the first rounds fired need to group IMO.

I always hunt with fouled bbls as well. Several of my guns with throw a flier with the first shot from a squeaky clean bbl, but usually group greta after the first fouler. The velocity is usually a bit lower on the first shot from a clean bbl as well. I always load up a batch for a hunt or for the season, clean, fire a fouler, fire a group to verify zero, and let them stay just like that for the entire season.

I know guys that clean before every shot and after every hunt, not my cup of tea....

I would tinker with a few more load combos and see if you can find a more consistant load.


Good Luck

Reloader

quote:

At 51 grains of BLC-(2) it shoots nice groups with 225 gr Hornady SPs, CCI 200 primers, on R-P brass.

One of my prejudices is with BL-C(2).....I only use it in the .223 class of case.

May I suggest you use H-414 (Win-760) or if you wish for a slightly faster powder use RL-15, IMR-4895, or IMR-4064.

Rifle does not like RL-15. One of the few I have ever found that doesn't. BLC-(2) has served me well in .223, .308 Win, and 30-06, though I prefer DP2200 in .223 and RL-15 in .308.

Have also tried AA 4350 which as worked well in 30-06. Didn't like that either.

Only things left in the shop I haven't tried are 748, H335, IMR 4350, IMR 4831. REALLY do not want to add other powder types to the inventory.

I have had good luck with 225gr Hornady and IMR 4350...I also have a 22 inch douglas barrel full floated and bedded....no front pressure point.

Sorry..I don't remember the specific load in that I use RL15 for most of my shooting with the 338-06.

Good luck

Starting from a cold, dirty barrel, I'd re-fire the groups with 3 minutes between each shot.

If the first shot is still scattering all over the paper, then there is something wrong with the gun, not the load. Could be a loose screw somewhere? Or a screw that's too tight? I'd also check any scope mounting. Heating of the action could cause the scope to be slightly loose until the action heats up.

BTW, I disagree with the comment about "It's only important to know where the first shot hits". IMO, it's important to know where the first THREE shots hit. Follow up shots may be necessary...

On my Marlin 336, the first two shots group within 3/4"...the third shot invariably opens up to a 2" group, strung lower. That's an indication that as the rifle heats up, there's pressure on the barrel that pulls the shots lower. When fully hot (as in, can't touch this hot) the rifle shoots a consistent 4" low, but shoots 1" groups. So now I get to search for that pressure point. (In my case, it's the tube mag screw at the end of the barrel).

It sounds like your rifle is doing something similar - shoots wild until heat and expansion causes the rifle to "pressure" the barrel against some other point. Could be just about anything...perhaps the barrel needs another 1/32" of turn to tighten it in the action? These things haunt me at night...

IMR4320 has been the go-to powder for the 338-06 since it was invented.

I had a beautiful SAKO that drove me crazy with shot variations. I tried everything I could so from free floating to glass beding and it still would throw the first shot 3"-5" from the rest. If I was shooting in Florida it was fine but it seemed if I crossed the state line into Georgia it was junk. Put in on an airplane and you never had any idea wher the first shot would be. Shot tiny groups after the first shot. I sold it.

cold barrel touching the stock,..then warm barrel warps away from stock??? sounds strange but worth a look.