Author Topic: My First Handi 243 (new range pics and questions on page 2) (Read 2341 times)

quickdtoo · « **Reply #30 on:** September 11, 2011, 06:52:09 AM »

Automatic Transmission Fluid, it's a basic component of Ed's Red, a homemade bore cleaner.

Tim

http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9

gcrank1 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 11, 2011, 10:47:53 AM »

Automatic Transmission Fluid; this 1/3 to 2/3 with odorless mineral spirits is a simplified and basic version of what is known as 'Ed's Red' homemade formula. You should look it up just to know about it, but the basic works pretty decent. Ive tried a lot of solvents through the years and this is my primary go to for the past couple of.
(oops, I see Quick, now where did he get that moniker?, already had it covered; he's like that.......

)

Zach · « **Reply #32 on:** September 11, 2011, 11:01:13 AM »

I have used ATF to do lots of cleaning on car parts when I cannot get it into the scrubber, will be trying it out probably the day before I go to the range.

Also after iI clean it, should I not clean it after the range? Im use to cleaning after every 50-100 rounds or so.

And thanks to a kinda fellow, I am buying a few differnet bullets at different weights. istead of buying a whole box of each to see what my handi likes. But the question still arrises which powders can be used... because im getting 10 different weights of bullets but one powder cannot be used in them all, correct?

Singlebarrel · « **Reply #33 on:** September 12, 2011, 07:01:03 AM »

Thanks for the info on the ATF. I will give the formula a try. Can't smell any worse than what I am using now and may smell better. My wife can tell when she comes home and I have been cleaning guns. All the deodorizer in the world can't hide the smell.

myarmor · « **Reply #34 on:** September 12, 2011, 07:27:01 AM »

Here's some good info for you Zack and it's a very trustworthy site with a BUTT LOAD of info if you haven't checked it out already:
http://www.6mmbr.com/243win.html
I personally like 4064 and Varget for all my 243 needs. Haven't tried RL22 yet but hear excellent things.

manatee1947 · « **Reply #35 on:** September 12, 2011, 07:47:07 AM »

I would advise to skip the casting part for now and concentrate on the basic reloading gear. The 243 is a poor candidate to start casting for, it has a relatively large case capacity for the bore size and is a high speed round. After you are comfortable with the reloading you can think about casting. I see another barrel in your future for that- say a 444, 45/70, or 500 S&W which are exceptionally well suited for cast bullet loads.
The Lyman book is one of the best you can buy because it gives the broadest spectrum of powder, primer and bullet brands used, as well as cast loads. The other books are affiliated with specific bullet brands or powder brands, and have little or no cast data.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #36 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:15:32 AM »

If you had been around here for a while you would have run across the clean/no clean argument a time or two

.
It will continue, no doubt.
It is generally accepted, by most, that these prefer to be shot 'dirty' and that if you clean after each session you will have to re-achieve that 'settled in' bore condition each time you go out.
To start: Clean it, dry it, shoot it and keep shooting it until you really have a sense of what it is doing after it is settled in. This may take you several sessions, after all, you are getting acquainted.
After that, once you kind of know what sort of groups it, and you, are capable of, you can watch for the accuracy to 'fall off' and may then want to clean it and, by necessity, start over.
+1 that casting, and shooting, lead bullets for something like this is an 'advanced technique' often full of frustration. Learn what it can do with jacketed first.

Zach · « **Reply #37 on:** September 12, 2011, 04:21:25 PM »

I did a quick clean at the range with some gun solvent i did not know i had. I let it set for about 15 mins then finished my cleaning. I was going to swab it tonight and let it set, but had an unexpected trip to the range because my girlfriend of all people wanted to shoot worse then me haha.

But anyways, I am going to clean it once more because I did not clean the chamber and it is dirty. I will post pictures of a few targets. I did no ajustments at all this trip, because I am not use to the hard trigger pull, my 3x30mm scope (replacing soon) and the kick.

Pictures go in order, all hit the target paper, but a few off the actual target and hit low. and the last target was what my girlfriend hit, she is doing something different then me and wont share! haha The first 2 pictures were used with sand bag infront of trigger, 3rd is with bipod (very unstable).

Also the brass has a blackish ring around the top where the bullet was after fired, is this normal?

AND MY EJECTOR DOESNT WORK! out of 30 shots, only 10-15 ejected properly, the rest had to be popped out with my cleaning stick. there is no uniform deformaties on the brass that I think would cause it to stick, idk whats up. It did it when barrel was hot and cold, so i dont think that did it.

Zach · « **Reply #38 on:** September 12, 2011, 04:39:47 PM »

One of my questions was about my ejector above, and also, when I fire my handi, I hear a vibration of what sounds like a spring. Is this normal? If so, what is it.

My groups were all over for more reasons of operator error then the gun. I was pushing the gun becuase I had no idea when the trigger was finally going to go, Using 3x30 scope I noticed I move more when shooting, and excitment. haha so no changes to gun instead of scope for next range trip

Austin from NC · « **Reply #39 on:** September 12, 2011, 06:21:55 PM »

You should get a snapcap and practice til you learn how to squeeze trigger right. I don't think you should hear that sound.

Austin

quickdtoo · « **Reply #40 on:** September 12, 2011, 06:30:00 PM »

You'll find the info you need to fix the ejection issue in the FAQs and Help sticky, see the ejector tune info.

Tim

myarmor · « **Reply #41 on:** September 13, 2011, 06:37:39 AM »

The spring sounds are most likely from your Bi-Pods. If your trigger is too heavy read up in the FAQ's about some simple methods of lowering it. You may not have to even take apart the frame to get a better trigger and lighten it up

gcrank1 · « **Reply #42 on:** September 13, 2011, 08:46:14 AM »

Regarding the trigger, no frame dissassembly required:
Make sure it is unloaded, or even take the barrel off
Wrap a rag down around the trigger guard, still allowing you to hold the trigger back (but not yet)
Cock it (it is unloaded, right?)
Hold the hammer back with your thumb and pull the trigger, holding it back too
Spray some 'cleaner' (even WD-40)down the hammer, into the sear area and let it flush and run, being absorbed by the rag
After it has sat, drained and dried (overnight) do the same with the hammer & trigger but drip a few drops of good oil down the hammer so it flows into the sear notch, release the trigger and work both back & forth a few times to lube the sear and notch

thirdbase · « **Reply #43 on:** September 13, 2011, 11:44:59 AM »

Quote from: Singlebarrel on September 11, 2011, 06:45:34 AM

Crank, what is ATF that you mentioned in your post regarding gun cleaning material. I googled it and came up with all kinds of things, but nothing I want to clean a gun with.

Thanks.

Would that be automatic transmission fluid?

thirdbase · « **Reply #44 on:** September 13, 2011, 11:48:43 AM »

Disregard my post above. Some post were not on my screen and I didn't know the answer was given previously.

Zach · « **Reply #45 on:** September 14, 2011, 06:54:21 AM »

I will be trying to do a little bit of trigger work this week without taking it apart. I dont want to take it apart unless im at work with the proper tools.

Where can i get good advice on a good 300 yard scope for this gun, prefferable lower then $75 or so haha

gcrank1 · « **Reply #46 on:** September 14, 2011, 07:05:58 AM »

Old El Paso Weaver or a Redfield from a pawn shop.

Zach · « **Reply #47 on:** September 14, 2011, 08:53:58 AM »

What should I look for at a pawn shop though? I would have to drive 35 miles to find one.

Zach · « **Reply #48 on:** September 15, 2011, 05:23:23 AM »

So today while cleaning the barrel and taking off the bipod, i noticed there is a gap between the chamber/barrel and the receiver/firepin. The gap is just big enough to see through, cant fit a piece of paper between it, it is also the same size gap the whole way down it seems, i know there is supposed to be a gap but is this a good size? also my barrel moves side to side and up and down ever so slightly when holding the receiver or stock and moving the barrel. I know i have read many places that sloppy barrel = sloppy shooting, but is there an accepted range? its almost impossible to visibly see but you can feel it hit and move, just slightly

rdlange · « **Reply #49 on:** September 15, 2011, 06:30:15 AM »

Scopes:

http://www.elitedealseeker.com/index.cgi?searchword=leupold&category=gunstuff&ageupperlimit=7

Breech Gap: see FAQs... be sure gun is closed firmly.

Wobble: shim between forend and forend spacer.

Zach · « **Reply #50 on:** September 17, 2011, 09:24:33 AM »

Before i did any shimming or spacing, I looked everything over and it turns out the 2 screws that hold the plastic spacer thing to the forend were stripped out. The screws just fell out of the holes, so it was not tight and wobbling.

How can I fix this? I know I can put homemade wood filler (sawdust and wood glue) but is there anything else? i was thinking about using larger screws?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #51 on:** September 17, 2011, 09:58:04 AM »

Longer screws work, as will adding the tip of a toothpick before reinstalling the original screws or drilling the holes out and glue in wood dowels, then redrill, lots of ways to skin a cat.

But if the barrel is loose when locked up without the forend installed, fixing the forend won't cure the loose barrel, just hides it.

Tim

Zach · « **Reply #52 on:** September 17, 2011, 12:04:07 PM »

Yea it wobbles a bit more without the forend. both up and down and sideways. I think im going to have to do some reading up on alot of fitting.

sounds like it might be a bit longer until i get to the range.

what exactly on the FAQS do i read? barrel fitting or? see lots of info but not sure where to start. got some great info from Tom on the phone, but need pictures and directions with the coaching.

Zach · « **Reply #53 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:11:02 PM »

I feel almost embarresed to ask but the picture below is the underlug right? and the pivot point is the recessed half circle?

Also never fully paying attention to this part of the rifle until today after cleaning and talking to someone one the phone, i got to looking and it looks like whoever fitted barrel (no serial # on barrel) did some sort of modification to it. I see grinding/sanding marks on it and also on the barrel itself next to the underlug that i did get pictures of becuase the batteries died in the camara.

Also that pin, the big one, doesnt look like something that came from the factory? but also i have 0 experiance with Handis so im not sure. What do you guys think?

there is also a relativally small breech gap. but the barrel also wobbles up and down and side to side in the receiver without and with the forend, when the wobble is all the way up, the gap is 100% gone, but when it is down, i measured it to be .0035 at top, and it does tapper down (wasnt looking at it right Tom

) So is the gap caused by wobble or its just there?

My handi is in need of some serious help haha

especially me that seems to have more 'projects' now

EDIT: with a tigher forend on (screws were stripped) the wobble reduced 95%. I know this only hides the wobble, but maybe it will hhelp resolving it? Also the gap went to less then .0035 and its down to about .0025 can be closed on and force is needed to pull out.

Dinny · « **Reply #54 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:04:07 PM »

The side if the underlug looks fine, that roll pin is normal. Can you post pics of the latch shelf? It's the angled part well below the chamber on the end. That will show us if it has been modified for fitting.

Thanks, Dinny

mechanic · « **Reply #55 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:39:57 PM »

You need to do a couple of things before you shoot again. First, remove the stock, and verify that you have an SB2 receiver. The FAQ's show pictures on how to determine.

Second, check the barrel gap with a feeler guage to get an idea how much, and refer to the FAQ's to correct this.

If this were a pistol caliber it would be less worrisome, but with a high pressure round, it's best to be careful of someone else's fitting.

Ben

Zach · « **Reply #56 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:29:00 PM »

I was not able to get a great picture of the latch becuase of my camara quality and lighting. but here it is (ill get a better one tomorrow)

Also im pretty sure its a SB2 frame, looking at the pictures mine has a smooth inside of the reveiver and the same looks as quicks sb2 frames he posted on FAQ. It seems ill need to pull the stock off to get a look at the back end, but i dont have long enough extentions in my gun tool box and will need to wait until monday. But its looking like its a SB2 from what i see.

Dinny · « **Reply #57 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:49:16 PM »

The gap under your ejector and above the channel it's in looks like mine did. Can you slip the brass' case head past the ejector lip when loading? I had to add a shim under the ejector to raise it just enough to grab every piece of brass. Look in the FAQs for "Ejector Shim by Dinny". Maybe that will help... $:-\$

Thanks, Dinny

quickdtoo · « **Reply #58 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:49:46 PM »

The barrel fitting info in the FAQs has pretty much all the info you need to get the barrel fitted properly.

Tim

Zach · « **Reply #59 on:** September 17, 2011, 08:02:38 PM »

The ejector has been working better now that the chamber is completely dry. Had some oil in there before. My main concern now is fitting barrel and being sure its a SB2 frame. Prefix is NG so its 1992 so im not sure.. Ill get more reading done tomorrow because im totally confused atm.