I know this is a Savage forum but you guys are the smartest and most helpful of any forum I'm on, so I thought you could help me!

I just bought a new Ruger American in 270 and am still breaking her in--but I am having a heck of a time figuring out why I'm having this problem:



When I fired the rifle for the first time my shots were spraying all over the place--minute of dwarf star accuracy--but as the barrel got very hot everything tightened up significantly. Everything in the scope system is rock solid. I did some stock work and the barrel truly free-floats now, but today I experienced more or less the same thing--the first 4 "cool bore" shots--which I timed to keep the barrel cool--walked all over. Then I shot the last four barrel hot and they tightened up sub-MOA and were virtually dead-on my intended POA.

I've experienced this with AR's--but never with a bolt gun. I figure something someplace is swelling up as it gets hotter and somehow imparting better accuracy--but what?? I can't confidently take this gun hunting shooting this way.