Cleaning and remaining "on target"

[Die Judicii]

Just wondering if anyone else can lay claim to the following,,,,,,,,,

With my other longarms that I have, I can clean them but the 1st shot after cleaning is usually off target a little,, ie: an inch or so.

Not so when it comes to my Howa 22/250
This particular rifle was pretty damn accurate straight out of the box.
Improved somewhat even more so by floating and fibre glass bedding.
I do have a very good quality scope sitting on it.

Every time I cleaned it in the past, I always used to fire a shot before the next hunting session, but was amazed that it was always spot on zero regardless.
So much so, that I now just clean it,, lock it away till needed again,, and just go out and reliably "shoot their eyes out" first shot every time.

Cleaning it has absolutely no effect whatever on its zero.

Have others got rifles that are also like this or have I got something extra special in this firearm ????

[Westy]

Might have a lot to do with the Cal IMHO pretty fast flat and straight shooter right outta the box 22-250 , And yes it is pretty special to hold a zero DIe

[bluerob]

My 1813 Supermatch shoots a lot tighter groups if I don't clean it, but, that's .22

Same thing with a Browning pistol that I have.

I just wipe the barrel down, oil some moving bits and very ocassionally run a patch through, without any cleaning fluid.

Not sure on .308 as I've only just started shooting it after a few years absence from guns.

I've got a new Tikka T3 in .223 that I'll try out soon and see how that runs.

I'm not into hunting and only target shoot.

[Warrigul]

Some do and some don't, it's not often I cut the first two unless I have really stuffed up reading the wind.

But once again many people do it and even if it is only psychological then there is a benefit.

[Lorgar]

Not so when it comes to my Howa 22/250

Nor mine... First shots after cleaning my Tikka all have same POI.

[Kipper]

With my other longarms that I have, I can clean them but the 1st shot after cleaning is usually off target a little,, ie: an inch or so.

What rifle is it?

What sort of grouping accuracy after the first shot once it's settled in?

[Die Judicii]

Not so when it comes to my Howa 22/250

Nor mine... First shots after cleaning my Tikka all have same POI.

Hmmmm,, seems that we have the luxury of enjoying something special albeit differing brands.

Must be special as there seems to be an absence of the masses claiming the same.
A trait that is enjoyable and easy to live with.

[Die Judicii]

With my other longarms that I have, I can clean them but the 1st shot after cleaning is usually off target a little,, ie: an inch or so.

What rifle is it?

What sort of grouping accuracy after the first shot once it's settled in?

Some of the others include .375 Mag and all the way down to .17 HMR, with the in between stuff.
Grouping is of course different between many calibres.
However, most of my favorites average btween the 3/4 inch to 1" groups at 100 meters.
My Howa 22/250 will consistenly clover leaf.
The "Mongrel" ( .375 ) is no where near the 1" mark, but at an average distance of 50 to 80 meters to targeted animals that usually only require chest shot placement,,,, who cares.

[Combat_Wombat]

Some of the others include .375 Mag and all the way down to .17 HMR, with the in between stuff.
Grouping is of course different between many calibres.
However, most of my favorites average btween the 3/4 inch to 1" groups at 100 meters.
My Howa 22/250 will consistenly clover leaf.
The "Mongrel" ( .375 ) is no where near the 1" mark, but at an average distance of 50 to 80 meters to targeted animals that usually only require chest shot placement,,,, who cares.

Yeah never hit a pig with the lever action and had it hop up and complain that it wasn't shot sub MOA

[stephencee]

I do clean my Anschutz 1416 after shooting and find it needs a few clicks on the next trip to the range.

Might be half an inch left or whatever, get it zeroed and it's perfect for the rest of the shoot.

Take it home, clean it, back to the range and same thing the next time round. Will be half an inch off and needs a few clicks then stays zeroed.

[inervate]

Yeah never hit a pig with the lever action and had it hop up and complain that it wasn't shot sub MOA

I can see it now.... The pig turns around and scoffs at you "call yourself a shooter? you suck!" and trots off with a big ass hole in him

[Lorgar]

Hmmmm,, seems that we have the luxury of enjoying something special albeit differing brands.

Must be special as there seems to be an absence of the masses claiming the same.
A trait that is enjoyable and easy to live with.

I'm certainly not complaining

As for an explanation, I can't claim to have done anything special to mine to achieve this. It's just an out -of-the-box Tikka