Author Topic: 10" Match .22LR problem (?) (Read 640 times)

DropTheHammer · « **on:** August 12, 2004, 06:23:38 AM »

Went to the range yesterday and busted about 150 rounds out of the 10" .44 Mag at 50 and 100 yds. Was just messing around trying to get the new Bushnell Trophy 2x-6x on the paper and get a feel for the gun, thus I was using CCI Blazer ammo (240 gr JHPs) I had lying around that I bought for plinking out of my Win 94 carbine. I had a great rest on the Caldwell bags, and the trigger is breaking at 2.5lbs. I HOPE that CCI Blazers were mostly at fault for the crappy groups I was getting.

As I was about to leave, I decided to shoot a few out of the 10" .22LR Match barrel as well. What a change going from the .44 Mag to the .22!!!

Anyway, this is only the second time I've shot the .22 BBL. The first outing was brief, probably only has 50 rounds if that thru it so far. The first outing I used CCI std velocity ammo and do not remember any issues with loading - put the cartridge in, easy to close the action.

Yesterday, however, I had CCI green tags on hand, and when I went to close the action, it was really tight. To closer examine, I opened back up and then closed the action to the point where I could push in the ejector all the way, then pushed the cartridge in, it was very tight pushing the last 1/8" into the chamber.

As I understand the 'match chamber' is of tighter tolerance than a standard. I could see the rifling markings on the bullet when I pulled the cartridge out all the way back to the brass rim.

I tried the same thing with a cci standard velocity round, same thing.

When I got home I brushed the chamber and bore pretty well, then tried again. Still tight, but much better.

Is this just the nature of the Match chamber, or is there an issue here?

DropTheHammer · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2004, 10:12:41 AM »

How innacurate did you find the .44 mag blazers to be? I was all over the page @ 50 - 4 - 6" was the best I could do.

KN · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2004, 11:59:34 AM »

My 22 barrel does the same thing and it's not even a match barrel. Forces the tip of the bullet into the groves about .100". Sure is accurate though. KN

DropTheHammer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:48:16 PM »

I don't mind the rifling engaging the bullet, thats a good thing, but it doesn't seem right that its so hard to close the action.

PDM1 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:50:37 PM »

I have the 10" match barrel and noticed the same thing with CCI Green Tag. Even with the chamber cleaned, the ammo is very tight going in that last 1/8". I currently use Federal Gold Medal 711B and while is is snug it is no where near as tight as the GT.

mugs · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2004, 03:18:37 PM »

The last 1/8" is when the bullet is being forced into the rifling. The extra force is normal. The difference between brands is bullet diameter.
Mugs

DropTheHammer · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2004, 09:26:13 AM »

Went back to the range today to focus on getting to know the 10" match .22 barrel. Its wearing a 2-6x Bushnell Trophy which I so far can't believe how much scope it is for the money! ($139).

Shot 150 rounds of CCI Standard Velocity thru it at 50 yards off the bench. Wow is this thing a shooter, it shoots way better than I ever could!

At first I was having some difficulty, I noticed within the first several shots that for its weight, it sure seemed to jump pretty good for a .22....

I was shooting off a 'Caldwell Deadshot' bag in the front and a homegrown 'packed' sandbag in the rear under handgrip. This seemed to provide a very solid rest, but I couldn't get a group under 2 to 3" to save my life. The 'recoil' or jump was really starting to bug me, then I started thinking maybe it was actually the hammer spring (or something internal) causing the thump b/c I had a solid rest under the buttstock....

So I pulled the sandbag back under my right wrist and just rested the forearm on the Caldwell, holding the grip in midair, supporting with my left hand.

After doing this, she really started to print some nice groups, several groups of 3 cutting one ragged hole.... even though it was a bit tricky holding her as still.

I had a whole lotta fun with this barrel...... If it wouldn't have started to rain, I just might've forgot to come back to work. :grin:

DropTheHammer · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2004, 09:28:16 AM »

.... Also kind of wondering how this lesson will apply to the somewhat dissapointing 10" .44 MAG session I had the other day.

Ladobe · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2004, 01:02:19 PM »

Purpose of the match chamber IS to jam the bullet into the lands. Aligns the bullet, eliminates any "jump" and helps some in the head spacing (variance in rim thickness is the culprit in nearly all rimfire ammo). Harder to close between brands of ammo is probably the position of the bullets ogive. I don't shoot Green Tag, but maybe its bullets have a shorter point and more body behind the ogive that has to be forced into the lands in your particular chamber? My Bullberry 22 Match only gets fed Federal Gold Medal (ammo I had Fred chamber it to) and has produced consistent cloverleafs all of the dozen years I've had it (it wears a Burris 2-7X BTW).

As for benching your Contender, its been long known that the best position for the forend support is just ahead of the trigger guard - not out on the end of the forend or on the barrel - especially on barrels wearing factory wood. Putting the rear grip on a solid rest usually causes verticle stringing too. Try shooting as you did in the end with the rear grip not on a bag, and use your off hand to support it and your shooting hand off the bench - make elevation changes by tightening/relaxing a fist or the like. You can easily get a repeatable rock-solid hold this way with any Contender or Encore pistola.

All that said, all my Contenders shoot their most precise groups off a bench with a floated forend (Bullberry Hanger Bars) and a Harris Bipod (BRS) instead of a mechanical rest or bags... and the mentioned offhand support under the grip. Been doing Contenders fulltime since 1969, and that's what works for me anyway. Even works best for my 15" 6.5SB that I shoot the 1000 yard fun matches here with.

HTH,

Ladobe :bye:

Gavinator · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2004, 06:46:35 AM »

I'm not familiar with that CCI .22 ammo, but if it's one of the CCI's with the longer than standard .22 brass it's a no-no in the match chamber. This is Aguila SE standard .22 LR
.STATISTICS FOR STRING. 8
LOW VELOCITY........1096
HIGH VELOCITY.......1114
AVE VELOCITY........1105
EXTREME SPREAD...... 18
STD DEVIATION....... 5
NO SHOTS..............10

VELOCITIES FOR STRING. 8
SHOT# VELOCITY
1..................1105
2..................1104
3..................1096
4..................1114
5..................1103
6..................1110
7..................1110
8..................1106
9..................1101
10..................1108