So I had an interesting day out at the farm today. It became interesting particularly because I forgot to put my ear protection on. I have an MSA headset but since I was only shooting a 22, it slipped my mind… at first.
Anyway there I was shooting pop cans from 275 yards with my CZ452, I wanted to shoot from 300 yards, but the corn has gotten too tall, so for now, 275 yards is as far as I can get.
I was doing well, at first and then I got a low shot… really low, like a foot… it was weird… and I could hear that shot was nowhere near as loud as the others. Then the next couple shots were normal, then another 2 low quiet shots in a row, then normal again.
Usually I run a Labradar but forgot the battery pack today, so it wasn’t running and I don't know the speed differences.
If I had been wearing earpro I probably would not have noticed the audible difference.
At first I thought it might be light firing pin strikes causing poor ignition, maybe I need a better firing pin spring, and then I thought about how long it’s been since I cleaned the rifle… about 1400 rounds.
Then I started thinking I must have a donut in the chamber that is preventing rounds from seating in the chamber. The crud in the donut must be holding the bullet back so the rim can’t sit against the back of the barrel.
This also got me to thinking about the ammo I was using… RWS Pistol Match… which has a waxy lubricant on them that feel more or less like Chapstick. Maybe this lube is contributing to this imaginary donut.
Normally I shoot Eley Force, which has a dry graphite like coating, but I’m running low and can’t seem to find any at the moment, so I’m shooting RWS P.M. instead.
So now I’m thinking this donut is to blame, but I want to have a look, so I got home and got out the bore scope. As expected the rifle is certainly getting dirty, but the throat is not anywhere near as bad as I had imagined it would be. To my surprise, the back of the barrel had a layer of crud, and now I’m thinking the bolt might be being held back by this crud and inhibiting a good firing pin strike.
Either way, the rifle is overdue for a cleaning, and I hope it resolves my ignition problem, because I don’t want to believe it’s the ammo, since I’m using respectable stuff.
I know that reliable ignition is critical to rim fire accuracy so I’m going to clean the action really well which I should have already done, my bad, and I’ll clean the throat just to be sure, even though it doesn’t look too bad.
Have any of you guys had such a problem and how did you correct it?
Anyway there I was shooting pop cans from 275 yards with my CZ452, I wanted to shoot from 300 yards, but the corn has gotten too tall, so for now, 275 yards is as far as I can get.
I was doing well, at first and then I got a low shot… really low, like a foot… it was weird… and I could hear that shot was nowhere near as loud as the others. Then the next couple shots were normal, then another 2 low quiet shots in a row, then normal again.
Usually I run a Labradar but forgot the battery pack today, so it wasn’t running and I don't know the speed differences.
If I had been wearing earpro I probably would not have noticed the audible difference.
At first I thought it might be light firing pin strikes causing poor ignition, maybe I need a better firing pin spring, and then I thought about how long it’s been since I cleaned the rifle… about 1400 rounds.
Then I started thinking I must have a donut in the chamber that is preventing rounds from seating in the chamber. The crud in the donut must be holding the bullet back so the rim can’t sit against the back of the barrel.
This also got me to thinking about the ammo I was using… RWS Pistol Match… which has a waxy lubricant on them that feel more or less like Chapstick. Maybe this lube is contributing to this imaginary donut.
Normally I shoot Eley Force, which has a dry graphite like coating, but I’m running low and can’t seem to find any at the moment, so I’m shooting RWS P.M. instead.
So now I’m thinking this donut is to blame, but I want to have a look, so I got home and got out the bore scope. As expected the rifle is certainly getting dirty, but the throat is not anywhere near as bad as I had imagined it would be. To my surprise, the back of the barrel had a layer of crud, and now I’m thinking the bolt might be being held back by this crud and inhibiting a good firing pin strike.
Either way, the rifle is overdue for a cleaning, and I hope it resolves my ignition problem, because I don’t want to believe it’s the ammo, since I’m using respectable stuff.
I know that reliable ignition is critical to rim fire accuracy so I’m going to clean the action really well which I should have already done, my bad, and I’ll clean the throat just to be sure, even though it doesn’t look too bad.
Have any of you guys had such a problem and how did you correct it?
