Cleaning barrel during ladder test

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Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 28 Feb 2022, 9:38 am

Gday all

Hope everyone on the east coast is staying safe with the floods .

Have recently bought a as new condition sako hunter 243.
Shot it for the first time yesterday with 100 gr sp .
I sighting it in and started shooting with new barrel tuner in 2 shoot increments .
After starting off with groups getting wider then getting smaller as i adjusted the tuner i had a group that was 5 inches wide .
The previous group was 12 mm .
Increased tuner by .2 and next group was 7 inch .
Went back to the setting that was 12mm and still throwing them miles apart.
At this stage i had fire about 15 rounds on a clean barrel
My question is ,has anyone experienced this and has to clean barrel in the field after multiple shots .
Also noticed on the wide spread groups that the bullet is tumbling /elongation of the hole .

I have a mate who was a contract roo shooter and he had a sako 223 .
He told me that he started missing roos after 3 shot , he finally worked out that he had to run bore snake through it after the third shot.
I was wondering if the 1/10 twist is not stabilizing the 100 gr pill .

Load is 39.5 gr of 2209, primers still look good after firing .
Projectile is 20 thou off the lands .

Any thoughts

Cheers in advanced .

Tilbs
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by bladeracer » 28 Feb 2022, 9:48 am

Not me, at least 100rds before cleaning my .243. I don't shoot it enough to have discovered how many rounds I can shoot before accuracy starts to deteriorate, but I would expect several hundred like the .223.

Have your tried it without the tuner?
How long is the 100gn bullet?
It might be just too long to consistently stabilise.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Larry » 28 Feb 2022, 11:29 am

I have a Sako 85 in 243 and I shoot 105 regularly they dont tumble it is also a 1-10. I dont have a tuner on it so cant help with that but if you are doing any testing then you should not clean while the test is underway. It would invalidate any results. You may have more going on than just the tuner if the POI and group does not go back to where it was when you reset the tuner. I would take it off until you have more experience with the rifle.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by bladeracer » 28 Feb 2022, 12:04 pm

10"-twist is good up to about 1.080" bullet length in 6mm. My Ruger is 9"-twist so I can't tell you what will work in 10"-twist.
The Hornady 100gn BTSP for example is 1.066" so might be right on the limit for stability in your barrel.
I think the Speer 105gn PSP is the shortest 105gn bullet at 1.090".
Most manufacturers offering 105gn bullets suggest tighter twist rates, usually 8", but the bullets are in the 1.200" to 1.300" realm.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by on_one_wheel » 28 Feb 2022, 12:15 pm

I don't clean during a ladder test.
I also don't allow the barrel to get hot during ladder tests...I feel that keeping it cool is more important than the clean or no clean issue during testing.
It's one of those can of worms topic's, some will say treat your rifle like you would normally, which for some hunters that could mean that the only shot that matters is that single shot through a cold clean barrel.
For others it could be the exact opposite if their shooting lots of rounds for a competition
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 28 Feb 2022, 1:37 pm

bladeracer wrote:Not me, at least 100rds before cleaning my .243. I don't shoot it enough to have discovered how many rounds I can shoot before accuracy starts to deteriorate, but I would expect several hundred like the .223.

Have your tried it without the tuner?
How long is the 100gn bullet?
It might be just too long to consistently stabilise.


Hi Blade

I measured the speer btsp and it measures 1.070.
Will try with out the tuner .
I have just loaded some 90 gr speer sp flat base , see how they go .

Tilbs
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 28 Feb 2022, 1:45 pm

Larry wrote:I have a Sako 85 in 243 and I shoot 105 regularly they dont tumble it is also a 1-10. I dont have a tuner on it so cant help with that but if you are doing any testing then you should not clean while the test is underway. It would invalidate any results. You may have more going on than just the tuner if the POI and group does not go back to where it was when you reset the tuner. I would take it off until you have more experience with the rifle.



Hi Larry,

I have heard people say that there 243 love 100 gr and others say they just wont shoot .
Its weird how the exact same rifle can be so different .
Going to give 90 gr ago .
If it happens to the 90's i will clean the barrel just to take that out of the equation .

Cheers
Tilbs
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by bladeracer » 28 Feb 2022, 1:47 pm

Tilb004 wrote:
bladeracer wrote:Not me, at least 100rds before cleaning my .243. I don't shoot it enough to have discovered how many rounds I can shoot before accuracy starts to deteriorate, but I would expect several hundred like the .223.

Have your tried it without the tuner?
How long is the 100gn bullet?
It might be just too long to consistently stabilise.


Hi Blade

I measured the speer btsp and it measures 1.070.
Will try with out the tuner .
I have just loaded some 90 gr speer sp flat base , see how they go .

Tilbs


If you do find that the 100gn SP is too long, file the tips back to the jacket and try them.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 28 Feb 2022, 1:49 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:I don't clean during a ladder test.
I also don't allow the barrel to get hot during ladder tests...I feel that keeping it cool is more important than the clean or no clean issue during testing.
It's one of those can of worms topic's, some will say treat your rifle like you would normally, which for some hunters that could mean that the only shot that matters is that single shot through a cold clean barrel.
For others it could be the exact opposite if their shooting lots of rounds for a competition


Hi on one wheel

Yes I do let barrel between shots , not till cold but only slightly warm .
I do agree that final shot should be off a cold barrel, if your a hunter .
Benchrest could be different but iv'e never done that .

Cheers
Tilb
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 28 Feb 2022, 9:16 pm

Good news with the 90 gr speer sp flat base in the 243.
Kept tuner on and worked a treat , After 12 rounds in 4 different setting got 2 holes nearly touching at 50 m.
Then went back to 100 m and got 2 rounds touch , must have been a fluke .
Looks like ill be sticking with the 90's for now.
Its a bit of a shame coz i have about 1000 proj of 100 sp.
Oh well it will be good when i rebarrel to 6br or dasher in 1/8 twist .
Smiling again :)
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by bladeracer » 01 Mar 2022, 10:24 am

Tilb004 wrote:Good news with the 90 gr speer sp flat base in the 243.
Kept tuner on and worked a treat , After 12 rounds in 4 different setting got 2 holes nearly touching at 50 m.
Then went back to 100 m and got 2 rounds touch , must have been a fluke .
Looks like ill be sticking with the 90's for now.
Its a bit of a shame coz i have about 1000 proj of 100 sp.
Oh well it will be good when i rebarrel to 6br or dasher in 1/8 twist .
Smiling again :)


As I said, file the tips off to shorten some 100gn bullets and see if they work, it won't affect their performance.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by on_one_wheel » 01 Mar 2022, 5:30 pm

Tilb004 wrote:
on_one_wheel wrote:I don't clean during a ladder test.
I also don't allow the barrel to get hot during ladder tests...I feel that keeping it cool is more important than the clean or no clean issue during testing.
It's one of those can of worms topic's, some will say treat your rifle like you would normally, which for some hunters that could mean that the only shot that matters is that single shot through a cold clean barrel.
For others it could be the exact opposite if their shooting lots of rounds for a competition


Hi on one wheel

Yes I do let barrel between shots , not till cold but only slightly warm .
I do agree that final shot should be off a cold barrel, if your a hunter .
Benchrest could be different but iv'e never done that .

Cheers
Tilb


That's the go.

When I'm out to unleash 50 rounds or more on targets I have found that 90 seconds between shots is enough to keep the heat under control, after my shot I eject the brass and keep the bolt open for the best part of that 90 seconds.
It doesn't seem like long to wait especially if I'm resetting the stopwatch, watching the chronograph, and inspecting brass between shots.
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 01 Mar 2022, 7:38 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Tilb004 wrote:Good news with the 90 gr speer sp flat base in the 243.
Kept tuner on and worked a treat , After 12 rounds in 4 different setting got 2 holes nearly touching at 50 m.
Then went back to 100 m and got 2 rounds touch , must have been a fluke .
Looks like ill be sticking with the 90's for now.
Its a bit of a shame coz i have about 1000 proj of 100 sp.
Oh well it will be good when i rebarrel to 6br or dasher in 1/8 twist .
Smiling again :)


As I said, file the tips off to shorten some 100gn bullets and see if they work, it won't affect their performance.


Thanks Blade i'll give that ago :thumbsup:
Tilb004
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by Tilb004 » 01 Mar 2022, 7:43 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:
Tilb004 wrote:
on_one_wheel wrote:I don't clean during a ladder test.
I also don't allow the barrel to get hot during ladder tests...I feel that keeping it cool is more important than the clean or no clean issue during testing.
It's one of those can of worms topic's, some will say treat your rifle like you would normally, which for some hunters that could mean that the only shot that matters is that single shot through a cold clean barrel.
For others it could be the exact opposite if their shooting lots of rounds for a competition


Hi on one wheel

Yes I do let barrel between shots , not till cold but only slightly warm .
I do agree that final shot should be off a cold barrel, if your a hunter .
Benchrest could be different but iv'e never done that .

Cheers
Tilb


That's the go.

When I'm out to unleash 50 rounds or more on targets I have found that 90 seconds between shots is enough to keep the heat under control, after my shot I eject the brass and keep the bolt open for the best part of that 90 seconds.
It doesn't seem like long to wait especially if I'm resetting the stopwatch, watching the chronograph, and inspecting brass between shots.


I usually fire 2 or 3 shots take bolt out point rifle into the breeze and walk down and inspect the target.
As im getting older the novelty of wakling down to the target is wearing off :)
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Re: Cleaning barrel during ladder test

Post by on_one_wheel » 01 Mar 2022, 7:55 pm

Tilb004 wrote:As im getting older the novelty of wakling down to the target is wearing off :)


I know that feeling :lol:
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