January 18 on the Palouse - it is Winter - right? Not so much!!! Partly cloudy and 44* - can not believe it. I had thought about returning to the Farm for another shoot, but at this temp and the fact that it rained all night - the farm would be mud! So I packed up and headed to the Rock Pit.
The object of todays shoot was originally to set up the chrono and verify muzzle velocity from this rifle. Even at the rock pit it was so dang nice I couldn't resist, grabbed 6 birds and headed to the rock wall. On the way to the wall I found 3 intact birds laying in the snow on the way out and added them to my collection. Placed the 9 birds on the wall. Three of the birds I actually put in the snow the snow without rock under or behind the bird. This way I could be sure I was breaking the birds and not scaring them to death.
I did make an addition to the Knight Ultra-Lite. I added a Beartooth Stock Riser Sleeve. Did not use any of the inserts yet - just the sleeve. I really like getting a good cheek weld on the stock when sighting. With the this scope set up I really do not get that weld and still have a good picture through the scope. The little lift the sleeve gave me today did seem to help, but next trip I might add the most slim sleeve I have.

I loaded up and started my shoot. 9 shots nine birds! But, I did get a scare when I shot the sixth bird and looked down at the wall after the shot. The bird was still there! I was really ticked - I sighted back through the scope and saw the standing bird, one of the birds that I had planted in the snow, I had made a 'Heart Shop' That was neat! I tried to repeat the effect on bird 7 - no such luck - the bird blew up when hit. Completed the shoot as planned.
But the weather was starting to turn - so I did not get the chrono set up to take velocities. That will just have to wait until the next trip.Here is collection of pictures taken at the shoot.

Cleaning the rifle this morning... I now feel I can confidently say - after 62 shots of 120gr. vol. and the Lehigh 451x230CF-HP bullet and with this being the 3rd cleaning; the Nitride treated bore has become very smooth as compared to what it was new.

I actually expect it to smooth out even a little more.It is really weird to look at the bore with a bore light - it shiny! and smooth! but it is BLACK! I can not see the fouling, if any, in it the way I could a bright SS bore.

Cleaning is really about the same as cleaning a SS bore.