Fix the flyer?

[Canonshooter]

Upper - BCM BFH ELW 16-inch mid-length
Ammo - Speer LE .223 75 Gold Dot

I've had this upper for years and have been very happy with it (still am). I usually shoot this rifle at 100 yards or less, but today I tweaked my zero at 200 yards to achieve my desired MPBR of about 230 yards.

First 3-shot group at 200 yards measured 1-1/2 inches, the second 3-shot group at 200 measured 1-3/4 inches. With the zero confirmed, I settled down for some 5-shot groups.

What I was finding in 5-shot groups is that the rifle would cluster four in a MOA group or better (like the first two groups), then the fifth shot was WAY out of the group, opening it up to around 3 MOA. It did this pretty consistently, able to get most of the shots in a tight cluster then sending one in five out into left field somewhere. One group at 300 yards clustered four of the shots within 4 inches, then sent the fifth to open the group to 10 inches (about 3 MOA)

I was shooting prone with bags front and rear, squeezing the shots off carefully, so I don't think there was anything I was doing to force the flyers. Other ammo is usually in the 2 - 3 MOA range but doesn't consistently cluster tight groups like the GD ammo.

Question - is there something I should be looking for mechanically that might account for this behavior? Or is this typical of lightweight barrels?

TIA for your insight.

[georgeib]

By any chance, was it the first round throwing the flyer? Any idea?

[ndmiller]

Have someone else shoot some groups to confirm what you're seeing.

[Canonshooter]

By any chance, was it the first round throwing the flyer? Any idea?

No idea, did not have a spotting scope.

[georgeib]

No idea, did not have a spotting scope.

How are you loading the first round, charging handle or dropping the bolt using the release? Makes a difference.

I'm order to eliminate first round flyers, you could try shooting the first round off the target and then shooting the rest for the group.

[opngrnd]

I'm willing to bet it's your first shot out of the magazine. I have experienced this myself, I see it a lot when zeroing other people, and I've had conversations with people who shoot far more than I do and believe that the first round of the magazine will sometimes group different. Some people go as far as to test different magazines and see which one does it the least.

[Canonshooter]

Double-tap

[Canonshooter]

How are you loading the first round, charging handle or dropping the bolt using the release? Makes a difference.

Dropping the bolt.

Here's a 300 yard target from today - five in a 4-inch cluster, then one out of the group. Don't know which round went low;





Rifle in question, optic is a Leupold FX-II Ultralight 2.5x20mm;

[georgeib]

Dropping the bolt.

Here's a 300 yard target from today - five in a 4-inch cluster, then one out of the group. Don't know which round went low;





Rifle in question, optic is a Leupold FX-II Ultralight 2.5x20mm;

Try shooting the first round off target, and then grouping the next 5. That'll confirm whether you're getting first shot flyers, as I suspect.

[Canonshooter]

Try shooting the first round off target, and then grouping the next 5. That'll confirm whether you're getting first shot flyers, as I suspect.

Will give that a try, thanks!

It will be a while before I make another range trip so if anyone has any other suggestions, they would be appreciated.

Thanks!