Rimfire Fans...

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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 11:24 pm
anyone else out there into rimfire?

I been having a lot of fun with them lately.
currently using 2 gun
a stock ruger 22/45 semi auto pistol.
and I also dusted off a rem 581 that I bought 25 yrs ago.paid I think $98
over the years I've heard that these bolt rifles could be real shooters and I got an inkling to see just how accurate they really are.
I've shot it a few times over the years ,but found it to be a pretty inconsistent shooter so far.
I could hit a bullseye at 50yds but barely.

so I started eliminating variables
first thing I did was ditch the old 2.5-7X20mm cheap scope that was on it and its rings.
while I could see ok at 50yds at 100 it was not much help.
plus I suspect that it could even hold zero.
I also stripped off the rear iron sights for scope clearence

I replaced it with a new Nikon prostaff rimfire 3-9X40 BDC scope i found for $120 keeping with the gun$=$optics formula.
when it came to rings my options are limited.
being the age of the gun it incorporated 3/8 dovetail groove scope mounts.just about every make of mounts I tried I was unhappy with as they either canted the scope up or to the side when tightened.
I finally found a set of millet 3/8 dovetail "windage" rings for my 1" tube scope in low profile.
they tighten into the dovetail from both sides ,letting you center the rings on the barrel.
only problem ..one of the dogs that fits into the grove broke while I was trying to install.
I noticed there was a casting flaw and after looking at the rest I decided it was a fluke thing. so i bought another set.(I got spares now)

so after I have the rings mounted correctly I lay the scope in and notice I have a clearance problem on the front side .I have a domed screw that holds a plastic barrel cover on making contact ,I didn't need much.
so I took a hand file to the screw and was able to take it down enough to give me a solid 1/16" clearance.
set my eye relief then leveled it the best I could with a torpedo level and torqued the rings down.

now was time to sight it in
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:22 am
for my first run to the range I grabbed a mixed box I had of win 36g hpv and rem 40g GB.and a box of rem HV 40g thunderbolts

I was able to hit paper with the first shot at 50yds and didn't take long to get near center then my first problem surfaced.
this 581 has like an 8lb trigger, i'm not trigger OCD but this was tough, I had so much movement going on trying to control the trigger squeeze that accuracy suffered.but I will say when the trigger finally did let go it was crisp.
while I could get groups at 50yds they were nothing to be proud of.despite this I wanted to try the BDC retical so I moved out to 100.
while the BDC did put me on target at 100 I couldn't get groups .
so back home I went

I did some research and found out that there are mods you can do to the triggers on these guns but nothing aftermarket .some are real complicated others ehh not so .
I found I could replace my trigger spring with the spring from a ball point pen .
this dropped my trigger down to 3-4lbs.big difference!
also
after looking back at the data I came to the conclusion that either my scope is not in level or the gun is not level while shooting.
so I picked up a legit scope leveling kit and ordered a 1" scope bubble.
sure enough the scope was off level by a few degrees ,this is critical with a BDC reticle.
so I leveled it up correctly .
with a new trigger and level scope back to the range I went .
at 50yds it was like night and day ,the trigger was much better and I was able to start laying out some tightening groups.

at this point I started noticing ammo discrepancies . I couldn't get the thunderbolts to group under 2.5"
I could get 2" groups out of the golden bullets except for the fliers ever 4th shot or so
the win hp I could get 1.5" groups but every 5-6 shots id get a FtE.
I moved out to 100 ,this time I was able to get some groups
the wins did best I got about 2.25" groups and a bit over 3" with the GBs.i ditched the thunderbolts.
while the bullet grain effected impact points it didn't effect grouping overall

the gun is getting more accurate, enough so that ammo is becoming a factor.so now i'm off ammo shopping and found some CCI 40g sv.
back to the range at 50yds .
while my POI changed slightly as did all ammo ,it started laying out sub 1" groups.
after re zeroing I moved out to 100 and started shooting 1.5" groups consistently all off the BDC.
maybe there is something to this accuracy rumor
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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:55 am
now what?
well depending on what I feed the little rem ,I can headshot a tree rat at 100yds with confidence.
it seems to like CCI ammo.i can't say tack driver yet ,but with trigger time on it ,it might be
the BDC reticle is designed to reach to 150 but I don't know if my eyes can reach that at 9X ,
but i'm left wondering what else is to try in getting out to 150.

of course ammo ,if I can find something that's tighter then the CCI SV, preferably at I higher velocity
I have made a few upgrades to my rests to stabilize the shooting platform as I move out. and the scope bubble is mounted and level with the gun.
also with the BDC I get finer shot placement off the zero crosshairs then I do off the compensation dots,so i'm gonna zero it at 100.+7.5MOA
and I guess lastly I can debate the gun itself and if bedding pillaring or floating the barrel might help
i'm also wondering if I have enough scope for the gun ,if I don't it would be a pleasant surprise.
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Location: Mobile, AL
PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:18 am
A ballpoint pen eh? Well they are the right size, very ingenius I have to say.
Now everyone is so litigation conscious, they make the triggers stiff on purpose
Don't ever send a Ruger back to the factory with a mod trigger. They will take out the mods and install stock parts.
--Jim
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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 3:28 pm
yea but this was a bit ridiculous
I sat the gun in the rest aimed down range I put just my finger on the trigger and pulled toward the rear of the gun .
the gun never fired , just slid back on the rest. the trigger pull was more then the gun weight.
I ruined a few pens finding the right diameter spring ,its not a match trigger , but it is much lighter and still crisp.

I haven't modded out the 22/45 yet,i'm just running ammo thru it breaking it in.
the plan is to add a pistol scope then yes I plan on modding it out .
get rid of the chamber indicator and enhance its function but nothing to freaky
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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 12:45 am
well ran a hundred or so rounds down it of CCI SV.
things were kinda weird from the start.

first of all I get to the SGL range I use only to find that the 50yd target frames have been shot apart and are laying in a heap and trash strewn all over:roll:
gotta love them AR guys

I manage to carpenter enough together so I could prop up some target boards.
the gun shot ok .I really haven't adjusted the sights since the original sight in .
I shot a bunch of 10 groups and the gun seems to be shooting a bit low and too the right so I made a very slight adjustment and started shooting singles at some dot targets I had .
i'm now about .5" low and right , but shooting singles I could also tell I need to work on mounting as some of the inconstant POI was on me.
as I became more aware of it , my shots got more consistently .5" low/right.

next run i'm hoping to dial it in that .5" then run a 50yd "tack" test with the SV ammo
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Location: Mobile, AL
PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2016 1:28 pm
Wow, I have seen some stiff triggers but that is over the top. Glad to hear you are getting your rimfire sorted out. I have a Henry .22 that I just to shoot. I've probably put 15K rounds through it. I don't think I ever put less than 100 rounds through it at a time.

Re: your range. That is a shame. There is no reason to shoot up frames or leave trash piled up. That really gets my goat. I had the same problem at the outdoor pistol range at my old club. They'd shoot the snot out of the frames with their .44's from flinching all over the place. Really? One or two I can see, but these things were just a pile of splinters.

No call for that. Have some pride. and class.
--Jim
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.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2016 2:10 pm
well it is a semi public range
they are run by the Pa game commission
you need a hunting license or a range permit to use them

but that doesn't negate the fact that I am paying for them and as far as i'm concerned,
id rather see game commission employees enhancing gamelands instead of fixing shooting range property :x

aside from the rimfire 581 I also leveled and resighted in my rem 7600 30.06 its within 2" at 50yds.
good enough for the time being .if I decide to deer hunt ,i'll work on it a bit more at 100yds
since I was sighting in , in .06 ,I also took my fathers 1895 browning.
its a strait stocked top eject lever gun chambered in 30.06 iron sights.
the gun is a beast ,between the light weight and strait stock...
I hadn't had a gun punish my shoulder like that in years
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:08 pm
another day at the range
I broke it up this time by taking my new 1918 victory grade trap gun.
it shoots nice ,but I found out I can't shoot from the ready position anymore.
but if I just stand launch the clay ,then throw the gun up to my shoulder I busted them every time.
In retrospect after practicing trap and skeet last year to prepare, i missed most of my birds early.
lesson , if you hunt ,,, shoot like your hunting.

with the 581 I ended up having to make a few minor sight adjustments when I went to a new batch of CCI SV.
the thing is pretty much dead nuts on now, however it wasn't really a good day to shoot there was a blustery wind sporadically coming thru in all different directions.
the wind was really confused.
I tried to do 2, 1/2" tack tests @50yds but with conditions I could only drive half of them
ah well ,I think I got this next time

.270 WIN
Posts: 494
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:10 pm
Location: Midstate, Pa.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 6:46 pm
Image

Image

Earlier this year I took an old, rather dull Ruger 10/22 and made it into something special with a basket weave Mannlicher stock, stainless barrel, and Weaver 4X scope.
PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2016 11:50 am
I own three rimfire cartridge firearms at the present...

A Browning Buckmark in .22 Long Rifle

A Marlin Model 80C in .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle

And a Marlin Glenfield Model 60 in .22 Long Rifle
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 11:34 am
havn't really had the time to further test

last time out I ran all different types and weights of CCI ammo down it noting the POI diffrences.

at some point 'd like to get out on a cold day and see what difference a 60-70 degree drop in temps does to POI.
I was also debating switching to a 4-12 rim fire BDC scope,it would allow me to experiment to the 150yd mark
PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 12:10 pm
Yea...good point.

Besides wind... temperature and altitude do affect point of impact on any bullet.

CCI does make a good cartridge...

I picked up some Eley Tenex awhile back and I'm liking it.

http://www.eley.co.uk/eley-tenex
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 422
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:21 pm
Location: phila pa
PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:17 pm
the CCI is pretty consistent within reason for a bulk type ammo .
that's what I was generally looking to find at this point.
the federal ,rem ,win bulks left me with misfires ,FTEs or flyers depending on brand

next time I run an ammo test it will be with the different match offerings till I find the "one" brand that the gun likes best.
my main objective in all these tests is to see just how accurate the gun can be.
that will require the most consistent ammo I can find. and ultimately bolting the gun down
if I figure by reputation its likely will be tenex.
PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 12:14 pm
Copy that...

Gotta go scrape ice off the cars...have a good holiday !!

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