A Competitive Rifle(Barrel not included)

Reading all the responses here makes me want to hug my gun. I am a real new "newbie" and just getting out of the gate this coming season. My (6ppc 262 ) LG was made by and competed with by Sid Goodling then Husky Hummel before ending up in the back of a 1000yd. HG shooters safe a few hours from me. I traded a nice gun I had on a 2port Lawton for it. It has a Bat #S7 LP-RB no eject glued in a Speedy McM. stock. The gun is much better than I am at this point and seems to like about anything I stuff in to it. I have Sid doing two barrels for me with a reamer he has chosen for me to own. I am confident in my shooting system starting out.....From what I am hearing that is the best place to find yourself.....Then there is the reloading...:confused:..:D

Rick Morehouse W.Pa.
 
Competitive Rifle

Then there are those BR shooters out there who have never removed a barrel from their action. Some don’t even own an action wrench.

For some, Swapping out a trigger/hangar or firing pin spring, Stock ,scope rings,etc,is left entirely to the gunsmith. The hidden gremlins that you don’t know about or even thought about, could eventually influence you to move on to another hobby. The expense required to identify and correct mechanical/design issues is a major challenge for some competitors.

I have always said, a person with machinists skills and a Lathe, has a distinct advantage in this Sport. Oh,There is plenty fun to be had for us recreational shooters but,if you want to get serious at this hobby. You need to know how to do your own machine work, or be able to hire your own personal Gunsmith.

Thanks for sharing your experiences on this subject. This is really good stuff,for the old and new. Keep it coming.


Glenn
 
I don't think that the issue is triggers not working, but rather that there can be differences in accuracy with the same rifle and load with different triggers. A long time ago, Wilbur told me a story about a friend's bench rifle that was having problems with erratic accuracy that were cured when a different trigger was substituted. IMO this is not something that most shooters would expect.

Getting back to what Dusty said, the manner in which the cocking piece overrides the trigger's top lever (sear?), and the reset pressures that different trigger designs have can probably affect vibration which travels to the muzzle much faster than a bullet.

I do not think that it is accidental that the Buckys and Schmidt tuners have built in vibration damping material. Back in the day, I suggested to Sims Laboratories that they offer their then new Deresonator with a larger ID for varmint and target weight barrels. They did, and sent me a couple of prototypes that I tested. Putting one on a barrel completely changes how it vibrates when struck, from a ringing sound to a dull thud. I have talked to more than one person that had experienced a difference in accuracy using one, and some that did not. I think that the reason for these differences is that some rifles may have issues that others do not, and that they relate to vibration.

Since then, the wood and carbon fiber stocks have become common, and one of the qualities to which their success is attributed is vibration damping. Related to this, looking at barrels, the one issue that relates to vibration is stress relief, something that no gunsmith that I know of has any way to measure....but it can be, and the cost is not impossible.
https://www.google.com/search?q=portable+x-ray+defraction+equipment&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
 
Rifles are like Race Cars

in that they require servicing as they are used. Stuff loosens up and components mess the bed sometimes. An area I have experienced problems with is the front action screw in non-glue ins. While some will say this is not true, bedding materiel will shrink over time. I have seen several glue-ins come loose from the glue; I had one of them!

The front screw thing; Several of the custom rifles I have had built; I think three to be exact, have come with only two or three threads on the front action screw. All three of them, eventually caused the rifle to throw shots. One of them is a Rimfire rifle! I went to the auto parts store on the second one, bought a $3. die and wound a couple more threads on it and the problem went away.

I have also seen a couple of triggers (popular brand) that had crooked holes through the levers, making them rub hard on the side plates (seen 13 of them fail to date in matches over the years).

Tell me how a Smith who chambers a barrel can fail to make the shoulder perpendicular to the threads please. I have seen it happen more than once. Actually, the first custom rifle I bought was in that condition. I find that to be uncontainable for a professional to make such an error. That one will cost ya a few hundred bullets and lots of wasted time.

Happy New Year All,

Pete
 
A Good Foundation starts with the Builder

Pete Wass said:
in that they require servicing as they are used. Stuff loosens up and components mess the bed sometimes. An area I have experienced problems with is the front action screw in non-glue ins. While some will say this is not true, bedding materiel will shrink over time. I have seen several glue-ins come loose from the glue; I had one of them!

The front screw thing; Several of the custom rifles I have had built; I think three to be exact, have come with only two or three threads on the front action screw. All three of them, eventually caused the rifle to throw shots. One of them is a Rimfire rifle! I went to the auto parts store on the second one, bought a $3. die and wound a couple more threads on it and the problem went away.

I have also seen a couple of triggers (popular brand) that had crooked holes through the levers, making them rub hard on the side plates (seen 13 of them fail to date in matches over the years).

Tell me how a Smith who chambers a barrel can fail to make the shoulder perpendicular to the threads please. I have seen it happen more than once. Actually, the first custom rifle I bought was in that condition. I find that to be uncontainable for a professional to make such an error. That one will cost ya a few hundred bullets and lots of wasted time.

Happy New Year All,

Pete
Click to expand...


Pete...this is the kinda stuff I was referring to in Post#17. I've seen my share of less than acceptable machine work on some of my Rifles. Human errors that come back to bite you in the arse right in the middle of a match. I once got a new barrel chambered by a skilled machinist in anticipation for use at an upcoming match. I noticed slightly visible rings around the fire formed brass,the day before the match. Didn't think much of it. About half way through the match,my brass had developed noticeable rings(From shoulder to base) to the point where the brass would not go into the sizing die without considerable force. I had to get out my back up rifle to finish the match. Took it back to the Smith for a fix. By the time I got it back,Shooting season was over.:(

This is the kind of stuff that motivates some people to buy a lathe and learn how to use it. This is not an attack on the Gunsmiths out there. Mistakes do happen. Anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.


Glenn
 
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Pat Byrne, where have you been? We miss your wise input on Benchrest matters and hope that all is well with you. Happy New Year, James Mock
 
Hall Of Famer,Pat Byrne

Pat Kinda eased away from the circuit,several Years Ago. I heard he took a Job as County Hog Control director. His shooting skills has been responsible for a dwindling population of Wild pigs,Varmints and Beer cans.:D Keep up the good work Pat.




Glenn
 
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