TargetTalk

My 1913 is a wonderful gun, now that some important mods have been made to it. I'm trying to catch up to its capabilities.

Meanwhile, I'm noticing that it takes the rifle quite a while to "settle down". I've fired 5 "barrel warmers" and another 5 sighters, and then after a few more shots, the groups suddenly come together tighter than a girl clamped to her boyfriend on a scary movie date. When targets are changed out, I'm having to repeat the process since the barrel has cooled. While I'm using cheap(er) ammo for this purpose, it's a bit of a time and money waster.

Has anyone thought about a way to pre-heat a big barrel? I've thought about some kind of a heat strip wrapped around the barrel 5 minutes before shooting, but thinking forward, what if this idea catches on and everyone on the line wants to plug in a heater strip...what a nightmare.

Given I have been recently shooting the rifle at temperatures hovering around 50-60 degrees F, I expect similar problems unless it's really hot outside, like 95+ F.

Another motivator for me is that I have a medical problem that hinders my endurance capabilities. Adding a bunch of extra shots pulls energy out of me that I could use for the 3rd and 4th targets (at 50). If I could simply start shooting with a "settled" rifle, it would be very beneficial.

Ideas?

Are you sure it's the barrel and not you settling into position?

If it is the barrel, get a new one. The wasted {cheap} ammo and peace of mind will more than offset the cost.

I am not at all familiar with this rifle but perhaps it would be worthwhile to investigate why the performance improves after 'warming up'. In particular I would check out the bedding of the barrel/action on the stock. What condition is the bore in? Have you tried a bore polish? My point is that there must be several things you could eliminate before having to preheat the rifle.

No, none of those things are the issue. The rifle did this prior to its bedding job, and the bore is fine. Many smallbore target rifles need "warming" before becoming quite accurate.

Telecomtodd wrote: I'm noticing that it takes the rifle quite a while to "settle down". I've fired 5 "barrel warmers" and another 5 sighters, and then after a few more shots, the groups suddenly come together...

What is your barrel cleaning regime?
I push a few dry felts up the barrel when I finish for the day. Then a more extensive (Shooters Choice) clean somewhere between 500-1000 rounds.

I've also seen another competitors 2013 suffer from very similar symptoms to yours, which seemed to be cured by more regular cleaning.

Irregular cleaning. Once a season I'll put solvent down the barrel, and otherwise simply put a patch with light oil through it. It's been fired 4X since the solvent cleaning. I wouldn't eat off the bore, but it's clean.

I see the same performance whether it was recently cleaned or not.

How many shots do you think are through your barrel. Also what ammo are you using. It could be a few things in my opinion. Another thing is that depending on how many rounds you have you could your barrel going bad. If it takes so long to settle down I would look into a new barrel. Also with the newer ammo these days they are finding that the throats are wearing a lot quicker.

And hey it could just be your barrel and thats the way it is. I recommend you get your barrel slugged and bore scoped and then you can really see if its a bad barrel or if its just the way your barrel is.


Stephen.

Probably 7,500 rounds through this gun. It was bought new in early 2007.

Ammo - nothing less than SK Standard.

Do you use an ECI?
Does it plug the barrel keeping air from flowing?

We use the Gehman ECI's. .... but I still have my shooters fire 5 shots as warmers .... my view is that the small cost (we use SK STD+ mostly too) is pretty insignificant to the cost of getting to practice or even for that matter going to a major match and tossing 8's or nines.

I know Bob Foth (in the time before ECI's) would try and keep his bolt closed, but handle up to keep the air from flowing thru .... sometimes he got hassled, sometimes not. The Gehman ECI's are like a little rubber (soft) cartridges with a red flag

Be glad, I suppose, that the groups get tighter over time, rather than the other way around!

I agree!

Interesting day at the range - with the temperature at 76 and transitioning to a new job (on my 2 week notice), I played hookey and went to the range for a practice session. It took fewer warmers to group properly; 5 through the barrel into the sighter and the sixth was a center X. Moved to my firest record bull and all 10s with 4X.

I'm using the standard yellow stupid ECI with the end barely into the bore, It bothers me to take something that may have grit on it that I may not see and blindly shove it into the bore.

In my mind's eye, I'd love to bring a small propane torch and gently warm the barrel prior to shooting. I think in our Chief Range Officer's eye, I'd be considered nuts, but he'd probably get a kick out of it. But then everyone at the line would start showing up with blowtorches...

Reminds me of the story Wigger tells about accidentally dropping half a ripe bannana on his front sight and washing it off in a public place, then shortly thereafter seeing several other people lining up to wash their sights, too...anything small to gain a competitive edge!!

See this:
http://www.champchoice.com/prod-GEHMAN_ ... -3092.aspx
Inexpensive too

Do you have any way to clamp the barreled action in a vise and fire it to see if the problem persists? Bad barrels don't usually shoot tight groups after heating up 9or at all).

I'd bet on a bedding problem.

Hi Pat - interesting thought! The rifle was bedded over the Christmas break and it is definately a "different" gun now. Several issues with the barrel/stock interface were handled and mentioned in my YouTube video I did on it.

One major difference is that the barrel is now completely floated, where is really wasn't before. However, the barrel heating was still an issue before the bedding job. The only major difference now is that when the groups tighten up, they really tighten up. 5X bulls at 50 yards are consistently accomplished if I do my part. That's the thing - I don't want to change anything in the rifle with it performing so well, once it's warmed up.

I know for a fact that others have barrel warming issues with their guns, but they tighten up and settle down after just a few shots.

Heck, maybe I ought to use this as a bad excuse to buy a Lilja barrel for it...