Cold bore shot 4" low

[Matt Dillon]

Folks: My Mosin Nagant M44 shoots pretty accurately; with my hand loads, and 4X pistol scope with Darrel scout mount. Problem is, however, that my first cold bore shot is ~4" low, consistently. The following shots can be kept within the bullseye at 50 yards, but I have experienced this every time I take this rifle to the range.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to over come this? Perhaps the stock needs to be bedded or something?
This weekend, I will take it out again and shoot the first cold bore shot with a dirty barrel, to see if the problem is because of a cold bore, or compounded by having a clean bore. Thanks so much in advance for your help!

 

[Matt Dillon]

bump

 

[R.W.Dale]

Well have you tired that cold but dirty test yet.

It's my experience that a cold, clean and oiled first shot will always be a bit of a flier

 

[Ben Shepherd]

I will take it out again and shoot the first cold bore shot with a dirty barrel

And he wins a prize!!

Bet you dollars to doughnuts that your first shot out of the "dirty" barrel is VERY close to the bullseye.

Most rifles will do that: For instance- The deer hunt's coming up, so I took my 30-06 to the range with a newly scrubbed bore early Saturday morning . First 2 shots? one inch right and about 2" high, cut the same hole. The next three? Upside down Mickey Mouse right through the bull. Following 5 shot group? Centered on the bullseye.

Dads rifle last night with a squeaky clean barrel? The fist four shots walked up about an inch each from 4" low. The next 5? Clustered under an inch with 2 groups of 2 cutting the edge of the other hole and 1 about 1/2" away.

Both rifles now have a piece of masking tape over the muzzle waiting for opening morning.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

So if it works like I think it will, and your CBS goes where you want it to, always do "serious" shooting out of a slightly fouled bore.

Just be careful you do not leave residue in there from corrosive surplus ammo.

Edit: Bump from March 12th? You ARE a patient one.

 

[Matt Dillon]

Thanks folks, for your advice. I did shoot it with a fouled bore, and it was closer, but it was still off a couple of inches. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to eliminate that. I haven't shot over the summer (way too hot here in TX) and now that cooler weather is on the way, we want to check this out again. And, I hate to put a rifle away with a fouled bore. I use my own hand loads but also shoot Czech silver tip in it from time to time, but always clean the rifle well after shooting the Czech silver tip.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Nothing much you can do. You either live with the first couple shots being on because you store it with a slightly dirty bore, or get used to wasting the first 5 rounds or so at the range before you settle in for serious shooting.

 

[W.E.G.]

The good news is, many guns will put that first shot from a cold, clean, oiled barrel in roughly the same spot. Learn where that spot is, and adjust your hold accordingly if the circumstances require that degree of precision.

40 yards, broadside on a deer, it won't matter in any event.

 

[solvability]

I sometimes fire a couple of primers before going out in the field with a clean bore - it burns off the oil and leaves a slightly fouled bore.