Fix the flyer?

[grizzman]

If 3 round groups are good, then neither of the next two can be the first out of the magazine.

It's very possibly the shooter's technique. Does it matter if they're the first 5 through the barrel, or only after you've heated it up firing others?

[Canonshooter]

It's very possibly the shooter's technique.

Could be, but I'm starting to think it may be that Surefire/Oveready/Malkoff Lego WML I have mounted. ;-)

[ndmiller]

If 3 round groups are good, then neither of the next two can be the first out of the magazine.

It's very possibly the shooter's technique. Does it matter if they're the first 5 through the barrel, or only after you've heated it up firing others?

I was thinking along the same lines, have someone else shoot some 3 and 5 round groups at the same distance.

[Canonshooter]

Going through my (mental) notes;

I remember when I first got this upper I fired a nice, tight 1.2 MOA 5-shot group at 100 yards, then a short time later shot another tight 5-shot group, but it was a few inches lower than the first group. That was with a different scope I was using at the time (a VXR-Patrol), so I think I can rule out a problem with the current scope.

Same thing happened today - first three shots went into 1-1/2" at 200 yards, but were 2-inches low. I dialed-in what should have been perfect compensation on the scope, the next three shots went into a nice tight group but were now 2-inches high.

I wonder if this lightweight barrel walks around a little....

[rjacobs]

Im going the opposite and saying last round in the mag if you are only loading 5.

Gun recoils differently when the bolt locks back.

I have more last round flyers than any others...usually in my 6.5 creed gun which big frame AR's are hard to drive anyway.

Personally the "only" first round "flyers" I have are cold bore shots, but thats to be expected.

[georgeib]

Im going the opposite and saying last round in the mag if you are only loading 5.

Gun recoils differently when the bolt locks back.

I have more last round flyers than any others...usually in my 6.5 creed gun which big frame AR's are hard to drive anyway.

Personally the "only" first round "flyers" I have are cold bore shots, but thats to be expected.

Interesting! I had wondered if that could be a possibility, but dismissed it because the bullet has already left the barrel before the bolt unlocks. I'll try to pay attention to that and see if I can duplicate your experience.

[Canonshooter]

I know this sounds crazy, but it's almost as if the barrel is shifting in relation to the upper receiver (and the scope mounted on it). I have no idea how this could happen, but that is what it seems like. The deviation in group spreads is IMO too consistent for the barrel "warping" due to heat.

Last four shots of the day at 200 yards had two distinct groups, each group about .5 MOA separated vertically by four inches. Four shots tells me nothing really, but the pattern is the same.

I may buy an upper receiver rod, remove the barrel, inspect and then re-install it.

[ViniVidivici]

I almost always have a flier, often 2, when shooting groups. Always figured it was me.

I do load the first round by releasing the bolt from lock back, to eliminate a variable.

I can't see how the recoil difference when firing the last round would affect things as the bullet has already left before the bolt moves, but anything's possible within that "voodoo zone" of shooting, right?

This is making me want to load 7 rounds next time I shoot a fiver. Neither the first nor the last shall be on the paper. Will be interesting to try.

Is it a clue, that some barrel makers guarantee their accuracy standards as they do?
Ballistic Advantage's sub MOA guarantee is: best 5 out of a turnbolt, best 3 out of 5 from a semi.

Having someone else shoot the gun will eliminate the shooter as a variable for sure.

[MistWolf]

10 round groups are a much better indicator of precision than 5 round groups

[gaijin]

Im going the opposite and saying last round in the mag if you are only loading 5.

Gun recoils differently when the bolt locks back.

I have more last round flyers than any others...usually in my 6.5 creed gun which big frame AR's are hard to drive anyway.

Personally the "only" first round "flyers" I have are cold bore shots, but thats to be expected.

This. Don't shoot last rd. of group from bolt lock.
If you're shooting 5 rd. groups, use a mag with at least 6 rds. loaded.
Burning 1st rd into berm is not a bad suggestion either.