effendude
Gold $$ Contributor
I just want to run this by some other competitive shooters. I have a new barrel on my F-TR rifle this spring. Bartlein 5-R, 1-10 twist in medium palma to make weight with my rifle. I have firefirmed 200 pieces of palma brass and worked up a good load with the Varget and 185 juggernauts so far. Normal break-in process, accuracy of the bench and at 300 was very good while testing.
I cleaned the rifle prior to the long range match this weekend, getting lots of carbon out on the patches, I mean lots. 20-30 patches of black soot, so much so that I even took a brush to it. I let the rifle soak overnight after the brushing with both Shooters Choice and Kroil as part of my normal cleaning process. Cleaned out the Kroil with dry patches and then lighter fluid to dry the barrel.
Fast forward to Saturday at 1000 yards. I dial my zero onto the rifle and send a couple down range during the sighter period, both sighters were a few minutes high but I knew I had to foul the barrel some before I made any adjustments. I send the third shot down range, target goes down and then back up as a miss. I think maybe the bullet was just over the top, so I come down 2 minutes and send a couple more, both coming back as misses. The pits call back saying I am way low. I come back up to my original zero setting and start hitting the target. I shot about 10 rounds more refining my zero and thought I was good to go. I start shooting for record and vertical is all over the place for another 10 sots or so. Literally, I couldn't hold the 9 ring in elevation for the better part of the first string.
Match #2 of the day was better as far as elevation was concerned but not to my liking. Match #3 was better yet, and then I shot the team match for Match #4 and my team mate commented on how tight my elevation was. I scored 193 with a decent X count, losing a few points to elevation just out but mostly wind and hold wobble. Conditions were the best I have ever shot at 1000, high humidity, decent light, steady light wind. I came away feeling prety good that I had the rifle figured out. I clean the rifle when I get home, same amount of black soot for 20 patches or so, then I brush 10 strokes and soak for a while, no copper or carbon left.
Day #2 is palma with unlimited sighters at 800. I dial my zero, send a few to foul the barrel. Just like day #1, both land a little high and then I send 3 more into the bottom of the target frame, just barely on paper. I adjust up a couple minutes and then I start hitting the top again. After about 10 fouler/sighters, I start for record. Refer to the sentence above, just like day #1, I continue to spread the shots vertically for another 8 shots or so finishing with an abissmal 800 yard score. 900 and 1000 were better despite tough winds and I would have won if I wouldn't have lost those points at 800.
My question to those who have experienced a barrel that needs 25 or more shots through it before it settles down is this: Does it get better? I now have about 400 rounds through it. If this is what the barrel is, I will work around it. I plan to not clean between days on two day events as well. I will, albeit unhappily, having to shoot about 25 rounds after cleaning the night before I go to matches. I will use the opportunity to fireform some more brass and use up some left over lots of bullets. I have never had a barrel that needed this many foulers, 5-10 yes, but 25?
Thanks,
Scott
I cleaned the rifle prior to the long range match this weekend, getting lots of carbon out on the patches, I mean lots. 20-30 patches of black soot, so much so that I even took a brush to it. I let the rifle soak overnight after the brushing with both Shooters Choice and Kroil as part of my normal cleaning process. Cleaned out the Kroil with dry patches and then lighter fluid to dry the barrel.
Fast forward to Saturday at 1000 yards. I dial my zero onto the rifle and send a couple down range during the sighter period, both sighters were a few minutes high but I knew I had to foul the barrel some before I made any adjustments. I send the third shot down range, target goes down and then back up as a miss. I think maybe the bullet was just over the top, so I come down 2 minutes and send a couple more, both coming back as misses. The pits call back saying I am way low. I come back up to my original zero setting and start hitting the target. I shot about 10 rounds more refining my zero and thought I was good to go. I start shooting for record and vertical is all over the place for another 10 sots or so. Literally, I couldn't hold the 9 ring in elevation for the better part of the first string.
Match #2 of the day was better as far as elevation was concerned but not to my liking. Match #3 was better yet, and then I shot the team match for Match #4 and my team mate commented on how tight my elevation was. I scored 193 with a decent X count, losing a few points to elevation just out but mostly wind and hold wobble. Conditions were the best I have ever shot at 1000, high humidity, decent light, steady light wind. I came away feeling prety good that I had the rifle figured out. I clean the rifle when I get home, same amount of black soot for 20 patches or so, then I brush 10 strokes and soak for a while, no copper or carbon left.
Day #2 is palma with unlimited sighters at 800. I dial my zero, send a few to foul the barrel. Just like day #1, both land a little high and then I send 3 more into the bottom of the target frame, just barely on paper. I adjust up a couple minutes and then I start hitting the top again. After about 10 fouler/sighters, I start for record. Refer to the sentence above, just like day #1, I continue to spread the shots vertically for another 8 shots or so finishing with an abissmal 800 yard score. 900 and 1000 were better despite tough winds and I would have won if I wouldn't have lost those points at 800.
My question to those who have experienced a barrel that needs 25 or more shots through it before it settles down is this: Does it get better? I now have about 400 rounds through it. If this is what the barrel is, I will work around it. I plan to not clean between days on two day events as well. I will, albeit unhappily, having to shoot about 25 rounds after cleaning the night before I go to matches. I will use the opportunity to fireform some more brass and use up some left over lots of bullets. I have never had a barrel that needed this many foulers, 5-10 yes, but 25?
Thanks,
Scott
But, the results on paper are always the best guide.
