Is Your Rifle Ready? By Darrell Holland

[ADMIN]

Every year, hundreds of hunters take to the field unprepared for the task at hand, having spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a dream hunt, only to have it end in failure. Are you going to be the next member to join this growing fraternity?

In over 30 years of hunting around the world, I've been quite fortunate to have never experienced a rifle failure. I've had modest scope failures (fogging), but it didn't result in a missed or wounded animal.

Can a hunter have 30 years of good luck? Or, is there a method, a way of eliminating mechanical failures when we go afield in pursuit of big game?Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Is Your Rifle Ready?, By Darrell Holland. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[HUAINAMACHERO]

Darrell,
Great article!!! I am one of the users of the old WD40, hmmmm, you are making me think about it now Hey, after knowing all of this I would hate myself for loosing a buck of a lifetime for a mechanical error that could have been prevented. Very informative article.

 

[Goofycat]

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Is Your Rifle Ready?, By Darrell Holland. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

Darrell, I have a ton of different lube brands in various containers I have bought over the years. Can you suggest which products are those which are dry lubes? I may have one on the shelf and not even know it, and don't want to buy another one if I don't need to.

As for galling, my .22-250 (built by you 14 years ago) seemed to have had problems with stiff bolt opening/closing after I required the Leupold base screws to be removed by another local gunsmith. The screws seemed to be welded in and needed removal so as to replace the original fixed bases with quick release bases. There was no problem removing the screws by the local gunsmith, but sometime after I had replaced the old bases with the new ones, I noticed that the bolt operated with difficulty. I took it to the second gunsmith (the first one was not available) and was told that I had "major problems."

I thought the problem might have originated with the gunsmith who had removed the screws and the old bases originally, but thought about it and concluded that I might have installed the QR bases with one of the longer screws being placed in front, rather than in back. This very slight protrusion allowed the bolt to operate, but with difficulty. After putting the shorter screws in front and the longer ones in back, the bolt operated flawlessly. I might have noticed the problem right away, but I hadn't shot the rifle in several years and initially didn't pay enough attention to the problem.

The moral: make sure the short and long base mounting screws are placed into the right holes and use a Loctite or similar material that will allow those screws to be removed when the time arrives.

BTW, great article. It is the only one that I have seen published where the proper way to prepare and lube the bolt mechanism has been discussed.

 

[30-338]

Hi Darrell....I always read and profit from your articles! But what impressed me the most about this one is the beautiful prose. Are we seeing the machinist blossom into a writer?
"The beavers had been working overtime...the leaves were starting to blush with color" Wow! I always knew you were talented... but as a writer...I guess so!

Thanks again Darrell and excuse my tongue in cheek teasing. 30-338 John S

PS...have you ever heard of someone "shimming" a firing pin because it was hitting the primer with too much force? Sounds unusual to me...your comments?

 

[EdmontonSoldier]

niced

 

[EdmontonSoldier]

wait nvm

 

[lgrant]

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Is Your Rifle Ready?, By Darrell Holland. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

I own a Rem. model 700-7mm mag. After reading a free-floating bedding article I check my forearm and discovered it was not free-floating. With the exception of 1-2 inches at the top of the forearm it was free-floating, so I sanded that area that was touching the barrel until it was totally free-floating. I found out later that Remingtion does allow the top of the forearm to touch the barrel. Have I messed up my rifle and do I need to purchase a new stock? I hope I have explained this problem so you can understand what I have done.

Thanks for your help,

 

[Darrell Holland]

Mr. Grant,

No worries mate, 99% of the time a free floated bgarel shoots best. You may need to adjust a handload after having done so???

Be sure you have adequate clearance ALL around the barrel, At least .060 and seal the stock with a good spar varnish or polyurathane finish. Be sure the action screws are tightened uniformly 50-60 inch pounds of torque is fine.

In my experience, barrels that have a lot of stress in them and change point of impact when they get warm may perform better if bedded to stabliize this movement.

I would rather put a new tube on the gun personally. Watch for later articles on barrel lengths/contours and their performance.

I think you'll be fine, develope a good load for the rifle and harvest lots of game....

Respectfully,


Darrell Holland

 

[Darrell Holland]

Hi Darrell....I always read and profit from your articles! But what impressed me the most about this one is the beautiful prose. Are we seeing the machinist blossom into a writer?
"The beavers had been working overtime...the leaves were starting to blush with color" Wow! I always knew you were talented... but as a writer...I guess so!

Thanks again Darrell and excuse my tongue in cheek teasing. 30-338 John S

PS...have you ever heard of someone "shimming" a firing pin because it was hitting the primer with too much force? Sounds unusual to me...your comments?

Dear John,

We regret to inform you that????

Don't shim a firing pin, poor practice to say the least...... Adjust the protrusion and spring weight for best results. Protrusion should be .053-.060 and a 24-28 pound spring is best.


Writer??? Hard to say, I do enjoy writing, if I could only have someone type things as fast as I think of them??? Oh well, maybe I can trade healthcare credits for typing lessons???


Cheers and thanks for the kudos....

Darrell Holland

 

[lgrant]

Mr. Grant,

No worries mate, 99% of the time a free floated bgarel shoots best. You may need to adjust a handload after having done so???

Be sure you have adequate clearance ALL around the barrel, At least .060 and seal the stock with a good spar varnish or polyurathane finish. Be sure the action screws are tightened uniformly 50-60 inch pounds of torque is fine.

In my experience, barrels that have a lot of stress in them and change point of impact when they get warm may perform better if bedded to stabliize this movement.

I would rather put a new tube on the gun personally. Watch for later articles on barrel lengths/contours and their performance.

I think you'll be fine, develope a good load for the rifle and harvest lots of game....

Respectfully,


Darrell Holland

Thanks a million Darrell, your answer was mind releaving. For once I didn't screw something up. I will varnish the bedding asap.

Sincerely,

Lane Grant

 

[MN Hunter]

Great article.

Thanks

 

[Whitesheep]

Thank you Darrell,

I'll express my gratitude the best by buying a couple of lube kits off your site.

I am lucky to live in Arizona and infrequently encounter bad weather. However, on several occasions I have hunted Javalina in a light rain and it was good to have a dry lubed and waxed rifle as the only thing that rusted were the sling swivels. (electrical tape over the muzzle) A little AMSOIL Metal Protector took care of the swivels.

Do be careful with the carb or brake cleaner as some stink to high heaven (don't buy the cheap brand) and many will eat plastic. Pull the metal stuff off your gun before hitting it with the spray. Also be sure to wear safety glasses.lightbulb

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Well I will tell you I'm 52 and never had a problem with my rifles till this year had a nice deer come out in a snow storm in Montana. I watched it for about 5 minutes even got prone for the shot, but it was the first night of our week out west for hunting & I wanted a Big Mule deer it was bigger than last year but, I did take the gun off safe and stared it down then decided not to shoot put gun on safety and hiked out at dark. Then to my surprise when unloading it felt as if my safety was broken and the bolt would not open Win. Model 70 XTR safety moved back and forth bolt would not open. I emptied the magazine and pulled trigger did not want to ride in truck with a rifle I did not know if it was on safe or not, well it fired fine but the bolt would not open. I thought I was screwed 800 miles from the gun safe and I brought one rifle. Went to camp had dinner put rifle in tent and within 5 minutes rifle was working perfect and did for rest of trip a drop of water in the wrong place froze. I have hunted Coyotes my whole life from -20F in Iowa and in snow and never had this happen and I am a Ex-Marine and keep my guns clean and dry but this was a first. Just FYI I also put wax on Exterior of metal even though it has Cerakote on it. What did I learn even perfect Maintenance S*** Happens & never go with West without a backup rifle in the group.