considering a new barrel for my 110 LRH

[DDCDev]

I'm seriously considering a new barrel for my 110 LRH (Long Range Hunter) chambered in .308. I've become convinced my POI changes down over the first 6 shots or so. especially the 1st shot. so far my gun has a repeated cold bore flyer for the very first shot (approximately 1" higher at 100 yards). this is a cold, dirty bore. not talking about a cleaned, cold bore. after repeated range days to study this I have also noticed that as my barrel warms up around shot number 5 or so, my POI is roughly 2 inches lower than 1st shot. pictures 1-3 below are the same range day shooting Barnes 150 gr TTSX. picture 4 is a previous range day from colder weather shooting Barnes 130 gr. TTSX. gun has approximately 180-200 rounds down the barrel since new.

at least its consistent and this gun will be used for hunting. so far I have zeroed for shots 2-4 and I can adjust for 1st shot. but I really love the gun and Leopold VX-3i 3.5-10x40 combo. so I'm considering getting an aftermarket barrel. any thoughts, comments or suggestions?

all shots are from a bag rest (dual bags) at 100 yards.

Note: on pictures 1-3 below I was changing L-R 1 click to R for 2nd photo and then back 1 click to L for 3rd photo so there is a little movement L-R for that.



https://i.ibb.co/QJ3dGKv/001a.jpg (https://ibb.co/JcwQPsj)

https://i.ibb.co/FY0709w/002a.jpg (https://ibb.co/5jncnd8)

https://i.ibb.co/yRTkp6v/003a.jpg (https://ibb.co/KGZsD24)

https://i.ibb.co/pPxP0fh/004a.jpg (https://ibb.co/X4b427Y)

[Dave Hoback]

If this is a hunting gun, it will be unaffected. Are you reloading? You only listed one type of ammunition. Not really enough shooting here to pin point if there is any problem. A couple of the targets appear to be two different strings of fire entirely. (Separate groupings) And quite honestly, if you don’t reload there is no reason to get another barrel.

[prdatr]

Factory Stock?

[DDCDev]

Factory Stock?

factory stock and factory every thing for a 110 LRH. only change has been the addition of the Leupold scope and mounts.

these pics are two different (but similar) factory ammo. both are Barnes TTSX, first set of targets is 150 grain and last target is 130 grain. I have shot other factory ammo through the gun while breaking it in. mostly PMC Bronze 150 grain. none of those were first shots though so not relevant for this.

Dave Hoback, the first 3 pictures are all the same range session. after picture 1 I dialed windage R 1 click and tapped the turret. I then shot that group of 4 shots that is circled. I then dialed back windage to the L 1 click and tapped the turret and shot 3 more rounds. 2 of those were the bullseye and just to the right and the 3rd was dead center but 1 inch high.

[charlie b]

Yes, it can be normal. My 12BVSS barrel 'moves' shots around until it warms up. Like you have seen the first shots are consistently off by a certain amount (mine are usually 1" high and left).

My Axis in .223 moved maybe 1/2MOA from cold to smoking hot.

[Whynot]

Another possibility.... I had a rear bag that with the design and fill you would get vertical groups if you did not really focus and do everything right..... after a few shots the fill material would move and pack in a little better and then the stringing would go away. But until we figured that out it seemed that the barrel was the problem.

[want2ride]

I have had two different 7mm Rem Mags have one shot high on the cold bore shot and then put a nice 4 shot group together 1 MOA low. It was consistent and predictable, wether i had been shooting it first or shooting other guns first, hot days, cold days... very consistent and no other rifles i have owned (20 or so savages plus another 10 center fire remington, browning, TC, Ruger) have ever done this. in spite of what some think, it can happen.

[DDCDev]

whynot, that is an interesting possibility. I'll see if I can find another bag for my next range day.

[DDCDev]

want2ride, so far my gun looks to be one that does this. zeroing the scope was more of a process than it really should have been. looking back I now realize the first couple shots were always off and the 1st was the most off. at first I just assumed I'd pulled that shot. then after the 3rd time at the range and it kept happening I began to really focus on that first shot. same result.

[Txhillbilly]

In general, the first shot out of any rifle - cold bore or cold clean bore- is going to have a different POI than the next few shots. A clean bore will usually have several shots with a different POI until the bore gets fouled and settles in.

This is what my custom 6.5 CM does suppressed on a cold clean bore 10 shot string-

https://i.imgur.com/dCeTElG.jpg

My 7mm-08 always shoots about a 1/2 inch lower on the cold bore shot than the next 4 shots.

https://i.imgur.com/DYwof0L.jpg