Buffalobob
Well-Known Member
7AM Barrel Breakin- part 4
After getting all my brass fireformed it was time to load up some real boolits and break in the barrel. However, the mentally deranged weather man was calling for snow in the high country so I cut and run like a yeller dog for low ground and wound up on Morgan Creek somewhat north of Challis Idaho. Kirby had said to clean after every round for 15 rounds so I loaded up 15 rounds with 102 grains of H US869, Fed 215 GM and 200gr Wildcats in Lapua brass. Being as it was election time back home I had come into possession of a little wire frame that they use to stick up their campaign advertisements and being somewhat fond of Caffeine Free Diet Cokes, I happened to have a old case handy to use as a target. So off I went to find a place to shoot at my fine target. Somehow, the fact that I had fired a 100 rounds of shotgun powder through the barrel while fireforming the brass had escaped my keen mind. The first three rounds were spent finding the paper and cleaning out all of the Unique residue. At about round number 5 the gun started to come in and when I cleaned it after round six the barrel was changing over from carbon fouling to copper, so I decided that it was time to see what kind of group could be coaxed out of it.
Shooting into a 0-15 mph headwind from prone/ bipod, rounds 7 -10 went 0.416 inches at 100yds. One has to first understand that my neck does not like prone shooting anymore and complains bitterly about it, Secondly, every shot was with a barrel that had some amount of solvent in it. And third, I never corrected for wind but just fired when the sight picture was good. I am sure lots of people could do better, but for me just flopped out there in the sage brush and cactus on my belly, that was a terrific group.
As a little reward for spending all the time carefully cleaning and shooting I took the last five shots at rocks and bushes. A particular bush at 997 yards drew my attention and I did not have my drop chart with me so I just used a drop from another gun and subtracted a bunch of MOA from that. My bullets struck so way high it was unreal. Apparently, the BC of the bullets are just about what Kirby says they are.
Here is a picture of the four shot group.
After getting all my brass fireformed it was time to load up some real boolits and break in the barrel. However, the mentally deranged weather man was calling for snow in the high country so I cut and run like a yeller dog for low ground and wound up on Morgan Creek somewhat north of Challis Idaho. Kirby had said to clean after every round for 15 rounds so I loaded up 15 rounds with 102 grains of H US869, Fed 215 GM and 200gr Wildcats in Lapua brass. Being as it was election time back home I had come into possession of a little wire frame that they use to stick up their campaign advertisements and being somewhat fond of Caffeine Free Diet Cokes, I happened to have a old case handy to use as a target. So off I went to find a place to shoot at my fine target. Somehow, the fact that I had fired a 100 rounds of shotgun powder through the barrel while fireforming the brass had escaped my keen mind. The first three rounds were spent finding the paper and cleaning out all of the Unique residue. At about round number 5 the gun started to come in and when I cleaned it after round six the barrel was changing over from carbon fouling to copper, so I decided that it was time to see what kind of group could be coaxed out of it.
Shooting into a 0-15 mph headwind from prone/ bipod, rounds 7 -10 went 0.416 inches at 100yds. One has to first understand that my neck does not like prone shooting anymore and complains bitterly about it, Secondly, every shot was with a barrel that had some amount of solvent in it. And third, I never corrected for wind but just fired when the sight picture was good. I am sure lots of people could do better, but for me just flopped out there in the sage brush and cactus on my belly, that was a terrific group.
As a little reward for spending all the time carefully cleaning and shooting I took the last five shots at rocks and bushes. A particular bush at 997 yards drew my attention and I did not have my drop chart with me so I just used a drop from another gun and subtracted a bunch of MOA from that. My bullets struck so way high it was unreal. Apparently, the BC of the bullets are just about what Kirby says they are.
Here is a picture of the four shot group.
