3rd round flyers

[salmonchaser]

Sorry, no offense, combination of being in a hurry, auto correct and not proofreading.
Not that exciting, never the lead instructor simply certified to assist bringing new shooters along. Learned a lot and getting paid to shoot is great fun.

[magnumb]

How much time in-between shots?  If one shot after the other with your barrel heating up each time, it is possible that the barrel heats up just enough on the 3rd shot that it may throw your 3rd shot 'out' a bit.  A barrel doesn't need to be steamin' to change your POI and all barrels are different.

Try allowing your barrel to cool down totally between all 3 shots and see what happens.  I've spent 1 1/2 hours at the range to do just that......shoot 3 rounds from a cold barrel.  This also allows you to be totally rested and fresh before each shot.

Once I'm 99% sure that I'm dead-on up and down and left and right and +3.0 inches high @ 100 yds. (for example), I return the next mornin', without cleaning that barrel or adjusting anything, and get as hunkered down and steady as possible and only then do I attempt to squeeze off the most picture perfect bench shot ever performed....... .

If I hit where I intended, I'm essentially ready to go hunting.  I won't clean that particular rifle until after the season is over unless such conditions or circumstances call for it (mud, etc. in the barrel and so on).  If it does not give me the POI or results that I want, likely only a few additional shots and adjustments will be needed.

I'll always return to the range well after my rifle is cold and I'm rested.  That first shot out of a cold barrel, from a relaxed and confident shooter, is as definitive as possible as to where your bullet will impact when you get your opportunity.....IF you can do your part when tag soup is on the line.

Bottomline.......I've never shot a deer with a warm or hot barrel.  How/where your barrel shoots when absolutely dead cold at the range, is exactly how/where it will shoot while hunting (less wind, major altitude/temperature and/or shooter error).

Good luck and please let us know what you come up with.  Cold means cold.....not kind of cold because it's been 10 minutes since the last shot........ . 

[HawkCreek]

Nothing wrong with 1moa for hunting, when I became a sniper instructor back in the dark ages that was the standard and gun writers drooled over 1.5.
So if you're shooting off the ground you could be leaning into the rifle, changing your grip, something to impart an error. Damn consistent though.
Torque on the action screws will create problems, I have a 338 Jarrett that shoots quarter inch groups if torqued to 35 inch pounds any thing else 1 moa or worse.
I have never played with the bullets you are using, but I agree with red savage, a comparator tool is cheap and could solve your problems. .005 difference on the ogive can make a difference in the harmonics, combined with heating to throw it off. Doesn't explain why four and.five come back in.
Try this next time. Fire two, reset your equipment adjust your bag, confirm your natural point of aim; fire a couple of dry fire shots fire that third shot. Don't take too long. Keep the barrel warm.

It probably sounds like I'm unhappy with this gun shooting an inch or less, I am not at all. But I am frustrated and confused as to why the third is always an issue. Obviously there is a lot of potential in that little gun even with the flyers.

I've shown myself several times in the past that this gun doesnt like a clean barrel. With that ammo it'd probably go and inch and a half or better until it got a little dirt but I've never tried cleaning mid group. I'll try that just to see what happens with it.

How much time in-between shots?  If one shot after the other with your barrel heating up each time, it is possible that the barrel heats up just enough on the 3rd shot that it may throw your 3rd shot 'out' a bit.  A barrel doesn't need to be steamin' to change your POI and all barrels are different.

Try allowing your barrel to cool down totally between all 3 shots and see what happens.  I've spent 1 1/2 hours at the range to do just that......shoot 3 rounds from a cold barrel.  This also allows you to be totally rested and fresh before each shot.

Once I'm 99% sure that I'm dead-on up and down and left and right and +3.0 inches high @ 100 yds. (for example), I return the next mornin', without cleaning that barrel or adjusting anything, and get as hunkered down and steady as possible and only then do I attempt to squeeze off the most picture perfect bench shot ever performed....... .

If I hit where I intended, I'm essentially ready to go hunting.  I won't clean that particular rifle until after the season is over unless such conditions or circumstances call for it (mud, etc. in the barrel and so on).  If it does not give me the POI or results that I want, likely only a few additional shots and adjustments will be needed.

I'll always return to the range well after my rifle is cold and I'm rested.  That first shot out of a cold barrel, from a relaxed and confident shooter, is as definitive as possible as to where your bullet will impact when you get your opportunity.....IF you can do your part when tag soup is on the line.

Bottomline.......I've never shot a deer with a warm or hot barrel.  How/where your barrel shoots when absolutely dead cold at the range, is exactly how/where it will shoot while hunting (less wind, major altitude/temperature and/or shooter error).

Good luck and please let us know what you come up with.  Cold means cold.....not kind of cold because it's been 10 minutes since the last shot........ .

I get what you're saying and for a hunting rifle I agree but this isn't hunting ammo, it's just me out enjoying shooting. When I get a little more serious about taking this one hunting I'll spend more time on cold bore shots.

I'm waiting 30 seconds to one minute between shots. And then letting it cool until it is warm between groups. Warmer than I'd be hunting with yes but I've had rifles out hunting (coyotes) mid summer before that you couldn't keep you hand on the barrel also and that was just from the sun and there were a few years here on the dry side that it was nearly that warm during deer season.
I dont however believe it's throwing the third shot due to heat in the barrel as those are FIVE shot groups, it's always the third that opens the group up. If it was just from the barrel getting to a certain temperature and throwing that third shot I dont understand how shots four and five would go back to hitting on top of shots one and two. Maybe someone that knows more about internal ballistics can change my mind but my thinking on it is even if the heat from the barrel was heating up the cartridge from the time it's chambered to the time it's fired then shots four and five would also be affected and it doesnt reason that they'd be right back with shots one and two.

[JimmyHoffa]

Similar to what RadSav said about the third shot in the mag getting damaged.  I've seen where the last round in the mag comes up the feed ramp at a slightly different angle than those above and gets a little compressed before going in the chamber.  Is it a little tougher to put number three in than the first two?

[HawkCreek]

Nope I know for a fact it's not recoil damaging rounds because I'm pulling them out of the box one at a time, feeding them into the magazine and then chambering. There are no rounds in the magazine during recoil.

Box sits next to me, closed unless I'm taking out a round or putting away brass with a shirt or hat over it to keep it out of the sun. If I'm not shooting the box is moved into the shade.

[Miles]

What barrel contour and length?

Ruger GSR .308 (didn't post that in the OP because hardly anyone believes a Ruger can shoot that well).

Isn't this whole post about how it isn't shooting that well?    When you have to put "w/o flyer" on your target...you know it's bad.