257 Accuracy Report
Finally got my new .257 Condor from R&l to the range for some accuracy testing. I am casting 70 grain bullets from a Lyman die and using soft roofing lead and sizing to .257 with a custom sizing die from Lee. My best 5 shot group at 50 yards was about 1″ and typically they ran about 1 1/2″. The gun is stock original except for Randy’s extreme valve and a TJ’s 700mm barrel so I do not have any other additions to provide frame stiffness etc. I am using a loose hold with a bipod for the front rest and Caldwell bag at the rear. I tried several pressures from 3000 to 2000 and some different power wheel settings. She shoots around 875 to 900 fps. I have been working on fire lapping but still thinking that I need to do more with the 600 grit as the barrel still leads up after 20 shots and accuracy goes south. So any thoughts on where I go from here? I am the kind of guy who loves to keep tweaking until all the bullets go through one hole. Keep dreaming I guess. I plan to get some other bullets from Mr Hollowpoint this weekend at the Findlay airgun show. I do love shooting this gun. She’s loud but fun and seems to have great potential for accuracy and maybe a yote later this year.
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Thanks Knifemaker….your comments are very encouraging. Think I’ll keep shooting and shooting this gun. Will post more later
Ray
Your off to a good start! These TJ barreled .257’s tend to shoot better and better as they break in. And start leading much less.
After I fire lapped mine twice, I then cleaned the barrel and gave it a good scrubbing with Flitz metal polish on a bore mop. About 20-30 minuites worth. It has really made a huge fifference. At 50 yardsshe will often shoot under 1/4″. Most of the time it is just about one half inch.
What you will learn that is odd about these bullet shooting guns, is that as the range increases, the shot group doesn’t get that much bigger as it would with pellets. At close range, the bullets are sometimes not fully stabalized yet, but at about 60 yards, they start really comming into their own. Dont’ be supprise if she shoots just as good at 100 yards, or believe it or not, even Tighter than it can at 50 yards.
Roach Creek, Tofazfou and I have all experienced this. In fact, Tofaz recently shot a group at around 150-160 that was what looked under 1/2″. He has it on his vids. :8:
KnifeMaker
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Have you measured your slugs or are you just going by what the die says on It?