HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post - FPJ becomes NFPJ
View Single Post
Old 03-14-2012, 03:24 PM
  #7  
ronlaughlin
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
Default Actually Using the Breech Plug

When i arrived at 4900' this morning, the temperature was 30, and there was no air movement. Setting the target for a 300 yard shoot had me thinking, 'conditions are perfect'.

The rifle was loaded with 120g of BH, 200g SST, blue harvester sabot, and STS primer. Three shots were taken. Things were good! These first 3 shots on the cold clean barrel are the holes at left in the bottom target. The scope was adjusted to the right. The 5 shots dyed green in the bottom target were taken. The bolt was hard to pull. It became harder and harder to pull the primer out of the breech plug. I had to pound the bolt with my palm to get the primers to release.







Even though a breeze was happening, i set out a salsa jug filled with water to replace the target, and shot six shots at the jug missing all six. A VIDEO of one of the misses. To get the primers to release at this point, i had to beat the bolt handle away with a block of wood. After missing the jug all 6 shots i gave up and moved to 200 yard.

The location where the target was set at 200 yard was 2 mile from where i had set up the 300 yard target, and was at 4700'. There was some breeze here blowing left to right. Since the STS primer were sticking, i switched to W209 primer. The first one released nicely; the next 2 stuck, and had to removed using a block of wood. The 3 holes dyed green in the top target were made using the W209 primer. These primer showed symptoms of a head space much too tight.

Then the powder charge was switched to 115g, because i ran out of the pre-filled 120g vials. The primer was also switched back to the STS, and the 4 holes dyed blue were made. The primers were stuck solid each shot, and the bolt handle was beat with a block of wood to remove the primer. I loaded the rifle for the fifth shot, but the breeze intensified, and i moved to 100 yard out.

When i finished setting up at 100 yard, i loaded the rifle. The ram rod sure stopped short. Oops! That was when i remembered loading the rifle before i left the 200 yard location. The breech plug was removed, and the double load was pounded out with that heavily used block of wood. Whilst getting and replacing tools, i grabbed an old roofing hatchet. After everything was put back together, 5 shots were taken at the top target. 115g BH, 200g SST, smooth light blue harvester sabot, STS primer. Between each shot the primer was removed by beating on the bolt handle with the hatchet handle.

Then i decided to take anther shot at the salsa jug out about 100 yard, whilst standing and utilizing a bipod. Standing Shooting Video.





Returning home, i measured the fired primers, and found they were 0.010" shorter than unfired primers. I then drilled the primer pocket some deeper, and polished, and polished it.
ronlaughlin is offline