Thanks, Bruce.

I have zero interest in messing with reloading stuff. I know it's a good way to get great results, but I won't shoot enough to make it worthwhile. If I can make simple improvements, I'll enjoy seeing the rifle perk up a bit.

Frank

As with engines, tinkering with rifles can provide an opportunity to learn a few things.... and sometimes the end result is a better mousetrap - if you don't blow it up by making it better. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Over the past couple of weeks, I've tried shims, o-rings, re-bedding under the barrel near the receiver and only made the groups much worse. I had almost decided that the barrel was worn out and contacted Dan Pedersen about reboring this one to .35 Whelen, but before I made up my mind, I decided to try a couple of different tricks.

I relieved the hole that the forward action screw goes through to get a more solid clamp without heat related stress. Then I decided to see if a rifle barrel really was like a tuning fork, with resonance changing depending on the unsupported length. Instead of the time-honored tradition of reloaders that tune the load to the barrel, I wanted to see if I could tune the barrel and bedding to the load.

I had last set the bedding at 2" beyond the receiver, so I determined to cut back the bedding a 1/4" at a time, effectively increasing the resonant length with each cut.

Went to the range today and shot in much less than ideal conditions..... storm coming, swirling winds at 15-20mph and realized I had left my sandbags at home. I propped the stock on 4 boxes of ammunition and supported the butt with my left hand - which allowed a terrible influence from my pulse, causing the cross-hairs to make like a hula dancer - but it was about all I could do. I wasn't expecting much - even thought about not shooting - but shot this group with a stiff breeze from the right:



Then this group with the wind from the left:



The wind calmed down for a few minutes and I shot one last group - the one low shot in the 9-ring was a real jerk and I don't consider it a part of the group for accuracy trials:



Those are 1.25" groups.... in the wind.... without sandbags. I'm growing much fonder of this rifle. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

I'll go back and shoot it from sandbags on a calm day before trimming another 1/4" on the bedding. I am dreaming about a classic Springfield 35 Whelen, though. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Frank

Back to the range, only to find the rifle was shooting unpredictably and the diagonal stringing was back.... this time, the group spread was nearly 4".

So now suspicious of the scope mount, I went home, took off the scope and mount, looked the mount over and found rub marks on the underside near the front screw. I took the barreled action to my buddy's machine shop, locked it down in a lathe table, attached a dial indicator and tapped the mount with a plastic mallet. The rear mounting area was rock solid, but the front of the mount showed .004" movement side-to-side, while pivoting off the rear screw.

Curious what .004" over 4" between screws would do at 100 yards, I did some quick math and found it to be 3.6". <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" /> Looking at it some more, I realized that as the front of the mount moved sideways, the elevation changed due to the round mounting area. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" /> That appears to be the reason for the diagonal stringing and the occasional wild shot around 3.5" off-target.

After doing some research on Redfield JR mounting issues, I found that while these are authentic in appearance to the old Redfield 1903A4 sniper mounts, they are now made in China and often have mounting problems - some gunsmiths will no longer install them because they've had so many problems getting them right. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

So, I decided to pin the mount fore and aft - not the most elegant arrangement, but it should stop all movement - just required a couple more Bubba holes in the receiver. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

While I was at the shop, I decided to make a couple of tools - a pair of scope alignment indicators and a scope ring lapping bar so I could make certain the scope was installed correctly:


Here are the alignment bars indicating ring alignment and no shims needed at either end:


I didn't want one of the typical hand-lapping bars with a handle that you push/pull back and forth and takes an afternoon, so this one was made to be drill powered - here's the lapping bar with valve grinding compound applied, drill attached and ready to go to work:


A couple of minutes later, the job was finished and resulted in some beautifully lapped scope rings:


Now to go try again - there's a pony in here somewhere. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Frank

Nice work Frank.
That drill motor looks to be the same age as the rifle you're working on. Must be a handy one.

Thanks, Michael.

That drill was my father's and it's the best 3/8" drill I've ever used. It's a Power House brand, made by McGraw-Edison sometime between the late '40s and early '60s, but I'm not sure exactly how old it is. I reach for it nearly every time I have a job for a drill - probably because I enjoy using his tools. He taught me to fish, hunt, shoot and work on carpentry, mechanical and electrical stuff, so it does go well with the rifle project. If he was still here, he'd be looking over my shoulder and could probably tell me exactly what to do to fix this rifle - and could probably do it in 5 minutes.

The old folks sure had a lot of common sense and really knew their stuff..... and how to fix it when it broke. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

The one puzzle he left for me was when he was giving me his guns shortly before he died. He handed over his first shotgun he owned in pieces to me..... a 1940 Ithaca 37, 12ga/30" full choke in good condition - except all of the action parts were in a baggie. I said that I would put it back in working condition and he said - "It's no good and missing some parts - probably only worth junk price." I let it sit for 8 years before putting it back together last year with new grip and butt caps and it's like a new shotgun. I can't imagine what he was thinking - unless he couldn't get it back together and didn't want to admit it. Here's a picture - it's now one of my favorites:



Frank

My grandfather had that same drill. It was a horse. I watched him drill 3" holes with a spade bit 12" deep in two 6" logs to drive the peg into. It never slowed down. My uncle still uses it today.

Edddy, the reason it's such a nice drill to use is the motor speed - only 800-1000 rpm. It doesn't burn up bits and has plenty of torque for most jobs.

If you double the speed on an electric motor, you roughly halve the torque, but I find I tend to burn bits with a 2,000 rpm drill. This one is only a 3A motor, but it's a heavy sucker and the weight seems to help:



Frank

They are horses at ferrous drilling, too. My g'father used to amuse himself by trying to cut one long spiral chip when drilling metal. Of course, he sharpened his own drill bits, on a foot powered grinding wheel, and the only guide was his eye and hand. I have the eye, but not the hands he did. Machinery loves my hands, but it swooned over his. I swear he could fix stuff by just touching it. Sort of the Oral Roberts or Earnest Ainsley of the mechanical gods, but he didn't take up an offering...

So we get a bonus. Another old classic hole maker in Frank's house, one a punch, one rotary - one works up close, one at a distance <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Frank, you might tell your owners that they need to pay some attention to the Atlanta North store - saw a funny looking deal at the car purchasing window last week while hunting a fuel pump for the Yellow Peril....

Well, alrighty! This hole puncher is doing a little better. The diagonal stringing is now gone.

There is some minor horizontal stringing that looks to me like shooter error. Next time, I'll pay a bit more attention to my shooting technique.

I really like the way this group looks - it's a 1.25" 5-shot group at 100 yards with a 5 mph wind and 2 rounds in the same hole touching the bullseye..... I think the rifle likes the ammunition - Hornady Superformance SST 165gr:



Now, I need to tighten up the shooter a little. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Frank

I know the feeling. If I could just stop my heart while I shoot like I hold half a breath...

My father, a fine shot, called groups like yours (and a lot of mine) "knowing when the gun was going bang".

It was his theory that the actual firing of the gun should be a surprise, as you squeezed while on target and held while wavering off. Anticipating let off causes twitches in the trigger finger that translate to lateral twitches in the barrel.

Still nice shooting. 5 dead men, or deer...