Someting weird with double rifle Saturday...

[zgunbear]

I have been fighting pneumonia for a month and needed to get some trigger time Saturday. I was shooting at 50 and 100 yards with my 30-06 over under rifle. I could not get a decent group together. So I was starting to get frustratef. I decided to plink some clay pigeon fragments. The first one at 50 yards destroyed one shot. Second one at 50 same thing. Went out to 100 and proceeded to annihilate 6 in a row. So have any of you ever had trouble holding a group on paper but still able to shoot accurately on small targets? The problem most likely is the loose screw behind the rifle it just seemed odd.

[peejman]

Sometimes we think too much when trying for a group on paper.  The conscious mind can disengage a little when just blasting targets for fun and things magically happen a lot smoother. 

[Chris]

I've had similar problems. I always start out practice sessions with a .22. Keeps the adrenaline low and get's me into the right zen-like mind set that lets me shoot accurately when I step up to the big guns.

[KKing]

I've done the exact same thing before. Most recently I've noticed I haven't shot for groups worth a dern with a 1" bullseye target. But, if I shoot a round off on the side of the target and then aim at that bullet hole for the following rounds, my groups shrink again. Likely a concentration issue. As you put it, loose screw behind the gun.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Try different ammunition before thinking anything is going on. I have yet to find a gun that will not shoot adequate groups with factory ammunition. Might take a few hundred dollars to figure out which ammunition though.

[zgunbear]

The ammo is what I loaded and regulated it for. I just wasn't steady Saturday.

[xtriggerman]

Are you sand bagging the gun on a rock solid table?
Keep in mind, an over & under 30-06 will more than likely not be a great group shooter since the barrels are normally at least joined near the muzzle, that raises hell with holding consistent barrel harmonics by way of barrel heat expansion and other wise. If you can hold a 4" 5 shot group at 100, Id say you pretty much maxed out the design abilities of the gun. Especially if you are using both barrels alternatively for the 100 yard group. Expensive double barrel shotguns like a Win 21 get a lot of shop time having the barrels bent to the point of aim before soldering them together. Imagine how critical the barrel join must be on rifle barrels for matching point of aim since virtually all rifle barrels will have some slight bend in them once taper turned.

[zgunbear]

Usually from shooting sticks I can keep each pair in about an inch at 50 and about 2 at 100. Sometimes the pairs make one ragged hole. Trust me after regulating this rifle and my 45-70 side by side doible I have a deep appreciation for the vaugeries and mysteries of the double rifle. Each pair was fired front trigger first back trigger sevond within 30 seconds then the rifle was allowed to cool for at least 5 minutes between pairs. Also on a double you can't sandbag it solidly it has to recoil. The dwell time in the barrels is agfected and it affects point of impact more sp on a side by side but there is still an effect on an over under
Now I need to load some more ammo and get ready for the next range session.