Quick range day...

[cwlongshot]

I worked the weekend so I had today off... temps climbed into the high 20's with no wind and sunshine. SO... I grabbed the maxi shorty, my 223 that blew up a couple weeks back and pop took his Winchester 43 chambered is in 218 Bee.

We are doing some coyote hunting in the next couple weeks. I mounted up an old scope pop had so pop wanted to try the 218. They are beautiful rifles, we have two a 22Hornet and a 218Bee. Gifts from my Grandfather a couple years ago when he passed.

I'm very happy to report, the 223 shoots GREAT!!!  I'm supper happy with it, as I decided to sell the other super accurate 24" Ultra barrel 223 I had before really getting to wring this one out, fully. I only shot it a bit before the blow up but it looked like it had potential and it sure does!! Anyhow, I mounted the 6x42 Pentax I had on the other 223. I brought three different loads, factory Remington 55gr FMJ's (I bought a couple cases back when I was a AR shooter.) My fav load with H322 and a 53Gr match bullet and another with AA2015BR powder and a 50Gr TNT hp bullet. Well both the later two shot like a house afire!!! I shot this at 100 yards, with the 2015BR powder and a Speer 50 gr bullet:



That's sub a 1/2" group boys!!!

My maxi shorty wasn't so good... I only fired three shots on target!!! Misfires plagued me BADLY! I didn't remember if I had swapped in the Wolff spring. (Later I found I had NOT put it in...its in now!! ) I tried a couple more rounds, purposefully placing the head stamp straight up square to see the firing pin strikes. Because they are way off center!! Now this barrel always had this problem, but this is a new to the barrel receiver. I fit it carefully and know its done properly. (I did take it all apart and double check myself. It is correct, near perfect as a matter of fact.) Besides the off center hits never caused a problem.  not so now... I did grind about .010 thousandths off the hammer and installed the new HD spring. Now it pops a primer every time, but its still way off center. I fired one form the new to me maxi for comparison.



Accuracy with the three rounds fired wasn't so good, but in all fairness. with the misfires, I wasn't so conscious of keeping the X hairs centered...

CW

[reclusej]

Great shootin CW.  Let us know when you get those coyotes.
Pictures if possible.  reclusej

[cwlongshot]

Great shootin CW.  Let us know when you get those coyotes.
Pictures if possible.  reclusej

Had a good year so far!!







CW

[quickdtoo]

Good work CW, best of luck with the off center strikes, that's the worst I've seen, lord knows I've had my turn in the barrel with them, and mine weren't that bad!  

Tim

[cwlongshot]

Good work CW, best of luck with the off center strikes, that's the worst I've seen, lord knows I've had my turn in the barrel with them, and mine weren't that bad!  

Tim

Thanks Tim... I think.  

 I checked the lock up with a fine tooth comb!!  It's damn near perfect. I can just slide a paper in along side of the barrel. Right down to the lug, no tite spots. There is a good 1/16" gap at the bottom between the receiver and the lug. The gap, or lack there of at the breech is perfectly even. The barrel is nicely fit even without the forend. No wobbles until almost completely open.
 The indent form the pin is deeper since the wolff spring and grinding the hammer, but there is nothing to do to drop the barrel down and center the firing pin. It is striking at the bottom of the primer, just to the left of center.


As long as it now goes bang everytime, its gonna stay the way it is. Like I said before, it was still off center on its orig receiver.

CW

[quickdtoo]

The strike on my 260 Rem is also nearer to the bottom of the primer, and slightly to the right as well, my plan was to mill the pivot a little higher with a 10mm end mill, then silver solder a 4140 steel shim in place then mill it to .375" a bit closer to where it should be height wise, I already did the underlug improvement before I fitted it last time. So far it seems to be shooting fine with the firing pin improvements(Fred's website), Wolff spring and Fed 210 primers, only problem is I'm almost out of those primers and no one here had any last time I checked, hopefully that will change before I shoot some more!

Tim

[bikerbeans]

Any ideas on why the pin strikes are off center?  Is the misalignment a barrel problem, receiver problem or both?

CW, maybe your maxi pin strike is offset enough you can fit a rimfire barrel to that receiver?

Good luck tuning your 357 and I wish plenty of bad luck on the Yote's in your neighborhood.

BB

[cwlongshot]

LOL your probably rite BB!!!

Looking thru my notes last nite I realized I also thoroughly cleaned the 223s barrel. I mean all out clean. As I bought it used and many times I find firearms are sold off cause of accuracy issues easily rectified. I soalked solvent patches and allowed them to work followed by brushes. I litterally got mud outta that barrel!!!

Later at the range, I fired 6-10 fact FMJ rounds to ck zero as I mentioned I swapped the scope too. Then began firing for group and was rewarded with nice tiny groups. I also shot up a 4064 powder load with a 55 SP bullet. It shot ok say just over an inch at 100. I mention it as I shot a 8-10 round group all easily fell in a 2" shoot n see paster. I shot these in fairly rapid succession as I just wanted the brass and was having some fun.

I'm very much liking the accuracy of this rifle.
CW

[Land_Owner]

Nice shooting.  Even nicer wood stocked Handi!  Good looking rifle.  Not a fan myself of the thumb hole stock.  Am looking to buy a 223.  Still need to work on my 357 and 45LC though, both of which are brand new.  I am ADDICTED to Handi's.

[gcrank1]

Bummer on those off center strikes, but you have nicely pictured for others what a bad one is! In my experience, when they are out that far ignition is iffy for sure on a handgun, though the stability of a rifle in using more mainspring 'may' work. It will be interesting to see how this plays out for you, if you can stand to continue trials before more serious centering re-work.

[RWK]

CW- Keep knocking them dogs off, good job!

[petemi]

CW, Im glad you posted pictures of my favorite coyote..........dead.  I can't seem to kill enough of them.  They're like fleas or house flies....kill one and ten pop up.

Pete

[cwlongshot]

Bummer on those off center strikes, but you have nicely pictured for others what a bad one is! In my experience, when they are out that far ignition is iffy for sure on a handgun, though the stability of a rifle in using more mainspring 'may' work. It will be interesting to see how this plays out for you, if you can stand to continue trials before more serious centering re-work.

I know.... I snapped about 6 primers, all popped first hammer drop. This barrel always had an off center hit, but with the bigger FP of the 158 receiver it likely made the difference. This one is a SB2 and being off center DOES make a difference...negatively. Hopefully the linger reach combined with the X Power spring will make the difference...

CW

[MSM]

  I guess I am responding a little late, but what is the cause of the off center primer strike? Is this a different barrel than was originally fitted? How would springs change the position of the primer strike? I must have over looked something.
  Thanks,
   MSM

[quickdtoo]

The heavy hammer spring increases the pin strike depth and force. My 6x45 has a factory fitted 223 barrel, it has an off center strike too, worse than my 444 which is also off center, neither is as far off as CW's tho. The 444 has never caused a problem, the 6x45 did tho until I increased pin travel and changed to Rem 7½ primers.

Tim

[MSM]

  Hmmm. Come to think of it the firing pin does come down at an angle.

  Thanks,
   MSM