ERRANT ROUNDS

[wyojim]

I have a new Bushmaster which shoots much better than I expected except for one annoying problem: the first shot of a group Always is low and to the right. I have used various magazines, various ammo, replaced the mounts, manually fed the rounds, one by one with always the same results. It's not making any sense to me. Any ideas?

[davidwiz]

Does this happen only on the first round after cleaning it or the first round of every magazine? Does it happen when you shoot off a sandbag or rest? Does it happen when someone else shoots it?

[wyojim]

YES TO ALL!

[blackdragon]

Doesn't make sense to me either, I would how ever make sure the bullet is not hitting the comp.

Later,

Ivan

SCS Vegas

[davidwiz]

There have been reports that the first shot on a clean rifle can go erratic with subsequent rounds going where they are supposed to. That is what I thought might be happening. But, if it is occuring w/ the first round in each mag, and it is occuring when other people shoot the gun from a rest, then I think that there are bigger factors at work.

If you can, you might want to send it back to Bushmaster and have them look at it under warranty or take it to a local gunsmith who is very familar with the ARs and have them look at it. Benny Hill on this forum is a very good AR 'smith, you might want to ask him for his opinion.

[P.E. Kelley]

Not to beat this to death but if you manually chamber a round and fire it and manually chamber in another and fire it for 4 or 5 shots they keep getting lower and righter? Or do they form a group?. I ask because it is not unusual to have the hand cycled first round to be outside the group when testing less than perfectly fitted auto pistol barrel. This sometimes goes away after break-in. The same MAY be true during break-in of the bolt and barrel extension of your AR.

Then again, you may have a problem with chamber length and the difference between a hand cycled and self-fed round is bringing this to light.

Factory or handloads?

PK

[texasag93]

I have heard that the first round out of a mag that is hand cycled into the chamber will not always seat in the chamber the same as subsiquent rounds that are cycled due to recoil. I have heard this in rifles and pistols. You could shoot one. Drop the mag and unload. Do it again and see where they hit. All hit together then problems is resolved. If not, I don't know. TXAG

[EricW]

Could the barrel nut simply be loose or not torqued properly?

[wyojim]

I have not checked the torque on the barrel nut.

On manually loading, I have tried that, loading singles and allowing the bolt to slam forward each time- the first round is low followed by the remainder of rounds grouping very nicely together.

From another suggestion, I did tighten the buttstock, which was quite loose. I have yet to check this at the range.

[Harmon]

try different ammo,

if you handload, try slower powder and lots of it.. make the bullet touch the powder.

sounds kinda screwy still, is the barrel free floated??

i have noticed winchester(55 grain FMJ) factory ammo will throw fliers in bolt rifles...god knows what it will do in an AR

Federal American Eagle is damn near the best ball ammo you can get...

Remington isOK, but kinda dirty.

Wolf Is OK if your gun shoots it

my Mini14 shoots it as well as winchester,, but several AR shooters say they cant hit an IPSC target at 100 yards twice with it....It is the indian, not the arrow, but crappy arrows dont help none.

[davidwiz]

The poster is saying that it is happening with the 1st round of every magazine, regardless of how the round is loaded. He says he has tried various ammo, magazines, shooting positions, mounts, people shooting the gun, etc.

[wyojim]

Most of what I have been shooting is Hornaday Barrier (reman) (60gr I think). It shoots really well, but I have also tried various handloads and some Black Hills. I haven't tried all the suggestions but will on Sat. The only difference in the ammo, is that , of course, each has a different impact point but the result is relatively the same....first round wanders..