I took the new 8mm - 32 caliber pellets to the range this afternoon. It was about 4 pm before I could go. Since it's supposed to snow about 6" ... I decided to make a mad dash for testing, and use what time I had.

Well ...



Imagine my surprise, when it wasn't all warm and inviting! ..... hahhaah. It was cold. I wasn't up for the whole safari thing, with the War Wagon, etc., so I was tail gating.



I'd made a quick five minute shoulder stock for the gun. That's an 8mm barrel for an outrigger ... and a nice choice block of 2 by 4 chosen for it's asthetic value.

The first thing I noted, after getting everything dragged out and set up .... was that I'd forgotten the pellet seater tool.

Being a bolt action, and an airgun, the projectile must be pushed across the transfer port. A ball, a solid base slug, and a hollow base pellet ... all present a different requirement to position the bullet. A simple tool, to push the pellet forward, is one option. I'd made a couple versions. Found a really simple one that worked well ... and left it on the bench.



So; I fashioned another sterling example of the airgunsmith's craft ... I call this work ... "A study in bent wire" ......

And, with this on the tailgate ... we began.



They fly to 20 yards! Good. They are very fast.

The scope is a challange for head position, clarity, and focus. Other than that ... it's perfect. ;?) With my feet numb, and my buttstock frozen to a metal chair ... it was nearly ideal for optimal performace data gathering.



30 is good still, with the shorter pellet. I'm taking into account, all factors. This is good for the circumstances.



41 yards with the medium pellet. 56 grains or something close. Seems nice a fast still. I'm not sure if I used the mil-dot for that high one. Either way ... the pellet is doing a good job.





50 yards. The medium pellet. Very good. A pistol carbine, off a tailgate, being shot by an old achy snowman ... ... not bad.

I have an idea, for a pellet capture. I have a bucket of lead from the salvage yard, in the truck. I think there might be some sheet goods. There is. I decide to set up a trap at 50 yards. I fashion a pc. of strap lead so it will set up - present a face, and also a backer. I even reinforce it with another pc. over the top - to make sure it doesn't just blow thru.



I have a can of paint. I spray it, and wipe a bull's eye area about the size of a dime, with my finger.



50 yards to the target. Grab a med. pellet from the #3 casting session.



Zoom to 50 yards ....



BANG!! 10X, and a pellet capture as well.

THAT will work!

Now ... let's toss this stuff in the truck and get warm!!!



Gary

Before you ask ... that bent wire was a pc. of a clip used as a redundant catch to keep the trailer ball hitch latch closed. I had an old on under the seat in the back ... mangled it up to get a bent loop on one end. No - the entire mess is not required for seating a pellet. hahah.

Gary

Looking good Gary. Seems you know sumthin 'bout this airgun thing!

That seems like a good test on all accounts. The slug, rifle and 'ol man are holding up well. Seems you paid too much for the scope though... I hope you only paid half price for that mount as well!

Do those slugs cast easy? Seems a challenge with the deep skirt.

Kent

Hi Kent,

Yeah ... some competitor sent me that scope right before a big tournament, years ago. I thought the "mono-pod" mount thing might catch on ... what do you think? I was wondering if it might be good to make a swivel at the top too ... sort of like a periscope? hahahaha.

I would pat myself on the back, for the innovation and tooling completed with this pellet project. Except for the fact that my shoulder aches like heck, and my neck is in the way. Therefore; I'll comment instead. I have made it workable. It requires a good bit of attention to detail. I had to make a complete set of tooling. There went the weekend, and a bit more.

I needed a special cherry cutter, with features I hadn't included before. It had to be heat treated to machine cast iron blocks. Of course ... I had to make the cast iron blocks. And needed special handles to mount the blocks. Needed top cutter plate to match same. And, of course, I needed the inserts to make hollow tails. It would be fruitless to do all this just to make a single pellet .... so I've made the assembly to cast three pellets in one throw. Had to make a carrier for the inserts. Had to have them return to exactly the same position each time. The temperature has to be correct. The inserts have to be heated to the correct temp. as well. Different alloys were tested. I found that it is quite easy to make a mold set whereby the inserts become permenantly fused into the cast pellets! It's a bit harder to make a set which will actually release said cast pellets. I found a release agent, an alloy that works better, and a process that has an 8 out of 10 success rate.

In all, it's workable ... but it isn't simple. It's repeatable ... but you can't drift off while working. This will be something I'll toy with, for the foreseeable future.

Gary

Bah! That'll never work.

Gary,

The pistol is coming along great; the mold sounds pretty interesting too.

Lon

Looking at the thread again ... for those who like detail ...

The cardboard pc. setting behind the gun, is evidence of 62 sight in shots from Jerry's Yukon at about 80 yards. Not related to the pistol.

And ... after my last scope adjustment ... I'd noticed that the 50 yard target showed the two closest shots to be just a bit left of the center aim point. Therefore; when I shot the lead target, I actually aimed about a half a bull right. And, the pellet tracked true.

Shows quite a bit. If the whole system didn't work together, the pellet would not go thru the bull. So - even my silly mono-pod scope mount worked - and the scope is accurate - if difficult. The barrel is good. The value is true. The hammer train consistent. Trigger group good. Pellet very accurate. When you think thru everything that can go wrong .... it's amazing.

Gary

Hi Gary:

Just to be clear: Were this groups shot with the Victory using the carbine device?

Nice groups for a carbine, shooting out of the back of your truck.

This new pellets seems to be flying straight, congratulations!

Julio

Hello Julio,

Yes - with the little buttstock, as shown on the tailgate. Off of a front and rear bag.

The Victory is doing more than it's design calls for ... but it's not supposed to be a target rifle, with it's short barrel. It's been surprising.

Gary

I dunno . . . my Victory 32 SS was shootin' like a target rifle last week. Must be that Hornady buckshot.

-- Jim

Gary:

You are telling me that you shot a dime at 50 yards?

Please lend that Victory to me for a weekend, with a tin of pellets. I will use it for my next match with Gerald...

Julio

Hello Julio,

hahah. Very good.

However; everything you have will do that, my friend.

Man ... I need to start having weekend seminars .... Show you folks the old fossil in action ... Right .... I know .... you need time lapse photography to show a fossil in action ..... yuck, yuck ....



GAry

One wise old man told me once: "the only wrong question is the one you never ask"

It was worth trying...

Garry, Very nice groups especialy from a pistal. It will be interesting to see how these slugs group at distance from a rifle.Way to go, Danny.