Question for cold weather shooters

[woodsman]

I took my new Browning X-Bolt Western Hunter (.300 Win Mag) to the range for the first time today. Temp was 34° F and there was heavy fog. Shooting Hornady Custom 150gr. SST, and after firing a few rounds at 25 yards to zero the scope, I left it cool completely and zeroed another rifle. After about 25 minutes and the barrel completely cold, I fired the first round at 100 yards (using a lead sled, off a bench) and it hit 4" high and 3" to the left. After about 3 minutes, I fired the second round which was 2" high and 2" to the left. After waiting another 3 minutes, I fired the 3rd round and it was 1/2" left and 1" high. I waited another 3 minutes and fired the fourth round which was in line with the 3rd round but about 3/8" to it's right. With the fog becoming so dense that I could no longer see clearly enough to focus on the bulls eye, I decided to pack it up for the day. So my question for the regular shooters, would the near freezing temp and dense fog affect the group this much?

 

[devon deer]

Check your mounts first
Cheers
Richard

 

[Doublecluck]

I would not use 4 shots to make any assumptions. Especially out of a new rifle. Was the rifle broken in with a barrel break in procedure? Scope mounted properly? Barrel fouled. Specifically to your question, In the guns I shoot I don't typically see variations like you described in cold weather, more common variation in velocity that results in entire groups averaging differently in elevation compared to when the same load with the same bullet was fired at a different temperature. But again I don't believe you have shot it enough to assume anything.

 

[woodsman]

I believe I only fired 12 rounds thru it and have cleaned the barrel 2x (small amount of Hoppes, wiped dry, light lubricant (Barricade)) According to Browning, due to their chrome lining, specific break-in procedures are not necessary.

Scope bases and rings were torqued with a Fat Wrench so they should be good.

It seemed that as the barrel heated it began to tighten up the group. Perhaps it was the fouling more so than the heating.

I really want this gun to shoot sub-MOA and if it doesn't, I am going to do a custom build. I have a safe full of Browning A-Bolts and most shoot very well. I really like this Western Hunter, it's light and handles nice, but I was a little disappointed in the barrel weight (too lite).

I will run another 20-40 rounds thru it and see what it does.

 

[Archie]

It may be simply that your rifle doesn't like that ammo..... 180gr is generally the go-to for 300WM if I'm not mistaken. I can tell you that I have a 338WM and it will simply not group light rounds (which for it are 185s). It does better with 200s but it will sub MOA 225s all day long, much to the detriment of my right hook.

Just a thought but you might grab a box of 180s and just see what it does.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

The cold weather is not to blame. Check things related to the rifle/ammo/scope and you'll likely find the issue.

 

[MJE2083]

I would say fouling has more effect than weather mostly. Most rifles I own shoot better somewhat fouled. I take them out right before hunting season and put a few rounds threw them to foul it up a bit and don't clean until after the season. I believe that most bench rest shooters also foul their barrels prior to shooting for score. Hard to gather anything from 4 shots really. I would also mess with different loads and bullet weights.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I've been doing a bunch of load development this Winter and one thing I've found is that when the temp is below 40 degrees, I just don't shoot very well. I'll get a couple of good groups and then it just starts to fall apart. It's the cold. It's just a lot easier to shoot well when you're relaxed and it's warmer. The rifle doesn't care about the temp, but your body does. I'll take the same load that gave me a 2.5 inch group when it was 28 degrees and shoot .6 inches when it's sunny and 45. In any case, if your mounts, etc. check out, consider this.

 

[MKotur325]

I would try other ammo. If one load doesn't shoot consistently, I'd start there if 3-5 loads don't shoot consistently that may be a different story.. Cold temps shouldn't effect anything beyond a bit of velocity loss.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

The cold weather is not to blame. Check things related to the rifle/ammo/scope and you'll likely find the issue.

+1
You gotta start at square 1 and make it consistently do something, then go from there.

 

[GlockZ]

my x-bolt took a box of ammo before it broke in. once i started to get consistency i sighted it in for real. i too sighted mine in during the dead of winter, if i remember correctly it was around 34 degrees as well. during the break in process, i cleaned the barrel in between shots and also checked all mounting screws and scope level after every shot as well. the modern day powders that manufacturers and reloaders have access too today are far superior than those from just 10yrs ago, and the temperature variable has almost been completely eliminated. good luck with it, the x-bolt is a great rifle.