1st shot inaccuracy

[oldtimemainer]

At 20 yards, my first shot is 4-5 inches to the left, and the rest of the shots are dead on. If I make a mag change with one in the pipe, the accuracy stays good. If I have to manually work the slide, as in an initial loading, its off to the left again. Cannot find anything that would make this happen. Any Ideas.

The gun is a fairly new Caspian, built by a good smith, who was a former Caspian employee.

[caspian guy]

Sounds like the barrel isn't locking up in the same place with a hand cycled round as it does when fired.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Massad Ayoob has long preached that the first hand cycled round will not hit the

same place as all the other shots.

Probably happen less if you cycle the slide very briskly (simulate the rapid

motion of the round going off and driving the slide back very quickly). But,

even if I baby a round into the chamber, I don't see the extent of movement

that you're reporting.

I've never heard of, or seen, a 4-5" difference at 20 yards - that's huge, IMHO.

I'd talk to the builder, after you fully confirm this is still happening. Does this

happen to other people using your gun, as well? Is this from a solid bench rest?

[oldtimemainer]

It happens when anybody shoots it, even when sandbagged. Cannot find anything to cause it. Tried every way if closing the slide I can think of, even tapping it with a dead blow hammer, and it still does it.

After the initial shot, the rest are in a 1-1 1/2 inch group, shooting offhand!

[38supPat]

Yup, had that happening with mine. High left by about 4-5" everytime. Only hand cycled.

I put in a longer link and it minimized it but my overall group opened up. I think the only way to really fix it is to have a new barrel fitted properly.

[Shadow]

Do you use a slide racker to rack the slide manually?

[troupe]

It is in your barrel lock up and fitting. No matter how hard you rack your slide for the first round, you can't duplicate the firing of the gun, period.

[pjb45]

Browning High Powers were famous for flyers. Talking with Bill Laughridge (sp) at Cylinder and Slide, who is also a member of the Pistolsmith Guild, mentioned that the energy/force of releasing the slide manually as opposed to recoil can cause a flyer.

My BHP was built by another member of the Pistolsmith Guild at C&S, however, Bill took the gun to Irv at Barsto to have the barrel fitted--no flyers.

Call Bill at C&S and get his opinion.

[38supPat]

Do you use a slide racker to rack the slide manually?

I do, tried racking it with the racker, tried removing the racker and cycling it by grabbing the slide at the back, tried hand cycling any way I coukd think of. Hand cycled, dropped from slide lock tried double cycling just to see...all same result

[troupe]

If you don't compensate for it, you will need the barrel re-fitted. You can't duplicate the cycling action by hand.

[oldtimemainer]

I have also tried racking the slide every possible way, and it makes no difference. For compensation I've been shooting 3 shots at the first target if its more than 12-15 yds. away. Except for the added time for the 3rd shot, I only get Boned on a Virginia scored stage.

So, is it refitting the barrel, or fitting a new one? Is it not locking up the same in the front or back?

[pcschwenke]

Either have the barrel welded and refit or buy a new barrel. It has to be inconsistent lock up by an a poorly fit barrel.

When the gun is empty, close the slide and check if you can push down on the barrel hood. Also check the barrel fit at the end of the slide near the muzzle. Neither should have movement. You could also dis-assembly the slide and either add black marker or Dykem to the barrel lug and end of the barrel then re-assemble. Try racking the slide several times. Then you can dis-assemble the slide again and see if there's contact points on the lug & end of barrel. I'm thinking the lug isn't riding on the slide stop and is relying on the link.