TalonDor 257-3rd outting-So far, so good!
With this gun being NEWLY revived, i get the itch to shoot it everyday like i used to. Hell, like i do with any new airgun. 😆 And the weathers temp was just right at about 85 degrees but breezy!
On this outting, I was looking to see if the gun held POA (point of aim) since the 2nd time i was out with it. I actually went for the gusto and decided to start my shooting session off at 100 yards instead of 50-60 yards. If the gun held its last settings, at 100 yards, i should be either dead on center or just a tad bit high. I say a tad bit high because i’m still getting used to the trajectory of the 257 slug fired through the AirForce setup.
After setting up my swinging/swaying 8×8″ stainless steel plate at 100 yards, i was very surprised to see the very first shot of the day “DEAD CENTER” and just about 1″ high 😯 . It was exactly what i was expecting or should i say, “HOPING FOR”…lol! The 2nd shot landed just near the 1st shot and surprisingly AGAIN, the 3rd shot landed within 1″ of the 1st. This gun has shot another 1” (no calipers with me to measure the ctc) 100 yard group! Next time i’m out with her, i will print a group on paper.
I then set up numerous other reactive targets and started plinking away. Plinking with amazing results. But to say that i’m happy with the gun in its new guise would be an understatement. The one thing i have to keep reminding myself of about shooting this gun is too keep a very light hold on her. But i also have to admit, i’m having great success and i’m getting very used to the light hold. It definitely makes the gun seem like it kicks harder though. 😆
I also managed to take a Ground Squirrel at 80 yards with the TD257. It’s her first kill:
The other thing that i’ve for sure learned is that the barrel LOVES/PREFERS pure lead cast bullets over hard ones or anything close to hard or of medium hardness. I’ve casted up plenty of them and on my next outting, i will get some more 100+ yard groups.
Since my last outting with her, i have also added 2 more mods. 1st is a WOKBUTT and the 2nd is a Spacer under the top hat for more consistency or, the most consistency should i say (Chrony #’s to come).
ADAM (WOK)-thanx very much for the very nicely made WOK parts. The perform and work very well.
Doug-Can’t thank you enough for all your time and education on not only AIRFORCE guns but an intro into the world of machining. Oh yeah, and for letting me video tape all your secrets…..:lol:
I think that’s it……………i think!
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LOL!
BUt what is it when it “CURES”?
My lead is so pure that alchemist try to turn gold into it 😆
Never Mind.
Arguing is not how this post is gonna go
So again Mr Marvin, my barrel likes PURER LEAD over HARDER LEAD. Your welcomed to come down to my place and shoot with me and bring all your test gear to test my bullets. I’ll extend the offer to you just like you extended it too me a while back. Video and still photography welcomed! And NO, i will not ship bullets to you to test like you offered before.
You can cut down on that hardening time by fluxing your lead with Tadalafil.
And as an added bonus it cuts down on recovery time and you can cast every day maybe twice a day.
Regards,
Roachcreek
Casting bullets is like making wine . LOL Marvin
Marvin,
You can cut down on that hardening time by fluxing your lead with Tadalafil.
And as an added bonus it cuts down on recovery time and you can cast every day maybe twice a day.
Regards,
Roachcreek
Unlike most of you guys, i only cast a couple hundred at a time. And i shoot em all before i cast another few hundred.
I trully don’t like my lead sitting around getting oxidized and old. It’s like old timers who buy a box of 30-30 ammo and they let it set for 35 years before they use all 20 bullets. That’s silly to me. I cast it, then i shoot it. Then i cast it again, and i shoot it.
But that’s just me.
So bullets getting harder over time, i don’t worry about it too much.
Am i missing something.
Yes the hard cast bullets that you say are not grouping are really not hard if they have not cured . Your testing is to hit and mis to show repeatable results is what we are trying to convey to you . Slow down and do things right if you are going to be so bold about your findings . Marvin
Marvin,
Unlike most of you guys, i only cast a couple hundred at a time. And i shoot em all before i cast another few hundred.
I trully don’t like my lead sitting around getting oxidized and old. It’s like old timers who buy a box of 30-30 ammo and they let it set for 35 years before they use all 20 bullets. That’s silly to me. I cast it, then i shoot it. Then i cast it again, and i shoot it.
But that’s just me.
So bullets getting harder over time, i don’t worry about it too much.
Am i missing something.
RC,
LOL! Guess that’s my point, Its been 3 weeks since I’ve had the gun. It’s been out 3 weekends. Each weekend (2 on video) it has shot MOA (1″ at 100 yards+). And I’m improving the gun each week. So far it has shown me that it likes PURE LEAD bullets (a new found improvement). So far, it has shown me that the mods i came up with……WORKED. No second guessing that as of yet on my part. So i know, you are frustrated with YOUR Airforce gun and platform. So was I. But now the gun is new and improved and it’s working. And trust me, when things change for the worse with my gun, IF THEY DO, i will report that also. No Probs! Good is good and bad is bad. Both need to be discussed and talked about.
BTW! I’m getting really tired and sick of the PURE LEAD vs HARD LEAD vs Cure Time vs ….blah…blah…blah…blah…blah. It’s not that serious to me to break it down into a science. For me its about what’s accurate and the fact that the bullet kills and goes were i want it too. Aren’t JSB’s PURE LEAD. I’ve had the same tin for over a year and guess what, the pellets shoot the same year end and year out. Have they CURED yet MARVIN?! Hummmmm, don’t really care…..THEY ARE ACCURATE and that’s all that’s important. RIGHT?! Don’t care if they are 5 BHN or 19 BHN. Even a 5 BHN DOMED pellet wont do very much damage through a squirrel or rabbit. But it will kill just the same with a brain shot no matter the BHN. As long as it’s accurate.
So Marvin, if you wanna JUDGE everyones lead based on when they say is “PURE LEAD”, you go right ahead. I’m not buying a tester. I’m just not that into casting. Seriously! Believe it or not bro, i know pure lead when i c it just like you do.
What color or shade is pure lead when its been sitting around vs harder lead alloy like wheel weights? What are the casting differences between Pure lead and Lynotype? Just asking
Marvin,
That is another nice thing about pure lead, you can shoot them while they are still warm and quivering. 😛
Amen to lots of shots. The reason I shoot tethered and at the same range day after day, well first because I am lucky enough to have my own range, and because I want to exclude variables like fill pressure and the effect it has on my groups.
My Ranger 45 is a two shot gun at the most, I still shoot 5 shot groups with it when testing bullets, if they won’t print good 5 shot groups tethered, they can’t be expected to perform in the field consistantly.
Two days ago, I took the heavy spring out and put in my medium spring. The heavy spring and 74 grain bullets gave me 125 FPE, the medium spring and 56 grain bullets give me 90 FPE.
I shot three, three shot groups at 40 yards using only my hands as a rest sighting the rifle back in for the different recoil impulse, they were: .45, .63, .87, then the gun started leaking from the fill nipple and I found it had busted the check valve stem so I quit.
Did I learn that it is a 1/2 inch gun now at 40 yards?
Not at all. I did reconfirm earlier tests that it is easier to shoot with less valve opening jar, and that as a Talon SSS it is far friendlier to shoot at 90 FPE.
However, until I repeat the same 70 or more shot test in the same positions, at the same range, I will not really know if there is a result that is consistant and repeatable.
Not meaning to bust your chops over three shot groups meaning or not meaning anything TOF, but that kind of testing is what it takes to get it thru my hard head at this stage of my AF journey.
I also learned that Dougs valve is easy to change out those colored washers and it is easy to go up and down the FPE scale with it.
RC
I like pure lead when I have a slightly oversize mold, or in the case of the 257420 mold and the .255 barrel, I want the bullet to be slightly smaller than a alloyed casting would normally be to avoid excess sizing for the bore I using.
As far as 3 shot groups.
I have learned the hard way that three shots don’t really tell you anything with a AF rilfe, just like shooting steel at 100 yards really does not tell you how consistant or how accurate your rifle truely is.
But it sure is fun as hell isn’t it?
I shot close to 90 shots the other day at 150 yards to get a handle on hold pressure and various hold techniques and bidpods.
I came so close to spending another $250.00 on my AF rifle today, I had the Maddog Excaliber in the RLAirguns basket, was in paypal and I just could not bringmy self to spend more money on the Talon SSS and did not push the buy button.
I’m going to wait and see how the Haley shoots.
RC
Charlie If I have a bullet that groups and I am playing with the bhn of the bullet .I will shoot 100 – 120 shots with each bhn before making my mind up as to if there is a real difference in the bullet with different alloy . And when it comes to alloy bullets you have to let them cure or you really do not know what they are . I casted some bullets up for testing in May for my Corsair . 60 days later they were still not set . It has been 5 months now and some were in between 60 days and now the 22 and 15 bhn bullets have cured . The next step will be to chrony them to see if there is any difference in energy . Then the accuracy test will follow . Marvin
TOF,
I understand about the three shot groups and hunting.
I am however just pointing out what I have heartbeakingly experienced over and over again with the AF platform, that they are not consistant, they they need more than one or two three shot groups to weed out that shot that goes off on its own.
I once shot a three shot group that went into 1.5 inches at 285 yards with mine, I stopped shooting and took a picture, does it mean it is consisstantly a 1.5 at 285 yard rifle?
But I am preaching to the choir here am I not?
And it is why I test tethered on these air hogs, so I can find those incosistancies that will inevetably show up, that and I shoot long range tethered and that is precisely what the Talon SSS and the Haley will be for, if they work.
RC
Marvin,
IIRC, my custom 258 sizer comes out to roughly .25775 as measured on a digital MICROMETER.
I slugged my bore via Doug and it came out to roughly .25745″ or so.
With LEE, when you ask for a .257 or .258 or .457 or .459 or .357 or .358 sizing die, YOU DO NOT and i repeat, YOU DO NOT GET THOSE NUMBERS.
RC,
I totally understand the whole 3 shot vs 5 shot vs 10 shot vs whatever shot count. And opinions vary from person to person as to what it “ACCEPTABLE”. So for me, i hunt and shoot according to how how my gun performs. In other words, if i only get 3 CONSISTENT shots, then guess what, i’m only gonna take 3 hunting shots to insure SUCCESS. Or i’m gonna take 5 shots if my gun produces 5 tight shots. Or im gonna do 10, if my gun produces 10 tight shots.
My gun is in the “DISCOVERY” stages right now and I’m having fun with it. Its also UPPED in the power range so of course, a 490cc stock Airforce bottle will only give you a few “CONSISTENT” shots per fill. To get more, i would have to increase to a 62 CI bottle which is double the standard AF bottle width. But that changes the looks and balance of the gun.
490 CC is ANOTHER reason why i told Doug, “i wanna start at 900 FPS”. Its all part of the learning curve with this gun. And I’m cool with that.
No other way to put it but, THE GUN IS MUCH IMPROVED and I”M MUCH HAPPIER WITH IT the way it is. So to me, a 3 shot group at 100 yard is sufficient. And remember, the gun is still in the testing phase and there is more to come.
And i guarantee ya also RC, you WILL NOT GET MORE than that with a Haley at those power levels that the Haley produces. Haven’t seen a big bore yet that gets more than 3 consistent and accurate POWERFUL shots. The 490CC Airforce tank capacity is bigger than a Haley or DAQ or Corsair airtube. I actually get more than 3 shots, i just haven’t taken it there yet.
And yes guys, i know a 257 isnt a big bore……lol 😆
The one thing we ALL have to keep in mind about POWERFUL airguns is that they work off of FILL PRESSURE and CAPACITY of that pressure. With every shot, the gun is loosing BOTH. With a Powder Burner, it IS NOT. With a PB, the more consistent you reload EACH ROUND, the more consistent overall it will be EVERY TIME you fire it. With a airgun, the tube is steadily loosing pressure with each shot. So 5 to 10 POWERFUL shots with a powerful big bore or small bore becomes harder and harder to attain per shot.
Damn good idea man. Any suggestions on the name brand of plastic dip.
YOu can get it at Lowes or Home Depot the keep it in the paint cage.
Just open and follow directions. I can be reapply when needed.
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BUt what is it when it “CURES”?
Bronze 😈 😆