I just have to ask

[445supermag]

Guys have to ask But shooting smokeless what do you guys do between shots?

Say you are shooting for groups to see how a load works for you what do you do after the shot. This is besides letting the barrel cool down.

So do you swab with powder solvent then dry patch it.

I was just wondering as to what you are doing to maybe help with my accuracy.

I think I am NOT doing the right thing. Ok I load up shoot then immediately swab with prelubed powder solvent and then use two dry patches to clean it out. then wait 5 to 8 minutes between shots. I also think its too short of a wait period.

Ok this is my ritual so let me have it. How bad am I doing things here.

Brian

[richard]

Seems a lot of shooters have different regiments. After I shoot, I put my cool rod (see Hints and tips) down the bore for between 15 and 30 sec. (yes, every shot). Then run a 2x2" patch with four equally spaced drops of Rem. bore cleaner down and up followed by a dry down and up patch. Reload and fire. No eight to 15 minute waiting period. By using the cool rod everytime, my barrel never gets warm.
Some don't clean at all between shots. Some just love waiting 15 minutes What ever winds your watch ;D
Richard

[ozark]

It seems that many have routines specific to themselves. If what you are doing is giving you groups that you are pleased with then I think your are ahead of many if not most. Many suggests longer wait periods while some just load and shoot. I don't really know why heat destroys accuracy so quick. I think maybe it is effecting the sabot more than anything else but that is just a guess. If I suggested a change in your routine and learned later that your groups were under a MOA I would prove myself the fool I suspect I am. Good shooting. Ozark

[esmd]

I don't do anything. I load and shoot, load and shoot, load and shoot, etc. I'll shoot two back to back, and then wait until the barrel is cool to the touch before I shoot again.

[deadeye]

i alternate to my other 2 ss's,since they all like the same load,no confusion,but 1 likes to be dry swabbed for some reason,looks like you need to buy another!lol

[DannoBoone]

My home-made target frame holds two sets of sight-in targets. Ya
know, the type that has one large target and small targets in
each corner.....plenty of shootin' there. While the Savage barrel
cools, there is plenty of time to play with the Tac 20, 7mm WSM,
.25-06, .22-250 or even the 17HMR! Why waste the "waiting" time! ;D
Heck, I may even try out a couple new duplex type loads with the
209x50 this year!

There's really no need to just sit there and "wait". Be creative with
the time. You may have a couple extra minutes even if ya do make
one of richard's coolers, and grouping with a mild recoil rifle can
take the "edge" off. (No pun or insult intended, mr. moderator. ;D )

[hillbill]

If you do much range work at all build a rod cooler & rod and take richards advice, have the set up myself and it works.Is it a must to clean between shots? NO but you MUST shoot from a cool barrel.
Some gents never clean with good results but whatever you choose be consistent for accuracy.
Bill

[445supermag]

thanks guys. I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong. I am still testing bullets but have shot the MZ and TMZ in 285 and 290 gr versions. I know they are boattailed bullets and are harder to get to shoot and that is what I am having now. I am getting about 4 inches at 100. Not at all happy so I just had to ask.

Well I decided to try the BO and have N120 and H4198 on hand with the MMP orange Sabot as randy W and others say is the bomb. I am also getting in or H BCR SABOT to try just incase the orange MMP does't do well just to cover all bases.

Well will see when I can get out for some range time

Thanks again.

Seems like everyone has there own thing and its not really a right or wrong thing more of a just do it the same way every time kind of deal.

Brian

[DW]

First I run a patch soaked in denatured alcohol down the bore, then flip the patch and give it a couple more passes.
Follow with a dry patch both sides.
Above 70* I stay home.
60*-70* 15 min. between shot & reload.
50*-60* 12 min. wait
40*-50* 9 min. wait
30*-40* 6 min. wait
Below 30* pretty much shoot, swab, reload.
Nothing seems to be etched in stone with these guns, more than one way to skin a cat, just have to find what works for you.

[wilmsmeyer]

One dry patch between shots. I never introduce foreign substances into the barrel like solvents, lube etc. Does anyone do this with a cartridge rifle.....or during case prep while reloading? Waiting time will vary between guns...don't ask me why. I don't wait 15 minutes.

[bigmoose]

Shoot sabotless.....no waiting time

[mike.dawson]

I put two targets in the holder, savage target on top of a small bulls eye. I shoot the Savage 2 times, then as it cools I shoot a 22cal at the bottom target and when the barrel feels cool to my hand I go again with the savage. I don't patch if only shooting smokeless, but if I throw in a BH209 load I dry patch after that shot

[jtwodogs]

I was used to cleaning my Encore between shots to get it sighted in. Tried that with my Savage and my groups were crap. Got frustrated and just started shooting all of a sudden my groups got real tight. Seems my gun likes it dirty. Some other I noticed do it this way. But they also say after about 40 shots, plastice build up starts to become a problem. So other then letting your barrel cool to sight in, I would try just shooting it.
J

[typical10]

I have one ML2 that will shoot a 3 shot group one after another in weather cooler than 55 degrees, Using 43grain 4957 & 300 Grain XTP. The other ML2's I have are very spuratic. I think its more of a barrel issue.
Jeff~

[youp50]

I am a load and shoot guy. Hunting load as follows; 50 cal, 250 gr TMZ boat tail, Supplied sabots. 70 gr H4198. 1.5-5x scope. Index the sabots and have shot less than MOA. Typically a little more, but never more than 2moa, unless I call a flyer. I am quite sure the low power scope is a handicap when shooting from the bench. I am easily minute of deer to 200 yards.


This works in MY ML.


Just got the HPH 12 sabots and the imr 4759 and I will be messing around with some .45 caliber 250 gr Hornaday XTP HP duplex loads. Cold weather shooting. Although it promises to be a balmy 20 degrees at the range today.

.

[SW]

To clean between shots, between groups, etc or to never clean has been discussed since before any of us were born. I have 2 17HMRs: both are extremely accurate - seriously below 1MOA @ 100 yds with no perceptible wind(there is always some wind), well below MOA. Just to see, I clean one every usage and the other has NEVER been cleaned - well over 1000 shots. Accuracy - about the same. There is at least 1 well know gun writer with a 270 who has never cleaned it - gets superb accuracy. I think depending on the barrel condition, the type of powder used, and possibly other factors that the 10ML-2 might work well with never cleaning, except for the BP and maybe not even that. I do have an entirely stock 10-ML2 that I think I will start testing to see how it will do without any cleaning EVER. I don't think this would work with 5744 or esp 2400 but I'll try 43g VV-110/250XTPs/short MMPs/Win 209s and see what happens. I'll shoot this gun between shots of the 40 and 45 sabotless while I wait for their barrels to cool to where I can touch them.
SUMMARY; WHATEVER KEEPS THE BARREL CONSISTENT; IE NOT CONTINUALLY GETTING MORE FOULED/TIGHTER WITH EVERY SHOT.I WILL CONTINUE TO MOIST PATCH/DRY PATCH BETWEEN EACH SHOT ON MY 45S AND 40 REGARDLESS AS I WANT TO STORE MY BARRELS LONG TERM CLEAN.
The goal is to have a barrel interior as consistent as possible between each shot. This can be obtained, by a thorough cleaning between each shot, by a light freshening between each shot, or by reaching a non-changing(if possible - dependent on a # of factors) state of foul'dness. All these will work but likely there will be slight qualitative differences.

[dave d.]

:)my barrel likes to be dirty.i do nothing inbetween shots just like my centerfires.with smokeless i don't think it is necessary but agree with sw whatever keeps your barrel consistent.so try both and you will find out quick.goodluck

[petev]

As everyone says each barrel and shooter has his own preference, but the majority seem to shoot the barrel dirty, with maybe a dry patch between shots at most. If the orange MMP sabot loads about right with alot of resistance, but can be pushed down OK, then expect the BCR sabot to load a lot tighter. They are both good sabots, so mostly it depends on the fit. Beyond that, there are those chiming in that know alot more about obtaining accuracy than I, so I'll wish you good luck.

[445supermag]

Thanks guys, I am going to try some suggestions you are saying. I am going to try treating it like a centerfire and no cleaning at all and do a group to see what happens. then I will try a dry patch only through it after each shot to see how that goes and see what happens.

Funny is there are so many things to try to find that correct sequence for your barrel. I just need a ton of range time. Well will see how it goes and will report back with findings.

Thanks a lot guys.

Brian