Does anyone else appreciate cold bore shots?

[Vapor Trail]

Frankly, I don't find it impressive if you can hit a target 2500 yards away if it takes you 10 shots. And neither will the target, especially if it's alive; it'll probably be gone/behind cover after the first round. Like when Mac was shooting the CheyTac Intervention M200 on Future Weapons, it took him 4 rounds before he even hit his target, and he still made a big deal out of his 3-shot "group." If that had been a real-world scenario, be it hunting or anti-personnel, he would've failed big time.

What I did find impressive was when Mac hit within a man-sized radius of a target (gut-area) at 2500 yards, with a cold bore shot. This was done with the Barrett M99, chambered in .416 Barrett.

I think people should focus less in training on precision groupings, and more on hitting center mass with your first shot. It trains you to rely less on guess-and-check, and more on getting the wind speed/elevation/humidity/bullet drop/rotation of the earth right the first time.

Does anyone else feel like I do? What's the point of shooting 1000 yards with 7.62 NATO if it takes a whole magazine to get on target?

Just my 2 cents.

[Ghost__1]

Any tactical long range shooter should be very serious about cold bore shots. When I was training my team we would spend days doing this. Gather dope on how your rifle is shooting on both cold bore and follow ups.
I've never really been told a proper way to achieve this so my method was 10rds at each meter line. Very slow rate of fire to gather dope and rod the barrels and let them cool before firing the next.

I can't speak how coldbore would effect le snipers as most of their engagements are 100m or less but i'm sure because their shots have to be alot tighter that they prepare for this as well.

We even practiced shooting through glass and all. I agree with you completely in that it most certainly is the most important shot. Competition shooters will agree with that as well.

[QuietShootr]

Frankly, I don't find it impressive if you can hit a target 2500 yards away if it takes you 10 shots. And neither will the target, especially if it's alive; it'll probably be gone/behind cover after the first round. Like when Mac was shooting the CheyTac Intervention M200 on Future Weapons, it took him 4 rounds before he even hit his target, and he still made a big deal out of his 3-shot "group." If that had been a real-world scenario, be it hunting or anti-personnel, he would've failed big time.

What I did find impressive was when Mac hit within a man-sized radius of a target (gut-area) at 2500 yards, with a cold bore shot. This was done with the Barrett M99, chambered in .416 Barrett.

I think people should focus less in training on precision groupings, and more on hitting center mass with your first shot. It trains you to rely less on guess-and-check, and more on getting the wind speed/elevation/humidity/bullet drop/rotation of the earth right the first time.

Does anyone else feel like I do? What's the point of shooting 1000 yards with 7.62 NATO if it takes a whole magazine to get on target?

Just my 2 cents.

I agree. First round hit is key.

[The Surgeon]

If it takes an entire magazine to hit a target at a grand, I wold say they need more practice before moving onto live targets.

Four shots to get onto target at 2,500 yards (mile and a half) is pretty impressive to me. Have you ever tried to judge the environment at 2,500 yards? Four shots to get onto target is impressive. Even though the target at 2,500 yards and the shooter is stationary, they are actually moving at an equal and consistent rate of speed. When the bullet is fired you now have a second velocity vector to solve for. If you are shooting parallel to the direction of rotation the effects on the bullet are going to be less than the effects would be if you were shooting across the direction of rotation.

Do I think it should take less than a full magazine to hit at a grand? Yes, around 1-3 shots. At 2,500 yards? I couldn't do it in four shots nor do I personally know anyone who could and I know some great shooters.

I think you underestimate the force mother nature has on long range shooting.

Most long range shooter will not run a clean barrel when making their first shot at a match or game. The shooter will most likely always fowl the barrel before shooting at a match or game. At this point the difference is very slight compared to a cold/clean barrel shot.

I do not necessarily worry about the cold bore shot. I worry more about the cold bore shift

[Ghost__1]

I do not necessarily worry about the cold bore shot. I worry more about the clean bore shift

I agree with this. It seems symantics but you are right there is a difference. We also shot our rifles at the range before ever leaving the wire after a cleaning.

[arizona98tj]

At my last precision rifle course, we took every opportunity possible to shoot and accurately record cold and clean bore shots in our data book. This was in December so it didn't take too long to create a cold bore situation given the temps we had.

That being said, I did discover that my rifle, cold bore, warm bore, or clean bore shoots the same POI. Up until the class, I had never checked for it....I just always assumed I needed to fire a couple of fouling shots.

The skills test at the end of the course was 10 cold bore shots. No sighters, no foulers, just 10 cold bore shots at 10 distances. After each shot, we would pack up our gear, move to the location, unpack our gear, and shoot again. Did I mention the instructor was key on cold bore shooting? The only reason you ever shot a 2nd or 3rd shot was to confirm a change or miscalculation in wind, assuming you already had valid elevation data for that distance.

[Pappabear]

Cold bore shots make it fun. We do it all the time. Usually choosing a head shot at 500 yards.

[anthony1]

l have some land with targets out to 1.5m, l dont get to shoot nearly enough, but l wouldn't hold it against anyone taking 4shots to center mass at over a mile.

l agree with what your saying, l still like to shoot longrange though just because its fun. l dont do it for a living though and my targets dont move if it takes me 5 shots to hit them.

[Alaskapopo]

Frankly, I don't find it impressive if you can hit a target 2500 yards away if it takes you 10 shots. And neither will the target, especially if it's alive; it'll probably be gone/behind cover after the first round..

I think that depends on the situation. Take a look at the sniper shots show they showed on the History Channel with the Canadian sniper hitting 1 of 3 bad guys at close to a mile and a half with a McMillion 50cal bolt gun. He fired 3 shots before he connnected. He was so far aware the enemy may not have even realized they were being fired upon. They did not run they stopped to see what was happening. A friend of mine who has done 2 tours 1 in Iraq and 1 in Afganistan said people sometimes are confused about where the fire is coming from and take cover in the wrong place. (ie with their back to in coming fire) I am sure the battle field is chaotic and your target may not have a clue of where you are shooting from or where he should go to avoid being hit. Hitting at long range is hard especially with wind and mirage. Also what does it matter if it takes you a whole magazine so long as in the end you took the target out.
Pat

[Jack-O]

Most long range shooter will not run a clean barrel when making their first shot at a match or game. The shooter will most likely always fowl the barrel before shooting at a match or game. At this point the difference is very slight compared to a cold/clean barrel shot.

I do not necessarily worry about the cold bore shot. I worry more about the clean bore shift

This.

a "cold bore shot" is actually a clean bore that must be fouled. it's a misnomer and misunderstood by most shooters

bore/barrel temperature has little to do with point of impact in a good stress relieved precision barrel, unless at the very extremes (like -20 to +140).