TODAY'S GUN TIME

[arizona98tj]

And a bell rings that OAL/COL not just charge weight bears much on accuracy. (harmonics/nodes are more variable than predictable)

Example: H'dy 'COL Tool' and 'modified cases' allow measuring/verifying 'bullet jump' (AKA free-bore) far more easily and accurately than say 'smoking' a bullet. Once one catches onto how simple a 'comparator' works they can use a fired case (per gun!) as a 'gauge' and/or reference for say setting up a sizing die to get max case life if not just accuracy.

I'm with you. If others poo-poo the Hornaday tool, so be it. I've had excellent results using it to improve on my reloads.....I've gotten my .308 Win rifle down to 5 rounds sharing a ragged hole. Besides that, I'm deer hunting, not shooting the eyeball out of a terrorist at 1000 yds. LOL

Edit: This is the method I use.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I'm tired of videos of guys shooting ballistic gel, water jugs, and concrete blocks, but this is the first time I have ever seen a woman shoot an evening gown.

 

[hunt4570]

The guy in front of me, got a box of 20 Remington Core-Lok 7mm Rem Mag, at $110 for the box, that Has to hurt.

My brother was looking for some 3006 hunting rounds.. stupid expensive right now!! Cheapest Winchesters were $99 a box on line. I've got a case and a half or so , so I sent him a couple boxes free.. now his hunting season is saved. Not sure why he let his supply get so low.

 

[hunt4570]

Interesting that the .40 is heavier than the .45. Wouldn’t have thought that.

The 45 has a bigger hole in the barrel, less material maybe..

 

[hunt4570]

The issue is a 38 special is a useless round that can't stop your attacker. Everyone knows that the 9MM is superior to the .38 special or the .380 ACP, and that the .45 is even a more superior round to the 9mm for "stopping power".

I'm being facetious. As I've gotten older when it comes to guns for self preservation, I've come to the conclusion that the caliber is irrelevant, what is the most important variable is what YOU feel comfortable with and what YOU shoot the best with. Too may "gun experts" try to tell other people what THEY feel "at best" with what caliber they are proficient at minimum with IMO (because we should all know people high on drugs need at least a .45 to take them down).

YOU pull out a gun do you really think that your attacker is going to try to figure out what caliber you have? And yes, I understand that the people high on meath wearing how many inches of denim may not go down with center mass shot or leg shots.

BTW, my wife is not a gun person, but the KISS method works best, and IMO a .38 revolver is the perfect choice for keeping it simple.

That said, the member here from SC kind of talked me into a PMR30 (22 magnum). Bought the gun, love the gun, and wouldn't think twice for using it for conceal carry (if I can't stop you with 30 rounds, 1 round in a bigger caliber isn't going to make much difference IMO LMAO). However, muzzle flash and "boom" on that gun is pretty strong IMO for someone new to firearms.

HA!! I'm glad you like it!! Now get a CMR 30 carbine and you are all set.. they share mags and more...

 

[hunt4570]

After I decide which I like best for CC I am going to add fiber optic sights. I put a HiViz front sight on my Mark I and like it, and was thinking of a set for my CC.

Any feedback? I know of HiViz and Tru Glo. Are there generics?

I just bought a LCP Max 380 and it comes with night sights in the front. And will hold 10 or 12..

 

[shooterdon]

During my "time out" I was able to get a lot of testing done with my PCP rifles.

I found some really cheap .22 pellets and have two reports to share. Here is the first:

Tried a new pellet because they were so cheap ($6.24/500) Crosman .22 Premier Hollow Point 14.3 gr.

I could not order more than 3-4 tins at a time and sometimes it would be a few days before Amazon would let me reorder. Anyway, at the price ($6.24/500) I decide to roll the dice.

I had a quartering wind at 4-8 mph. Will do more testing when I get a calmer day.

At 25 yards, the DAR averaged .46" for 10 five shot groups with the smallest coming in at .27"
At 25 yards, the Daystate averaged .40" for 5 five shot groups with the smallest at .27"
At 50 yards, the Daystate averaged .77" for 5 five shot groups with the smallest at .64"

My gamble paid off. That accuracy is not bad for plinking or hunting out to 50 yards. The Crosman Domed pellets are a bit more accurate but almost twice the price. I will still use premium pellets in the Daystate for hunting as they are less affected by wind and are a bit more accurate.

I did not do any pellet inspection or sorting. I plan on doing that to see if it matters. I am also going to try a light coating of Ballistol and another test with BLL (this is a lube used for cast bullets). Even if there is no improvement in accuracy, it is reported that lubed pellets reduce barrel cleaning and it is simple enough to do.

The Daystate continues to shoot well. The DAR has a leak from the fill port. It holds pressure if I leave the tank connected so that was how I shot the groups yesterday. I will contact DAR to see if it is an easy fix I can handle to if I need to send it back.

 

[shooterdon]

Here is the second report on testing done a week after the first report:

Got some Ballistol lubed pellets downrange today. Weather has not been great but today was decent. 5 MPH quartering wind and some gusting.

All testing in this post is with the 14.3 gr Crosman Premier HP's I got from Amazon on sale for $6.24/tin of 500. Range was 50 yards.

A total of eight - five shot groups were fired (200 pellets). All "fliers" were recorded...which spoiled some very good groups but that is how I test...real world. Most of you know it is not easy to maintain concentration and read the wind for 200 shots...at least it is not easy for me. So I started the testing today with what I thought would perform the worst while I was still "fresh".

First up were pellets from the tin with no lube. Ten groups averaged .81" Not too shabby for "el cheapos".

Next, were pellets I had lubed 5 days ago, I used 3 drops of Ballistol in a baggy with 50 pellets. They came in at .65" for 10 groups. Nice consistent groups.

I decided to try a heavier amount of oil 6 drops for 50 pellets. The average for 10 groups was .87" and there were a few fliers. I wonder if "lube purge" is occurring???

The last was to add oil to bathroom tissue ( 2 - 2 ply squares) put it in the tin and swirl it around. That gave a coating between the light and heavy tested above. Those ten groups came it at .72".

Conclusions:
First, small amounts of Ballistol reduce group sizes with the CPHP pellet in my Daystate. I am very close to achieving the same accuracy with these bargain pellets as the high end pellets I have tested that cost $18/20/500

Second, Ballistol does not "diesel" at 230 bar operating pressures if used in reasonable quantities.

Third, it seems that too much of a good thing can send accuracy south.


Next steps:

It will be interesting to see if Ballistol improves accuracy of high quality pellets. I have enough Air Arms pellets to test that out.

I was going to try BLL but not sure at this point if it is worth the effort. Putting a bit of Ballistol in a tin of pellets is about as easy as it gets. I need to measure accurately as to much is not good.

I may try weight sorting pellets to see if I can reduce some of the fliers....but it may just be me...either not reading the wind well, or jerking the trigger if I sense the wind is changing.

Testing today was at 46*. Will Ballistol work in summer conditions when I do most of my plinking?

More testing needed. But heck...it is fun when holes are touching.

 

[bcp]

End of an era?

Yesterday I stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse where something in the rifle rack caught my attention in a wall of black and gray. It was a lone rifle with a walnut stock. I counted 86 bolt-action rifles, 85 with synthetic stocks, 1 with walnut.

Nothing against synthetic stocks. I have some. But it looks like there is no longer much of a choice.



Bruce

 

[hunt4570]

End of an era?

Yesterday I stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse where something in the rifle rack caught my attention in a wall of black and gray. It was a lone rifle with a walnut stock. I counted 86 bolt-action rifles, 85 with synthetic stocks, 1 with walnut.

Nothing against synthetic stocks. I have some. But it looks like there is no longer much of a choice.



Bruce

I'm so tired of the whole black rifle thing!! Had to special order my last one a Tikka to get one with a walnut stock!