consistant group size

[Grizzdude]

Right now I'm trying to develop a load for a copper solid in my Savage 338 lapua. So at 200 yards I had a couple groups with 3 or 4 shots touching all under 1/2" groups but each had a flier. The flier is either the first or second shot and makes the whole 5 shot group at least 3/4-1 moa or more. So today I try to shoot 500 yard groups (no wind) and my first group is all over 7" spread. the second group had 4 shots within 3.5" and the flier made the whole group just under 5". I'm waiting about 1.5 to 2 minutes between shots, shooting off a bipod and rear bag. The stock and scope are nice and tight, I haven't checked the base screws yet but there is zero play in the scope base. Just having a hard time getting all 5 shots to group well. I'm sort of pleased with my last group just wish I didn't have the flier. Do you think using a bipod might account for these fliers? I was going to try the loads again at 500 yards but this time use a front bag instead of the bipod. Any suggestions or input?

 

[jeff1383]

Are your fliers vertical or horizontal opposed to the group?
Are these factory made rounds or reloads? If reloads how is the neck tension round to round?

 

[Grizzdude]

Are your fliers vertical or horizontal opposed to the group?
Are these factory made rounds or reloads? If reloads how is the neck tension round to round?

The flier is always vertical, usually high. I'm reloading and neck tension should be very consistent, I use redding bushing dies. So this morning I had a friend shoot off a front sand bag first, were at 500 yards. His first 3 shots were under 3", his 4th shot went about 6" high, the 5 shot right back with the group making the total 4 shot group size under 3.25" with a vertical dispersion of 2". It was breezy this morning too. The next group I shot and I was all over the place but did have 3 shots under 3", we think by the time I got on the rifle, the bipod legs were resting on the sand bag and not where the bipod mount is, possibly causing flexibility and my wild shots. Well I think I'm going to try 2 higher load charges 5 shots each and if those don't do any better I think it's best I stick with this load. I've had some killer groupings with this load but seem to always get a flier in 5 shot group.

 

[damoncali]

Right now I'm trying to develop a load for a copper solid in my Savage 338 lapua. So at 200 yards I had a couple groups with 3 or 4 shots touching all under 1/2" groups but each had a flier. The flier is either the first or second shot and makes the whole 5 shot group at least 3/4-1 moa or more. So today I try to shoot 500 yard groups (no wind) and my first group is all over 7" spread. the second group had 4 shots within 3.5" and the flier made the whole group just under 5".

The simplest explanation is that your rifle shoots 5 shot groups "3/4-1 MOA or more" with that load. If every group has a flyer or two, they're not flyers. It's easy to see patterns where there are none. It sounds like you have a 1ish MOA rifle. If you have any doubt about your point of aim when the round goes off, correct that - use a concrete bench, solid rest - whatever it takes to eliminate that. But if your'e using good fundamentals and this is what you get, be happy that you have a 1 MOA factory rifle.

 

[former naval person]

Fliers happen. Sometimes more than others. Sometimes your bullet and rifle don't like each other. Too many variables in there. Why the copper solid? You need to shoot through stuff? Those may or may not be concentric. Depending how they are made...swaged or turned? If solid copper, you are most likely getting copper deposits in areas along the bore, that aren't at the same place each time...jacketed bullets are gilding metal. They don't strip and deposit copper like the solid stuff. If solid pure copper was best, the ammo companies would have been using it for the past 100 years. The harder alloy jacket works better.