No better time @woogie_manHave always wanted one, but could never afford or find one.
AWESOME RIFLES!
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No better time @woogie_manHave always wanted one, but could never afford or find one.
AWESOME RIFLES!
Well considering how I shoot the stinker barrel maybe magic for me@Franklink,
I didn't see the last couple of your posts till just a few minutes ago. Excellent writeup like always.
I have to say again how much I appreciate all the work you've put in on the "stinker" barrel for me.
I wish there had been a better outcome but like we discussed "not every barrel comes off the top shelf".
Unfortunately, it behaved just as badly for you as it was doing for me.
Thank You !
Sounds like you're softening me up for a trade or ????Well considering how I shoot the stinker barrel maybe magic for me
I too have a barrel that used to be a stinker but no longer is, after work done by @nervoustrig.Had another session with the stinker barrel....and it's still a stinker barrel.
Was really hoping that not shooting as fast would eliminate that random flyer, but it remains, even when REALLY concentrating. Not very often, occasionally it'll even shoot ten in a row without a flyer, but eventually one is coming. And they're not horrible, even the flyer is still pretty close to aim point, but it's certainly not in the 1/4 to 3/8" cluster that the rest of the group is landing in.
Also, the flyer incidence seemed worse on this second session when it was more windy. Dunno if the wind is the issue or what.
In short, the stinker barrel will shoot ten shot groups into 5/8" @ 30 yards, and 1.25" @55, which is good, but not great.
I put my magic barrel back on there after running another couple hundred through the stinker and there'a just no contest. Magic barrel puts em all into 3/8" @ 30 yards, from a bumbag, in the wind. So magic barrel is back on the USFT and it's "whole" again.
Trigger sticks gen 2 are great - amazon and mike rutka makes a great collar for it @DeadEyeNCAfter much deliberation, I've decided to rework the USFT into a Hunter class gun. I've always competed with it in Open, using one of the early Falcon X50 scopes for the last couple years. My X50 is early enough that it doesn't have a mark at 16x, so a change in scope was the first order of business. And I went to one of my favorite all-around scopes, the Athlon Midas Tac 6-24x50 with the APRS2 reticle, MIL. Scope is equipped with a Eric Sanders Scopewerks nautilus wheel.
This is the length situation compared to the gun I've mostly been shooting for Hunter class. So nearly twice the OAL.
View attachment 500868
You'll notice that I removed the thigh rest and hardware and flipped the buttplate. This is just one of the areas I've been fiddling with, in an attempt to optimize for Hunter class. The buttplate area was a major focus and I think I've settled on a configuration there now.
View attachment 500869
I've also played with various bipod stops and the best seems to have been to flip the barrel band like seen in the above photo.
I've also been seriously considering a .20 barrel, and chopping it back so that the airtube and moderator ends at the same place. This would be a weight savings as well as a more convenient overall length. I had a recent suggestion to cut back a .177 barrel and am toying with that idea too. Something about a 38-39" USFT intrigues me. But I also want to retain the ability to return to the magic barrel that's on it now.
As for the hamster, when fully collapsed it's under the 6" limit for depth in Hunter class. But it's awfully heavy and really only seems to be be beneficial for offhand shots. I'll likely not use this one for Hunter, but might see about cobbling together a much simpler (LIGHTER) hamster.
As for HOW it shoots from Hunter position, I'm so far pretty pleased. A pulled shot/bad trigger break still lands mighty close to desired impact point. Especially versus a pulled shot from the 25" Veteran. This was 6 groups of ten shots each, taken at 55 yards early in this experiment.
View attachment 500874
The orange circles are 1." Shot at them first and felt like I had an "aim big miss big" thing going on so the second set of ten shot groups was made at just a small dot made with a marker (3/8" and can just barely make it out on the white page). And it had a trial buttplate situation that has since been abandoned.
I've been testing various holds too. The most recent is with folded arms under the gun, with the gun rested on left elbow and elbow rested on left knee. Not finalized there yet.
And my lightweight, collapsible shooting sticks were no match for the USFT. They're hollow aluminum tubes (think aluminum arrow) and were flexing quite a bit. So the USFT will need the solid steel shooting sticks I've been fiddling with for the last 8 or so months.
Certainly making progress and enjoying the heck out of it. So far it seems the USFT will make just as formidable a rig in Hunter as it is in Open.
Trigger sticks gen 2 are great - amazon and mike rutka makes a great collar for it @DeadEyeNC
Frank, Very nice and good clean fun. You are very much correct about not touching the barrel you already have (HW ?).
For even more fun drop it down to "12fpe" and shoot hunter. Really.
Great rig.
John
hmmm your getting all ghetto on usFor years I've used some modified Primos Pole Cat trigger sticks. They work great for light guns or heavy/short guns where most of the weight is supported by the shooter, versus the sticks. They take down to be about 1foot long, super light, stick em in back pocket. I really like them for convenience and stability.
Like this ...
View attachment 501101
But for s heavy long gun like the USFT where the weight is out away from the shooter, those Primos sticks flex and get kinda bouncy.
So this is what's working better for the USFT....
View attachment 501102
They're steel stakes, with two parallel prusik knots (one on each stake) that allow adjustment by simply sliding the knot. They way the knot works is that the pressure of the gun squeezes the stake and keeps it from sliding, but no pressure and the knot can be slid. And I slid vinyl tubing over the top 18 or so inches of each stake. They were made with the intent to be long enough for standing bipod shots OR sitting bipod shots.