Ok, I have a rifle that prints the first two shots next to each other and the third prints about three inches away. Someone bedded the action and also bedded a small strip in the forearm to put pressure on the barrel. I'm guessing this may be the culprit as the barrel heats up. I'm thinking of taking it out with a dremel and return it to free-float. What do you guys think?

Have you ever gotten a third shot off at a game animal?

Does the rifle print a first differently on cold days vs. warm days?

Is this a hunting rifle or a paper puncher?

One of my rifles does the same thing - personally, I just shoot two-shot groups now.

Before removing that pressure point, put a washer under the front guard screw to raise the barrel off of the pressure point and give it a try first. If that fixes it remove the pressure point and try it out again. If it again acts up redo the whole bedding job as a freefloat.

If it's a thin barrel it'll probably print the third shot outside the first two regardless of what you do with the bedding.

rnovi, actually I have gotten a third shot off at game, more often than I care to mention . I told myself the same thing that you said, when will I need a third shot? Then the memories came rolling back to me. Of course I never miss, right? It most of been those non-premium bullets I used in my misguided youth. I swear some of those cervids wear kevlar. They act like a gangbanger on crack, keep on taking hits and won't go down.

I do like to punch paper even with my hunting rifles. Heaven forbid one of my buddies sees me shoot a group over 1moa, how will I ever live it down.

I haven't had the gun long enough to know if it does this on both hot and cold days. It is a thin barrel. I think I may try airguns idea. Thanks for the ideas guys. If it doesn't work I'm back to 2 shot groups.