Interesting finds and fixes yesterday on my ultra .444 (Updated 2/1/09)

[Bayou Stalker]

After hunting in the rain over the weekend, I needed to clean my rifle.  I know I should have done it at the camp right after the rain, but it is stainless so why worry?  Well it had several small rust colored specs on the barrel, but cleaned up quickly with some 0000 steel wool and WD-40.  While I had it disassembled cleaning it, the breach face had a little gunk on it that I knew about and thought it was some excess locktite from installing the scope rail (it wasn't).  So used the WD-40 and steel wool on it cleaned up easy enough and when I was done I put the barrel back on the receiver and... what the hell?  What happened? I now have a lot of slop in the barrel.  I guess that gunk on the breach face was there when my barrel was fitted and was making it lock up tight.  I was panicked can I tell you.  My best shooting rifle ever ruined by a simple cleaning.

I hit the FAQs here, JB welded a slice of soda can on the barrel lug, and viola!  It now locks up tighter than ever.  While at it, I wrapped some sandpaper around an appropriately sized socket and smoothed the Brownell forend a bit under the barrel.  I then reassembled it.  What a relief!

So now I have it all cleaned up, possibly a tiny bit improved.  I was surprised at how this could have happened, but all ended well.  Then I was looking it all over and... what the hell?  I guess I never really payed close attention before, but my barrel to receiver fit on the breach face is great, but the barrel to receiver sides is way lopsided.  The barrel is all the way against the receiver side on the right, and there is a gap between the barrel and receiver side on the left.  The gap is uniform, even and parallel to the barrel, but I am pretty sure it is not supposed to be like that.  I'll try to add a photo this afternoon.

We have a few more weeks left of gun season here.  After it is over I will be sending my entire rifle back to H&R so this can be corrected and let them add on a stainless .270 barrel among possibly others while it is there. 

The Handi adventure continues...

Kendall

[quickdtoo]

 

[Bayou Stalker]

I shot it today after my shim and float job... still shooting single ragged holes. 

I also noticed that my primer strike is off center by the same amount my barrel is off center.

[Bayou Stalker]

My off-center barrel/firing pin is officially now a real problem.

The short version:  I had a doe in my crosshairs, squeezed, CLICK!, recock, CLICK!, recock, CLICK!.  With two deer staring at me, I remove the misfire, insert a new Hornady LE, recock, Bang!

This thing is going back this week.  It could have just been a cartridge failure, but I think the off-center primer strikes surely are not helping.  This is the first centerfire misfire I have ever had.


Kendall

[xit]

Interesting stuff Kendall.  Did you get the deer?

[Bayou Stalker]

Interesting stuff Kendall.  Did you get the deer?

Here is the longer version:

I was hunting in a dry hardwood bottom, and put a good friend of mine in the area where I killed the previous day. He has MS and was not able to stay in the stand for over a couple hours, so he walked out (unknown to me) about 30 minutes before dark. When he walked out, he pushed a doe and yearling right on top of me. I cocked my rifle, took the mama in my scope and CLICK! I panicked and cocked it again, CLICK! Now both were looking curiously straight at me. I opened the crack barrel to find the primer dented on the Hornady LeverEvoloution cartridge. Now I'm hyperventilating trying to decide what to do. I decide to risk reloading with them looking in my direction. I ease out the misfired round, and fumble around in my fanny pack for another cartridge all while not moving my head or eyes. My fingers finally find what they are searching for and I slowly load and latch my rifle. When the latch clicked they made a quick shuffle and left me with only one shot. But now I could not tell if it was the mama or the yearling? She started walking so I took the only shot I had left and was the 85 lb. yearling.  Not as much meat, but it was extremely tender and delicious.  Because I forgot to put a little lead on her, I hit a little farther back than I intended and made a double lung instead of a heart shot.  She went about 40 yards.  This was my first public land deer, and the first time I have had a deer go more than a few steps after the shot. 

I really love my Ultra .444, but she is going to have to regain my trust.


Kendall

[quickdtoo]

I don't think the off center pin strikes is the problem unless it's really bad, it's more likely the rim cut is a little too deep, that's the problem I had on my SS 45-70 Ultra Hunter, I shimmed the extractor post to hold the case against the standing breech and the problem disappeared, I didn't want to return a good shooting barrel, and as I learned it's a great shooter. The pin strikes looked good and it was hard to tell those that didn't fire from those after the modification, they both looked good enough to have fired, so it doesn't take much.  I have lots of H&Rs with off center pin strikes, my .444 Handi is one of the worst, but they still work fine. Another method to repair it is take a little off the face of the hammer so it hits the firing pin with a little more force and it protrudes from the breech face just a tad more.....or just return it for repair, call them and make arrangements to have it returned on their dime.

Tim

[Bayou Stalker]

I was getting ready to send my rifle back to H&R, and thought I would try a few things first after more reading.  I am embarrassed to say that the off centering is my fault.  I played with the forend spacer on the camo laminate forend that I purchased from Brownells.  It turns out that I had the spacer off center which in turn had my barrel off center.  The barrel is now back where it is supposed to be placed on the frame. 

[STUMPJMPR]

I had some misfires shooting the Hornady LE... I had 4 out of one box fail to go off.  I have shot 2-3 boxes of the stuff and I feel it was just a bad run of ammo.

[Bayou Stalker]

I was getting ready to send my rifle back to H&R, and thought I would try a few things first after more reading.  I am embarrassed to say that the off centering is my fault.  I played with the forend spacer on the camo laminate forend that I purchased from Brownells.  It turns out that I had the spacer off center which in turn had my barrel off center.  The barrel is now back where it is supposed to be placed on the frame. 

Well I was playing with it again tonight and took some measurements.  The barrel is still .020 off center.  I checked the barrel, the bore is .030 off center.  I decided that I am sending it in after all.  Then I'll start my low scope work.