Do any of you shoot a fouling shot when testing ammo?

To put it more succinctly, If you are going to shoot a 5-round group, do you load the magazine with 6, the first chambered round being an inexpensive round to cycle the 1st round to be tested for accuracy into the chamber under normal action cycling.

I know alot of auto pistol shooters do this so that all rounds tested for accuracy are slammed into the chamber under normal action cycling instead of hand cycling.

Big Al

I own a bunch of guns and the only one that shoots a cold clean barrel poorly is a Winchester M70 supergrade that I deer hunt with. It will drop a round 3+ inches at 100 yards every time. One shot and the zero returns to where it is supposed to be.All my other guns don't even come close to the Win. I don't know why, but it does have a 24 inch barrel maybe this might have something to do with it, I have no idea.

GSSP,

In the world of anal retentive group collecting,there are a bunch of people that consider just one fouling shot not enough.

If I'm testing the accuracy of a load,I'll burn at least three into the berm using the same load to be tested.Same primer,powder,and bullet.

It has been observed that changing from one powder to another will affect groups untill the bore is uniformly fouled with a consistent coating of the same firing residue as used for the record fired ammo.

Bench rest goofiness aside,I test from the magazine and not single loaded with the AR,FAL and M1A.
I don't ever plan on shooting the rifles as single shots,so there is no point in pressing the issue for a slight advantage in consistency that will not be there during a match or in the field.

Same goes with Bolt rifles.
It has been observed that the upward pressure from the magazine spring in a bolt rifle that has not been properly bedded,affects the shot pattern from the first shot to the last,and single loaded groups often do not reflect the performance of the rifle when fired from a full magazine.

My hunting bolts are tested as they would be used in the field.

One has a snotty attitude about the last round in the magazine.

The rest have little issue.

I only know this because of an obcession with minutia that comes about every winter when the snow is ass deep and all there is to do is OBCESS.

For good scopp from guys that know a hell of a lot more about it,pick up a copy of "Rifle accuracy facts" by Harold Vaughn,and "The ultimate in rifle accuracy" by Glen Newick.

Then again don't.
All the fussing and farting involved robs a bit of fun from the game unless you are into splitting hairs.

Good luck to ya!
S-28

I always shoot 3-5 shots off as fast as I can into the spotter when I first get the rifle out for small bore.  After I do that I don't do anymore into the spotter for the rest of the positions.