range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

Took the Traditions Pursuit to the range again today to see if it had a bullet weight preference.
Set up three targets at 50 yards and settled down at the bench. First shot was at an old target (no pic) and was with a 240 gr XTP just to see where a shot from a dry clean barrel would go. About 4" high - dead center.
Next came a 3 shot group using the 240 gr XTPs. All shooting was done with the same powder charge (80 grains ffg T-7 and the same wet/dry patch swabbing between shots.
The targets I was using are printed on my printer and the lines (circles) are 9/16" wide. Close enough I call them 1/2". ;)
First group:
(Close to 2")



Next group was with 300 gr XTPs and was close to a 1" group:


Next I tried the .457 cast bullets in an orange sabot:


Not so good, but with my eyes and the cheap fiber optic sights any one of them would be good for deer at close range. I have a base & rings on order and will scope it to see what kind of accuracy it will really give when I get them.
Again had trouble with the breech plug being tight. Breaks loose easily and then gets tight as I try to back it out. Came home and took the impact wrench to it again. The front 5 or 6 threads on the plug were very dirty, and it looks like there is some blowback past the threads. Almost no blowback through the flash hole and primer area. Actually very little total blowback compared to many inlines I've shot, but the breech plug tightness has me concerned. I may try a different breech plug in it and see if there is any improvement.
Also not much of a crud ring with this barrel. A little extra dirt at the powder/bullet line, but nothing to bee too concerned about. If I just ram the wet patch through it instead of "pumping" it through as usual it still come right back out with no problems.
BTW - I haven't worried about fine tuning the sights yet, still waiting until I decide on a hunting load.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

Make sure you are cleaning the barrel breech plug threads really well.

The sights should be truglo if im not mistaken.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

I cleaned the threads on the plug with a wire brush and the threads in the barrel with a regular round synthetic bristlebrush (T/C brand) for that purpose. I clean them with Butch's Bore Shine, then spray them with compressed air, then spray WD-40 and brush again, then more air, then a dry patch. I'm kind of a fanatic when it comes to cleaning guns, but I never have any rust on my guns. ;)
I was using Knight breech plug lube. Placing an order for more supplies soon and have a tube of T/C lube on the list.
The sights show up well, but they are the cheap plastic bases. If I scope it for hunting it won't matter. I can picture them snapping off if I ever drop it, though. [:@]

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

Ah i see. Thats odd that they are plastic. The new traditions come with steel truglo sights.

CVA breech plug / nipple grease is an excellent BP anti seize. Thats all i been using.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

wabi

One of my A&H's use to do the same thing start out really nice then have a spot of difficuty. It was as learned later blow back running back along the threads of the BP to a point and stopping. At that point the crud would build up. It stopped doing that when i switched to teflon tape, overwrapped the nose of the BP and installed it snugly to stop the blow back at the face of the breech plug.

Be sure to look into FG advise make sure the BP barrel threads are clean - I use a bronze brush chucked in a drill and a little bit of Orange Citrus Cleaner Degreaser to clean and polish threads.

Hope you get it figured out..

The 300's sure shot nicely - actually all of them would have done an animal in...

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

Nice shooting there.. especially those 300 grain. All of them look like they would make a deer hunting load.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

Sabotloader,
I'll try the teflon tape next time.

frontier gander,
I bought the barrel as an "accessory" barrel from Traditions, and it didn't have sights or a scope base when I got it! I had to call their customer service and complain to get the sights. They probably just packaged up some cheap old stock to get me off their backs.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

More than likely.

Truglo ghost ring from cabelas is what i use on my winchester and they are worth the price! You get Two different styled sights.

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

wabi

Try to use the pink tape if you can - if you use white double wrap it. And again wrap over the nose and pat it down... on the face... and squeeze the tape down into the threads by turning the plug in your fingers. Dave an others add a smigen of grease also - i do not... but I do not want you to get a stuck BP either.

I turn them in snugly just enough to squeeze (compress it)the tape but not to cut it or tear it... If you shine a light down the bore after installation you should see the tape all the way arond in the bore.

Here is a pic of a Remington BP wrapped just before installation

RE: range report - traditions pursuit pro
 

When you use the tape, I take it that the primer blows a hole threw the tape to get to the powder? I guess I would worry about any of the tape burning onto the barrel or into the threads.

River Rat.