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I have a new Stainless Ranch Rifle 5.56 with the synthetic stock. Model 5817. I can get 2" or better groups with 2 ammo brand/bullet. Several other ammo combo I tried give very loose groups. I would be completely happy with the 2" groups except for the fact that I have to shoot a "fouling" shot first that always hits about 4" low. Consistently the first shot from a cold barrel is very low, then the next four (timed 3 or 4 seconds apart) are in a good group. It seems to be an extreme version of "barrel walking" or maybe the action moving. Just letting it cool down for 10 min. will repeat the problem. It doesn't have to be a clean bore to do this, just a cool barrel. The fit between stock is about as tight as possible and still get it inserted and locked down. I glass bedded a bolt action many years ago, but bedding this action looks like a whole different proposition....

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance
 
Mini-14 fans may chime in with different experiences, but my experience with an early Mini-14 (and a later one in the exact configuration you describe) leads me to the conclusion that these guns require extensive modification to shoot well. I spent two years experimenting with the older gun (glass bedding according to recommended technique, custom trigger, extensive load development, etc.), and the very best it would do is comparable to your results: groups in the 2" range at best. The newer gun was not modified at all, only careful handloading employed, and the same result was achieved, granting the conclusion that the newer ones are better, but still not what I would call "accurate" by any measure. Certainly not any challenge to a decent box-stock AR even with cheapie factory loads.

The older gun was a gift from my father, and so I WANTED it to do well, and gave it every chance (without having it rebuilt and tuned by a number of outfits specializing in accurizing Mini's). I decided the gun was precisely what it was designed for (faster, handier, lighter, arguably more rugged than any AR) but not to be the tack-driving coyote gun I hoped for.
 

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