c.latrans
Member
A few years ago I splurged and bought a Mountain Eagle Rifle in .300 Win. mag from MRI. Many of you guys will know that this is a round top Sako action mated to a Kreiger bbl dropped into a HS Precision stock. (before they started building the carbon bbl rifles) I have tried any number of bullet weights and powders, and have settled on two loads using 180 grain Nosler bal tip and partition bullets. Accuracy with the bal tip load is exceptional, with the partition load being acceptable for hunting the things you would use this bullet for...1.5 inches all of the time at a hundred, if I do my part. These loads also shoot close enough to the same POI so that no sight adjustments are necessary when swithching between loads....so no accuracy hitches...........except for one big one.
With a clean bbl, this rifle throws the first shot from either load about 3 inches high. After the first shot, it settles down and shoots nice round groups for the rest of the session. (I am certain this is not a scope issue, as I have tried 3 different proven scopes with the same results.) Another little quirk this rifle demonstrates is that if the bore is left fouled between sessions, the first shot high thing diminishes until, if I leave the bore uncleaned after 30 or so shots, the first shot lands where intended. Literally, the dirtier the bbl, the closer to intended POI the first shot lands.
I am a noob to this board, but not really to this game. I am nearly 50 now, and have been handloading and shooting centerfires since my early teens. I have seen many rifles which tend to tighten up their groups as the bore fouls a bit, but this one stumps me as I have not come across a rifle with this exact tendency before. Any suggestions from you guys?
With a clean bbl, this rifle throws the first shot from either load about 3 inches high. After the first shot, it settles down and shoots nice round groups for the rest of the session. (I am certain this is not a scope issue, as I have tried 3 different proven scopes with the same results.) Another little quirk this rifle demonstrates is that if the bore is left fouled between sessions, the first shot high thing diminishes until, if I leave the bore uncleaned after 30 or so shots, the first shot lands where intended. Literally, the dirtier the bbl, the closer to intended POI the first shot lands.
I am a noob to this board, but not really to this game. I am nearly 50 now, and have been handloading and shooting centerfires since my early teens. I have seen many rifles which tend to tighten up their groups as the bore fouls a bit, but this one stumps me as I have not come across a rifle with this exact tendency before. Any suggestions from you guys?
