A fouling shot ???

[KINGMAX]

How important is a fouling shot??

When should it be made?? Right after cleaning / or just prior to use ??

What would be the benefit??

I am currently cleaning my .270. On the trip to the range yesterday , I shot just one cold group of three rounds. The first two were right on the X in the center, like 'figure eight', the third I pulled just a quarter inch down to the left. I say that because I took no 'fouling shot' prior. That is why I have asked the preceding list of questions.

Thanks in advance for your ideas on the subject.

 

[Outlaws]

Is that smaller text a quote or is that you?

Based on that the third shot could be a flyer. Another 3 shot group would be needed to confirm.

 

[FrogClan]

What would be the benefit?

Many muzzleloader shooters like to make a "fouling shot" before they start shooting for a match, or in preparation for the hunt, because they believe the first shot from a clean bore goes into a slightly different point of impact (relative to point of aim) than a shot from a bore with some black-powder residue and fouling in it. The idea behind a fouling shot, then, is to make sure that the shot that counts goes where the sights say it should.

IMO, a modern centerfire rifle using smokeless powder doesn't need a fouling shot (not much residue to speak of, so it really doesn't leave any fouling). If you want to make sure, do as you are doing... compare the first shot in a group to the others. If you find it is always the first shot that is the flyer in the group, then a fouling shot might be called for. Otherwise, you don't need to bother.

 

[KINGMAX]

That is me

That is me in the smaller letters, no quote.

 

[Jim Watson]

If you know you pulled the shot and it is only a quarter inch out (At 100 yards or more?) then it is not a factor for THAT barrel and THAT bullet for THREE shots. Now if you were a target shooter and had to depend on getting 60-80 shots, then the first three shots might themselves have been foulers.

My .308 appears to need one fouling shot before settling down to its zero. Maybe more, now that I am using Wipe-Out.
My Krieger .223 goes right to work.

 

[R.W.Dale]

With the use of a chrony I've found that a first shot from a clean oily bore can be up to 150 FPS SLOWER than the other shots from a fouled bore. I neither hunt or try to shoot groups with a clean rifle any longer.

Fouling shot important? Very.

 

[hps1]

I wouldn't call a shot 1/4" out of the group a flyer if shooting at 100 yds.

Many modern rifles, especially hunting rifles, do not shoot subsequent shots to the same point of impact as the first shot out of a cold, clean barrel. One of my favorite hunting rifles shoots first shot 1" low and 1/2" left than the subsequent shots. As long as you are aware of this, it is no problem, so I do not bother with fouling shots. My Savage FP10 in 223 just puts them in .5" from start to finish. Each rifle is a study unto itself.

I have some friends who sight their rifle in before the season and do not clean it until season closes. I prefer to know where my first shot is going and compensate for it if necessary. I do dry patch the rifle before shooting and then clean it after the hunt/range session. I personally never put a rifle away that has not been cleaned.

Regards,
hps

 

[mpthole]

I found that for my Rem 700 in .308, I need 3-5 shots after cleaning it to get my groups to settle in. Never really understood why...

 

[dfaugh]

The only gun I've ever own, that shot noticeably different after I cleaned it, is my Marlin Model 60 .22. Believe it or not it takesabout 40 shots before it shoot really good groups. Before that the groups aren't that bad, but not nearly as good as after a few rounds go through.

 

[Jim Watson]

Oh, .22s are notorious for needing fouling shots. One guy here thoroughly cleaned his dressed 10-.22 and it took most of a carton of ammo before it settled back down to the accuracy he had been getting.

Another concluded that a rather peculiar load was most accurate in his .45. It really didn't matter, what counted was the order shot from the Ransom Rest. The first group from a clean bore was never as good as the second with a little fouling.

 

[KINGMAX]

Thanks for the 411

Thanks for all the good information. That was an interesting point about some folks now cleaning their rifle until hunting season is over. I am a firm believer in knowing where your first 'cold shot' is going. I have just gotten my REMI 700 in .270 just in the last two months. It has not been field tested when the barrel is very cold yet. I wonder how much it will change my 'cold shot'.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Every time I shot targets with the M16 I noticed the first round missing the intended target and every subsequent round hitting the target. That's all of the proof I need to call it a fouling shot.