Last week, I swapped the fire control parts on my 5.45x39 AR. I figured while it was in the house and apart, I'd give it a rod and patch cleaning. It had been about a year since it's last such cleaning. I normally just drag a pull-through down the bore a couple of times when I think it might have gotten wet or dusty. This carbine was shooting well(1/2-3/4" 100 yard groups w/Hornady V-max) before the cleaning. I took it out this morning to check the scope and found it throwing 3" groups. Scope was tight and even though I wasn't shooting great, it should have been better. I chased groups around the target for about 15-20 shots and the groups returned to the 1" range. I called it good since the sun was messing with my glasses.
This is the second time I've had this happen with this rifle although the first time wasn't nearly as revealing-that time I thought it was the scope and ended up replacing it. By the time I replaced the optic and the second scope was sighted in-you guessed it, I'd fired about 15-20 shots.
I have an H&R .223 that takes 5-10 shots to "settle in" after a rod and patch cleaning.
My answer is to use the BoreSnake sparingly unless I want to spend the time and ammo to return to the "sweet spot". I don't hold this quirk against the 5.45 since any rifle that shoots as good as it does with the ammo I use most often is hard to dislike.
This is the second time I've had this happen with this rifle although the first time wasn't nearly as revealing-that time I thought it was the scope and ended up replacing it. By the time I replaced the optic and the second scope was sighted in-you guessed it, I'd fired about 15-20 shots.
I have an H&R .223 that takes 5-10 shots to "settle in" after a rod and patch cleaning.
My answer is to use the BoreSnake sparingly unless I want to spend the time and ammo to return to the "sweet spot". I don't hold this quirk against the 5.45 since any rifle that shoots as good as it does with the ammo I use most often is hard to dislike.