Many of us have experienced the first shot of your rifle prints a little high and the rest settle into a group. Part of it is perhaps a cold shooter too. I have experienced this but I do not believe that I am the cause, all the time. New shooters more than veteran shooters experience lots more variation in shot placement on cold shots. Do you have a flinch? Some do! Do you know on the first shot where your trigger will break? Did you yank the trigger? No!

Some rifle barrels do this high and right thing, again in my 50 years of shooting, particularly thinner barrels. Call it what you want, temperature can change harmonics of a thin barrel more so than a thicker one on the first shot. Further that cleaning and shooting that first shot will go through the barrel faster and differently, hence it is wise to fowl your barrel with a few rounds. An article suggested running a bore snake before shooting or to run an alcohol patch. I don’t think that is necessary and neither do those that depend on the first shot.

Know your rifle on first shots and if necessary and adjust accordingly by adjusting your aim point on that shot. If you are shooting a 600 yard match and you are off by an inch (1 moa) at 100 yards then you are off by 6 inches at 600 yards. adjust the aim point for it without touching your scope. Again, know your rifle and ammo diet. That means putting shots on the target regularly. Every rifle is different…

Dry firing practice helps before shooting for groups! It aids in knowing where your trigger breaks. If your trigger is heavy, think that a new trigger can help!

Good Shooting!

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