Ever have this to happen?

[LONGTOM]

We all know that every gun has a mind of it's own and that there is always the exception to the rule, but I have two that I have never encountered before.

#1- I have a pre war Win model 70 in 22 Hornet that someone cut the barrel to 20" using a hacksaw and a file.
The problem is that they didn't cut it straight.
You don't need a square to see it just hold it up and look at it.
It is off a full 1/16th" out of square.
They didn't even bother to re-cut a crown on the end.
That in it's self is not a problem to fix.
The problem is that it will shoot dime size three shot groups all day long using factory Win 46gr HPs.
This thing should not shoot worth a darn.
Can any one explain why?

#2- I have a Handi rifle that has the 24" ultra 204 barrel on it.
Using factory Hornady 32gr v-max ammo at a stated velocity of 4225 fps it cuts holes 1" high at 100.
Using the factory Hornady 45gr soft points at a stated velocity of 3625 fps with the same scope setting it shoots 2.25" high at 100.

I would have thought that with a heavier bullet at a lower velocity that it would have grouped the 45 SPs lower than the 32 grainers.

Anyone care to explain that one to me?

LONGTOM

[Glanceblamm]

You would think that when the base of the bullet has 1/16" of daylight on one side of it with the other side still touching the rifling, the escaping gasses would greatly upset the bullet. I dont know why it doesnt do it with your model 70 but this is the reason that I personnaly would never do my own recrown work.

The Handi doesnt really suprise me on the .224 bullets. I switch loads in my M77 each spring as I go from predators to varmints and the Sierra bullets always strike higher than the Hornady's.
Someone else will have to explain this.

[spruce]

Interesting results on the poorly crowned barrel - I have no explanation other than sometimes it seems like the art and science of gunmaking takes a back seat to plain old voodoo!

I'll hazard a guess (and only a guess!) on the difference in POI of the two different loads.  This phenomenom is very common when shooting handguns.  Even when shooting the same weight bullets the slowest load will shoot higher (sometimes several inches at 25 yds) because during recoil the barrel has more time to rise before the bullet exits the barrel.

One thing comes to mind you could try to see if this explanation is affecting the POI - shoot the faster load holding the rifle as you normally do and then shoot the slower load while concentrating on holding the forearm tightly down and see if that moves the POI closer together.

[john keyes]

just another reason to buy a chrono  (which I don't have)

I have a bunch of sierra 180 gr .308 ProHunter bullets which shoot at least 6 inches lower than 180 gr Hornady SSTs at 200 yds.

thats out of a savage 99

I don't know if the hornadys are having a tougher time getting down the barrel, thus exiting later on muzzle rise?  don't know.

it does make things interesting   

[Lead pot]

Some of the Commie rifles have the crown cut on a 45 and they seem to shoot pretty good

#2- I have a Handi rifle that has the 24" ultra 204 barrel on it.
Using factory Hornady 32gr v-max ammo at a stated velocity of 4225 fps it cuts holes 1" high at 100.
Using the factory Hornady 45gr soft points at a stated velocity of 3625 fps with the same scope setting it shoots 2.25" high at 100.

I would have thought that with a heavier bullet at a lower velocity that it would have grouped the 45 SPs lower than the 32 grainers.

Anyone care to explain that one to me?

LONGTOM

It's called barrel hang time.
Lower velocity will allow the barrel to rise more before the bullet excites therefore the impact will be higher.

Lp

[Kmrere42]

Hi,

Lead pot called the second one right,  So I'll take the first.  The name of the accuracy game is consistency.  That the crown is cut at an angle means nothing to the bullet if it is leaving the muzzle consistently in the same manner each time.  Leave it alone and start taking bets, you could make a little side money with it.




Paul

[sr sawyer]

In my neck of the woods we would call that "pixx house luck".  If somebody took a hacksaw to a Model 70 in the .22 Hornet it must have really shot bad to begin with.  Personally I would not try to fix it

[LONGTOM]

Thanks guys.
You all have come up with pretty much the same reasons that I had thought of
.
As for the Hornet, I was all lined up to get an original barrel to replace it until I shot it.
The shop I bought it at said it was a shooter and I thought right, with a barrel like that it would be lucky to hit the side of a barn from inside.
He was right and I was wrong, it shoots.
I will not touch it and yes it does make a lot of folks stand and scratch their heads.

Now for the Handi.
I thought about the lag time and muzzle rise as I have encountered that a lot in switching bullet weights or a big change in veloscity in a hand gun but wouldn't have thought the 204s mild recoil would have made a real difference.
Guess I was wrong again.


Thanks again for the imput.


LONGTOM