Eley Batch Testing

[Fred J]

US or otherwise

When I went to Australia, I had to declare my rifle when going in and out. As for leaving & entering the US, the Airline checked it as long as I declared I had it, and it was unloaded. When I arived in the US, the Customs didn't even check to see if it was what I said it was. US Customs, told me that if it was made in the USA, there wouldn't be a problem. But that was 2000, and things do change.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Team USA seemed to get in and out of the country with only the odd cavity search when they went to Italy. The centerfire guys also go to a World Championships every 2 years and they all seem to come home with their guns.

If you look at the exchange rate the $US is at a 5 year high against the pound so it would seem a good time to go. But just remember they only have about 30 lots of current production at the Eley factory and with a new barrel that you are trying to sort out what it likes great, but if you have a barrel that you know for sure it only likes a certain machine within a set speed range. You could get there and find there is nothing like that available that week, but you might find something else that you never tried that does work too.

Its rimfire BR and its not meant to be easy, or everyone would be doing it.

 

[TangoTwo]

Its rimfire BR and its not meant to be easy, or everyone would be doing it.

And there my friends, is the long sought answer as to why rimfire Benchrest is not bigger than it is!

Ken

 

[tim]

And there my friends, is the long sought answer as to why rimfire Benchrest is not bigger than it is!

Ken

I thought 6 months ago it was the cost. I can't imagine what the 2009 tab will be when you throw in the UK test trip. That $25 dollar Lapua is starting to look cheap.

 

[tim]

Both of you are correct at least I think so. I sent an email to eley to confirm this about 10 minutes ago.

The next thing I'm waiting on is the ATF and airlines. I 'm sure Eley will help with getting my rifles into the UK but it's U.S. customs and the ATF that will have to tell me how to get them back in the U.S..

Hey, it's all in the details!

BTW: I lived in the UK for 12 years, my wife is English, and I have in-laws in Leicester, and Suffolk. So it looks like I might take her home for the holidays!!

If I might be permitted might I ask one last question I've been dying to ask here for a bit? When it is all said and done, do you believe that testing ammo in a barreled action clamped in a fixture [ changing the nature of that barrel's vibration, among other things] is going to give you a completely valid test since that gun will be shooting in a stock off a rest using bags?
The principle reason I ask this is that if you pay attention to all the public information posted on this forum by arguably one of the planet's best .22 smiths, you might note that the final verdict made about a gun and it's ammo of choice is only made after testing both in a stock off a rest.

 

[Keith23]

Peter and Ken

Believe it or not Benchrest rimfire has gotten easier since BR 50 went away.

If you recall we shot 50 targets on a card with the same worst edge scoring system that we have with ARA.

We also had to shoot against the Calfee pistols. You could shoot the highest score but loose the match after the pistol was given extra points for being lighter. That certainly had a way of taking the fun out of it.

 

[IHMSA80x80]

That certainly had a way of taking the fun out of it.

Did it? Seems to me everyone knew about the weight handicap. One could choose to shoot a pistol for the weight advantage if he wanted to.

 

[bigredplane]

If I might be permitted might I ask one last question I've been dying to ask here for a bit? When it is all said and done, do you believe that testing ammo in a barreled action clamped in a fixture [ changing the nature of that barrel's vibration, among other things] is going to give you a completely valid test since that gun will be shooting in a stock off a rest using bags?
The principle reason I ask this is that if you pay attention to all the public information posted on this forum by arguably one of the planet's best .22 smiths, you might note that the final verdict made about a gun and it's ammo of choice is only made after testing both in a stock off a rest.

I sure would think so

 

[tenpointnine]

1) When the World and Olympic champions test at Eley, they select a few batches, then test from the shoulder at a local range for their final choice.

2)The vast majority of barreled actions tested at Eley are Anschutz, either the round action (14, 16, 18 & 19 series) or the square 20 series. These are bolted into an aluminium (English spelling!) chassis, which is basically the centre section of a Gemini aluminium prone / positional rifle stock. This chassis is then clamped in the big vice referred to previously, which is itself bolted to a massive base. Similar chassis are available for Walther, Feinwerkbau, Bleiker etc., not necessarily made by Gemini.

The rig referred to in an earlier post is used occasionaly, and clamps into the accessory rail under the forend of most target rifles, and the rifle is set up to slide back in the jig on firing, then pushed back to the stop for the next shot.

3) The range record for a 40 shot group at 50m is, I believe, Neil Stirton's Bleiker @ 13.5mm. The best 10 shot group is 8.9mm from a Feinwerkbau. These are both outside edge to outside edge.

4) Last Sunday evening Bert Brookes, Eley customer range manager for the last 10 years, passed away. He will be sorely missed.
http://www.eley.co.uk/news/news-articles/latest-news/bert-brookes-aim-high-shoot-straight.aspx

Walter in England

 

[Keith23]

IHsma80X80

Did it? Seems to me everyone knew about the weight handicap. One could choose to shoot a pistol for the weight advantage if he wanted to.

No, that was not the case. Sure everyone knew about the weight advantage, but not everyone could get their hands on a Calfee Pistol.

Just like today, not everyone has access to Calfee rifles.(ask guys on the left coast) Thank goodness we now have many rimfire gunsmiths that produce rifles that compete successfully with Calfee guns. Best of all, these guys will build a rifle for anyone that can pay for it.

 

[Keith23]

Tim

If I might be permitted might I ask one last question I've been dying to ask here for a bit? When it is all said and done, do you believe that testing ammo in a barreled action clamped in a fixture [ changing the nature of that barrel's vibration, among other things] is going to give you a completely valid test since that gun will be shooting in a stock off a rest using bags?
The principle reason I ask this is that if you pay attention to all the public information posted on this forum by arguably one of the planet's best .22 smiths, you might note that the final verdict made about a gun and it's ammo of choice is only made after testing both in a stock off a rest.

I'm somewhat surprised by your question. Surely we understand that this batch testing has little to do with the rifle as a package, but very much to do with the ammo and barrel.

The package including the bedding, balance, trigger, scope, and tuner, etc, etc, are all critical components. Each can have a negative effect on accuracy. But these are all things we can control.

If we are competent, we can make these things work. But if the ammo doesn't work in our barrel, there is nothing we can do.

 

[IHMSA80x80]

No, that was not the case. Sure everyone knew about the weight advantage, but not everyone could get their hands on a Calfee Pistol.

During the BR-50 days, Bill would make a pistol for anyone who wanted one. There were no restrictions on who could own one.

 

[tim]

I'm somewhat surprised by your question. Surely we understand that this batch testing has little to do with the rifle as a package, but very much to do with the ammo and barrel.

.

Uh..... based on that I guess I have no further questions. Good luck with the UK trip. Hope to see you at a match.

 

[kasjaka]

batch testing

how about giving up on this eley stuff and everybody just shoot $10.00 a brick
wal-mart stuff??
everybody has the same equally inconsistent ammo to compete with
thus leveling the playing field ..
and a lot less stress

 

[Fred K]

That would be like playing Golf with a square ball.

Fred K

 

[Keith23]

Evening the playing field

how about giving up on this eley stuff and everybody just shoot $10.00 a brick
wal-mart stuff??
everybody has the same equally inconsistent ammo to compete with
thus leveling the playing field ..
and a lot less stress

Years ago when I shot rimfire prone matches that is about what we did. You paid your entry fee which included the price of your ammo. The club bought bulk ammo and that is what everyone had to shoot. I've also shot at places where you had to shoot the clubs rifles and ammo. It was still sport, but I don't see us going back anytime soon.

 

[tim]

Keith, at the risk of prolonging this till the end of days, since you're within driving distance from one of the better sources of high grade ammo, have you checked with Dave @ Bert's?