Bob Collins
New member
I shot Montezuma with the new cut rifle barrel on it Saturday (6-26-10) at Kettlefoot in its first match. I had tuned it in South GA when it came in on a Monday – it was 100 degrees with a heat index running from 110 to 118 degrees with a water content of 28.58 grams per meter – I have never seen it that high, the week before it was 28.0 grams in Jacksonville. I tuned it my standard method, testing the action screws, and then starting at zero and going out in hundreds to 500, then focusing in on the two best spots, 200 and 300. I started on the 300 area and found it was the best around 350, but it had droppers, so I went to 200 and tuned in this area and it shot good, but I still had an occasional dropper. I tuned two other rifles being careful not to get the gun too hot, buy switching out guns to cool and using my cleaning rod as a heat sink. One was a position rifle that shoots at 100 yards and it would shoot a 3 shot group of .3 – it was the first time I ever used mirage and that’s a new story, very interesting.
The following Friday I took it to Wilkesboro, NC and shot Montezuma, they were talking about how hot it was 92 degrees with 15 gram water content – Jim and I just laughed about it because it was so cool to us after at 100 plus we left, the mountains were cool to us. Montezuma would not shoot at the 200 area, but was much better at the 350 area, but it had droppers again, since I came up in my little Prius, I forgot to bring my weights, so I had to put it down and shoot Corvette, Jim’s 17 twist CSM cut rifle barrel out shot Corvette again.
Back tuning again in S GA on Monday, hot again with a water level of 27.58 grams, when the water vapor is that high you sweat just sitting in the shade, does not evaporate off your clothing or skin – you better be drinking lots of water. I put the tuner back to 100 and put 1ounce of weight on and Montezuma came to life. It only took a few minutes and it was a humming with no droppers.
Fridays trip to Kettlefoot. Mike and I arrived around 8:00 PM, to be met by Mr. Pepper, to get the barrel diagramed, both Jim and Al said it was “perfect”, and Bill Calfee must have lapped it. Then to the Truman’s famed chicken house, it shot great, I moved the tuner out 3 clicks from where I set it in S GA – I had gone from 230 feet to around 1200 feet in altitude and it was “cool”.
Saturday morning, my front rest was still giving me a fit, my Sporter scores prove that, but with the heavy gun things settle down.
Scores in 10.5# and 13.5#
250 -20X- 5 FM
248-16X- 4 FM switch out for a minus 2
247-15X- 11FM
248- 12X – 10 FM
Between the last two targets I moved the tuner in 1 click in, and I’ll admit I was shooting for X’s, and it cost me, but I never took a shot holding outside the 10 ring.
The wind was what I called normal for Kettlefoot, flags showing a “slider wind” and the “snake” was coming down the mountain backstop much of the time. I feel I was about a second behind on the last two targets, but Montezuma shot much better than I did the driver.
I believe that all new barrels will have a tuner “adjustment” after a few bricks of ammo, it’s being broken in. Bill, I know Montezuma’s setting is close, but not perfect yet, but when it is, ” hold on to your hat”!
There were several more test going on than a 16 twist CMS verses a 17 twist, Mike, Mr. Pepper, and several other shooters are helping test several new things, but I tried to keep Montezuma’s test down to just the tuner. At Truman’s Chicken House, we tested several new Lots of ammo, Montezuma shot them all, but I had to do minor tuner adjustments except on one Lot which had to go out a full revolution – more on this testing later.
Thanks to the Kettlefoot crew for showing Mike and me a great weekend, Wallace for helping with the front rest, Truman, Al, and Jim Pepper for the help with the testing time, Cliff for a great match, and to my true friend Bill Calfee for his artistic ability with a barrel he liked and disliked equally (odd grove number). This is being addressed now, so hold on, you will be getting several new numbers soon.
Next weekend’s testing will be much more interesting, several new parameters will be added, both the 16 and 17 twist CSM’s will be there, plus new Lots of ammo will be tested.
Bob Collins
The following Friday I took it to Wilkesboro, NC and shot Montezuma, they were talking about how hot it was 92 degrees with 15 gram water content – Jim and I just laughed about it because it was so cool to us after at 100 plus we left, the mountains were cool to us. Montezuma would not shoot at the 200 area, but was much better at the 350 area, but it had droppers again, since I came up in my little Prius, I forgot to bring my weights, so I had to put it down and shoot Corvette, Jim’s 17 twist CSM cut rifle barrel out shot Corvette again.
Back tuning again in S GA on Monday, hot again with a water level of 27.58 grams, when the water vapor is that high you sweat just sitting in the shade, does not evaporate off your clothing or skin – you better be drinking lots of water. I put the tuner back to 100 and put 1ounce of weight on and Montezuma came to life. It only took a few minutes and it was a humming with no droppers.
Fridays trip to Kettlefoot. Mike and I arrived around 8:00 PM, to be met by Mr. Pepper, to get the barrel diagramed, both Jim and Al said it was “perfect”, and Bill Calfee must have lapped it. Then to the Truman’s famed chicken house, it shot great, I moved the tuner out 3 clicks from where I set it in S GA – I had gone from 230 feet to around 1200 feet in altitude and it was “cool”.
Saturday morning, my front rest was still giving me a fit, my Sporter scores prove that, but with the heavy gun things settle down.
Scores in 10.5# and 13.5#
250 -20X- 5 FM
248-16X- 4 FM switch out for a minus 2
247-15X- 11FM
248- 12X – 10 FM
Between the last two targets I moved the tuner in 1 click in, and I’ll admit I was shooting for X’s, and it cost me, but I never took a shot holding outside the 10 ring.
The wind was what I called normal for Kettlefoot, flags showing a “slider wind” and the “snake” was coming down the mountain backstop much of the time. I feel I was about a second behind on the last two targets, but Montezuma shot much better than I did the driver.
I believe that all new barrels will have a tuner “adjustment” after a few bricks of ammo, it’s being broken in. Bill, I know Montezuma’s setting is close, but not perfect yet, but when it is, ” hold on to your hat”!
There were several more test going on than a 16 twist CMS verses a 17 twist, Mike, Mr. Pepper, and several other shooters are helping test several new things, but I tried to keep Montezuma’s test down to just the tuner. At Truman’s Chicken House, we tested several new Lots of ammo, Montezuma shot them all, but I had to do minor tuner adjustments except on one Lot which had to go out a full revolution – more on this testing later.
Thanks to the Kettlefoot crew for showing Mike and me a great weekend, Wallace for helping with the front rest, Truman, Al, and Jim Pepper for the help with the testing time, Cliff for a great match, and to my true friend Bill Calfee for his artistic ability with a barrel he liked and disliked equally (odd grove number). This is being addressed now, so hold on, you will be getting several new numbers soon.
Next weekend’s testing will be much more interesting, several new parameters will be added, both the 16 and 17 twist CSM’s will be there, plus new Lots of ammo will be tested.
Bob Collins
