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Guest
Guest
Warren, Ian, and All,
Wow, we sure seem to be pursuing quite a number of tangents here under one topic! At any rate, I wanted to say a few more things about reloading and barrel cleaning after a outing to friend's ranch this past week.
I've taken it upon myself to go back and start all over again with this Dakota Longbow. In other words, I'm basically attempting to break it in all over again by cleaning it every 3 to five shots. I've been doing this while it's hot as well. Needless to say, I've been having vastly better results. And the rifle's accuracy seems to be improving. Of course, that's probably better attributed to the highly, anal-retentive handloading I've been doing. I've also started using a combination of Kroil and Shooters Choice before and after treatment with the Sweets 7.62 and JB Paste and I'm seeing enough copper coming out of the barrel to mint pennies.
As for the handloads I've been assembling with all this new reloading equipment I bought, well, that's a pretty exciting story in and of itself, too. Above, when I mentioned that I had assembled a first time lot of "absolutely perfect" loads, I meant that they were all perfectly uniform in length. I remember talking to you, Warren, at the Shot Show last January and your emphasis that there can not be even 0.001" variation among one's loads if the accuracy potential of the rifle is to be realized. Your words have been ringing in my ears ever since. With the assembly of recent lots using my own equipment I have made sure of this, too, and the groups I shot at my friends ranch reflect it. The last night I was up there I shot a 15 round group from a prone position off a Harris bipod at 895 yards that measured a bit over 11". The loads were assembled so that the ogive was sitting right on the lands. Previous loads I tested had the ogive 0.015", 0.020", and 0.025" off. I was extremely pleased the results of this last test. Will post the photo of the target as soon as I get the film developed.
Thank you, gentlemen, for being so generous with your knowledge!
David
Wow, we sure seem to be pursuing quite a number of tangents here under one topic! At any rate, I wanted to say a few more things about reloading and barrel cleaning after a outing to friend's ranch this past week.
I've taken it upon myself to go back and start all over again with this Dakota Longbow. In other words, I'm basically attempting to break it in all over again by cleaning it every 3 to five shots. I've been doing this while it's hot as well. Needless to say, I've been having vastly better results. And the rifle's accuracy seems to be improving. Of course, that's probably better attributed to the highly, anal-retentive handloading I've been doing. I've also started using a combination of Kroil and Shooters Choice before and after treatment with the Sweets 7.62 and JB Paste and I'm seeing enough copper coming out of the barrel to mint pennies.
As for the handloads I've been assembling with all this new reloading equipment I bought, well, that's a pretty exciting story in and of itself, too. Above, when I mentioned that I had assembled a first time lot of "absolutely perfect" loads, I meant that they were all perfectly uniform in length. I remember talking to you, Warren, at the Shot Show last January and your emphasis that there can not be even 0.001" variation among one's loads if the accuracy potential of the rifle is to be realized. Your words have been ringing in my ears ever since. With the assembly of recent lots using my own equipment I have made sure of this, too, and the groups I shot at my friends ranch reflect it. The last night I was up there I shot a 15 round group from a prone position off a Harris bipod at 895 yards that measured a bit over 11". The loads were assembled so that the ogive was sitting right on the lands. Previous loads I tested had the ogive 0.015", 0.020", and 0.025" off. I was extremely pleased the results of this last test. Will post the photo of the target as soon as I get the film developed.
Thank you, gentlemen, for being so generous with your knowledge!
David
