Etronx

M

mks

Guest
Jackie,
I agree that the Etronx electronic trigger might be worth a try on a BR gun. Less than 3 nanosecond lock time, no firing pin impact to cause vibration and essentially zero torque required to open and close the bolt. A schematic of the parts is shown in the attachment. The Etronx rifles were only made in 220 Swift, 22-250 and 243, so only large primers. Do you think this would kill the potential advantages?

If anyone has the leftover electronic parts from converting one of these rifles to conventional ignition, I would be interested in them to try to adapt to a BR gun.

Thanks,
Keith
 

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essentially zero torque required to open and close the bolt.

Yes, as far as cocking the cocking piece, firing pin... There is none in an Etronix bolt.

No, as far as the extraction process of a fired case... Still need the camming action to extract a >>Benchrest<< pressured case outta the chamber.


An electronic ignition system just seems to be a logical ""next step"" for the Benchrest technology to persue ongoing even more tiny aggs.

Of course at first in Unlimited...

In reality Electronic ignition >>technologies<< just seems not to be a desireable next step for many whom shoot Benchrest...?....

It's one thing to build a rifle with a type of "Etronix" ignition....
It is the manufacture of electrically ignited >>Small Rifle<< primers... Who's gonna make them!?!... Just getting standard percussion style centerfire rifle primers is a.......challange these days.....;):rolleyes:

cale
 
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The last I saw Rems Etronix primers they were in the 170$ per K range and that was a couple years ago. Pricey stuff. BTW didn't VOERE have an electronic ignition or electric trigger rifle ?
 
The biggest complaint that I've heard with the Etronx mainly from guys wanting to convert the Etronx to regular firing pins and triggers is problems with battery life. It runs off of one 9 volt battery, when the battery goes dead or even sooner the rifle won't fire. That would be the last thing I'd want in a benchrest match even if it did help decrease aggs slightly. Besides the firing pin mechanism in the bolt, there is also a printed circuit board in the butt of the rifle and a switch in the pistol grip along with the special trigger which is more a switch than a trigger that you will need to be able to play with it. You would just about have to have all the mechanism from the complete bolt though to the circuit board to get it to work. You can buy Etronx rifles fairly cheaply, but as has been mentioned the primer cost is substantial.

To convert an Etronx rifle to regular primers the bolt has to be replaced and the trigger has to be replaced and, of course, headspaced to the new bolt as it's not a drop in.
 
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caroby said:
Still need the camming action to extract a >>Benchrest<< pressured case outta the chamber.
Click to expand...

Good point. In my 243 Etronx with loads that are not pushing the limits, it is remarkable how little effort is required for extraction, and the bolt almost closes itself.

I have had one failure to fire in about 300 rounds (rough estimate). I'm on my third battery, probably because I didn't turn the system off when storing the rifle. And, yes, the primers are expensive and who knows how long they will be available. But the potential of this technology is intriguing.

I would be happy to put up with its idiosyncrasies if it made a BR rifle more accurate. The battery reliability problem could be solved with a built-in spare with a switch, or a built-in battery indicator. The batteries should be quickly replaceable, not under a butt pad that requires a screwdriver to remove. Primer cost is small compared to the overall cost of competition. Just being able to get them may be the biggest problem. After the initial run of Remington primers, will there ever be any more? Maybe, if BR shooters demonstrate that they provide a measurable accuracy advantage.

Cheers,
Keith
 
Mks

The large Rifle primer thing is a big consideration, I can't think of one case that uses a large rifle primer that would be a serious player in 100-200 Benchrest. All of the advantages of an electronic ignition system would be wasted if the chambering did not poccess the inherant accuracy that is needed to be competitive.

All of the potential problems that Mike alluded to could be gotten around if there was enough benefit to be gained.

I used to be scared to death of electronic gadgets, but you can't help but be amazed what is going on with that industry.

At this time, this is all a mute point. There are no small Rifle Primers that operate on electronic ignition. Sure, you could set up and bore out a 220 Russian to accept a large rifle primer, the depth might be a concern, there isn't much metal to spare.

The only way you could seriously test this concept is with a chambering based on the PPC concept, or perhaps the 30BR. Anything else would probably be a waste..........jackie
 
jackie schmidt said:
The large Rifle primer thing is a big consideration, I can't think of one case that uses a large rifle primer that would be a serious player in 100-200 Benchrest. ...

The only way you could seriously test this concept is with a chambering based on the PPC concept, or perhaps the 30BR. Anything else would probably be a waste..........jackie
Click to expand...

Jackie,
That's what I was afraid of. Still, the BR case has plenty of room and probably plenty of material to bore out a large primer pocket, so that part of the conversion should be easy. If it shot better with large electronic primers than with small conventional primers, now that would be a groundbreaking discovery.

If anyone has Etronx parts they would be willing to part with, please let me know.

Thanks,
Keith
 
308 cases could be formed into 30BR for testing. To bring the capacity back
in line with Lapua brass, small adjustments can be made with body, case length. Not really a big deal
 
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