First shot flyer 22 LR bolt action?

[demolitionman]

Hi guys, I've been dealing with a first shot flyer out of my Savage MkII 22lr rimfire. The gun shoots very very well after that first shot, thing is the flyer is nearly always .4 to .6 mills to the left of my POA. All subsequent shots land within a pretty tight group of my poa. If I keep on the trigger and am fast with the magazine reloads the first shot flyer isn't present but if I take more than a minute to reload my magazine, the gun will shoot that same first shot flyer to the left of center about .5ish mills. What gives? Any tips to combat this other than holding a half mill off center?

It wouldn't bother me much except I use this gun to take care of 13 lined ground squirrel problems around the property and having a funky cold bore is really upsetting. I shoot a 308, 65creed, 223, and65x47 none of which have a first shot flyer. I've cleaned the barrel and even bronze brushed it really heavily also used MC7 bore cleaner. Still shoots that first shot to the left.

 

[Snuby642]

Try cycling the first round out without firing.
Sometimes I get first first round feeding problems when loaded to max capacity.
Maybe that first round will show signs of poor feeding.
Costs nothing to check that out.

Have had it happen in pistols mostly, I leave that last round out of mostly everything, but have not seen it in bolt guns with low capacity.

 

[demolitionman]

Try cycling the first round out without firing.
Sometimes I get first first round feeding problems when loaded to max capacity.
Maybe that first round will show signs of poor feeding.
Costs nothing to check that out.

Have had it happen in pistols mostly, I leave that last round out of mostly everything, but have not seen it in bolt guns with low capacity.

I'll give that a try. Im using a 5 round mag and running 4 in it and also ran 3 and ran 2 in it. Still that first flier left .5ish mils. I however haven't tried chambering that first round then ejecting it and moving on with the rest. clever thought and I'll do it this week and see what happens.

 

[demolitionman]

Any other tips or ideas on this guys?

 

[lash]

Reading your OP leaves me with the impression that the only thing different between the first shot and the others is the bolt throw in between. Is it possible that when you cycle the action, your position is ever so slightly changed for the better (more in the pocket if you will)? Maybe cycling a first round through before you begin firing will make a difference for that reason.

 

[Hairy Biker]

First shot flyers are caused by two things - depending on whether you are a "clean" or a "not clean" rimfire barrel person.

a. Lead build up in front of the chamber; this is supposed to be blown out at first firing causing the barrel to shoot clean. Solution: identify when the lead up occurs and clean regularly.

or

b. The barrel is full of cold air. The first shot (kinda like First Round Pop in a moderator) causes the air temp to change and an increase in velocity. The Cold Bore Shot should be predictable if you start measuring it. Solution: fire your first shot off paper and carry on.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Any other tips or ideas on this guys?

Hard Bullet lube (wax) that has set up from the last firing. When you first the first round the hard wax melts an the next rd/s seat/fire normally. Common issue with a 22LR, fire it before you get to the range or use a chamber heating iron before you first rd down range. Nothing in any rules I've ever seen about using a iron, prior. You can make one if you have a lathe, if not have one made an heat it with a propane torch just before.

 

[Snuby642]

Sounds very possible I have had cold weather lube problems.
I shoot a lot in the hot Texas sun, and then when I get out in the winter have some things show up.
The cheap ammo I used to shoot may not have been lubed much if at all, used to shoot copper hv.

The wax is not very solid when the barrel can scorch you without firing a shot. Lol

 

[demolitionman]

Thanks Hairy Biker and Gunfighter. I'm running cci SV and it's pretty heavily waxed. These fliers are experienced between magazine reloads. I can get rid of them if I swap loaded mags really fast ive got 500 SK Rifle Match coming so ill see if a different ammo helps any. Thanks

 

[Snuby642]

Would one of those disposable hand warmers draped over the barrel help?
I have not tried that.
My normal concerns for 3/4 of my shooting days is not to over heat barrels.
At times I wait 15 minutes before trying to get gun back into case on centerfire, and the can is handled with a pot holder.
Most of my cold weather shooting was cold bore single shot, now that i have started sport shooting
Rifles it is a different deal!

 

[demolitionman]

Well my Brick of SK Rifle Match made it here today. I only had 10 minutes before dark which was barely enough time to setup my target and prone matt to shoot 20 rounds. The flyer is gone. All I did was change ammo. I didn't even clean the bore of the cci sv that I had been shooting through it. I noticed this SK Rifle Match doesn't have hardly any wax covering, more of a slight oily film. I'm pretty happy. Can't wait to clean the bore and put a bunch of groups on paper then start shooting rocks off quarry walls at distance.
Here's the 20 rounds on the slpatter targets 5 shots left and right, 10shots middle target. 50 yards prone and it was getting dark on me fast! I'm going to run a few hundred rounds of it tommorow after a good cleaning and see how she does. And no, I didn't weight sort or sort rim thickness. Just shot straight out of the box.

 

[Hairy Biker]

I got similar groups from the SK from my CZ.

 

[Blaser1]

I too have a first shot flyer problem and after reading this thread I tried heating the barrel with a hot air solder station
through the chamber and the groping was worse. just for a few shots.
has anyone salved this with out wasting time and ammo in competition

 

[Hairy Biker]

Have you measured your first round deflection at key ranges to determine whether it is a consistent shot?

The only advice I got from a World Champion BR rimfire shooter was to use sighters - and welcome to the frustrating world of rimfire.

I'm still not 100% convinced.

 

[Blaser1]

simi consistent always down and right .75" then tightens up to .2-.3 " at 50m some time it takes 2 shots yep sighters.