Accuracy Expectation for CZ 455? Training tool for PRS

[richthe1]

According to this thread from rimfire central it looks like the average accuracy from 50yds is about 0.6". Is that what you guys are seeing as well? I would really like to shoot CCI SV as it's much cheaper and will allow me to shoot more.

I am looking at getting a CZ455 Tacticool, Area 419 Scope Rail, and Timney CZ455 trigger (already have bipod and scope). The Vudoo V-22 looks awesome, but I'm hoping I will get decent performance out of the CZ455.

 

[BenY 2013]

CZ's can generally be tweaked to be quite accurate. If you're not happy with the accuracy you are getting there are drop in barrels which should offer a bit more accuracy. My 455 is a solid MOA (and usually better, as its the nut behind the gun messing things up) shooter with cheap match ammo. If I tried more expensive ammo I'm assuming groups would tighten some. But for what I'm doing MOA is more than accurate. Unless you're bench shooting I imagine you'll be satisfied with the CZ. I love mine, doesn't mean that I won't eventually upgrade to a Vudoo but for the money the CZ is hard to beat.

Ben

 

[richthe1]

CZ's can generally be tweaked to be quite accurate. If you're not happy with the accuracy you are getting there are drop in barrels which should offer a bit more accuracy. My 455 is a solid MOA (and usually better, as its the nut behind the gun messing things up) shooter with cheap match ammo. If I tried more expensive ammo I'm assuming groups would tighten some. But for what I'm doing MOA is more than accurate. Unless you're bench shooting I imagine you'll be satisfied with the CZ. I love mine, doesn't mean that I won't eventually upgrade to a Vudoo but for the money the CZ is hard to beat.

Ben

Thanks for the response! This is what I have heard. 1MOA would be perfect for me. However, if I have to add in the cost of a drop in barrel then I'm starting to lean more towards just buying a Vudoo outright. Did your factory CZ 455 barrel shoot 1MOA or did you have to get an aftermarket barrel?

 

[BenY 2013]

Thanks for the response! This is what I have heard. 1MOA would be perfect for me. However, if I have to add in the cost of a drop in barrel then I'm starting to lean more towards just buying a Vudoo outright. Did your factory CZ 455 barrel shoot 1MOA or did you have to get an aftermarket barrel?

It's shooting 1 MOA with a factory barrel that I had shortened and threaded at 16". It all depends on your intention with the rifle. I would maybe recommend trying to go to an NRL22 match and seeing the different rifles used. I think CZ will be one of the most popular rifles there. If MOA is fine with you, pick up the CZ in my opinion. If for some reason you don't like it I imagine you'll easily be able to sell it.

Ben

 

[accurate obsession]

As always it comes down to your level of interest / desire for accuracy vs how fast you can empty your wallet. I have a Tacticool with all the usual tweaks done to it but still factory barrel that can be expected to shoot moa to 100 yds with good ammo (appx $1000). After that is buying a donor rifle and maybe some kind of chassis and barrel or maybe an MPA rifle ($1700 ish). The Vudu is wonderful but it is full out custom $1300 for the action only, final build well into $2000+. And always remember no matter what you build if you don't feed it what it likes it's all for nothing. That could be $8 box ammo or $16, just never know.

 

[woogie_man]

The 455 rifles can be great. Like others have said with the typical upgrades they can be great shooters. A YoDave trigger kit and dip scope rail is all that is really needed for a good shooter. Having multiple barrels makes things even more fun

 

[702lineman]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned and was unbelievable how much it helped mine is adjusting the torque of the action screws. At 18in/lb mine shot about 1in group or little over, when I got to 32, I stopped because it was punching same hole. Did the same on a friend of mines.

Pillar bedding it and free floating the barrel are both cheap and very good improvements that helped mine as well.

If your a major cheap ass like me you can get a new trigger spring from ace hardware I think its spring #144(better research that though). Took mine to about a pound for less than a buck.

Was using mine to practice while my barrel on my dasher cooled down the other night. Was hitting a 10in plate at 325 yards off a tank trap and barricade very consistently. Think it was like 12.7mil of elevation and was about a mil of wind(maybe a 1-2 mph breese). Shot 50 rd dasher and 150rds of 22lr. Lol

 

[MarkCZ]

According to this thread from rimfire central it looks like the average accuracy from 50yds is about 0.6". Is that what you guys are seeing as well? I would really like to shoot CCI SV as it's much cheaper and will allow me to shoot more.

I am looking at getting a CZ455 Tacticool, Area 419 Scope Rail, and Timney CZ455 trigger (already have bipod and scope). The Vudoo V-22 looks awesome, but I'm hoping I will get decent performance out of the CZ455.

Rich,

I have a CZ 455 Varmint, with just a YO dave trigger spring only. It will run 0.3" at 50yds and 0.6" at 100yds. With CCI SV. less than that with Eley Club. I have a 455 varmint in 17 HMR same setup and shoot just as well.

Mark

 

[justin amateur]

Feed it what it likes...

Hmmmm, what does my rifle like?
I've had 7 barrels that I tested in two different 455 receivers,
factory, Shilen, Lilja and Feddersen,
never found a brand of ammo they liked.
What shot amazing from this brick,
produced crap from the next brick.
What all of the barrels liked were cartridges assembled from quality components
and consistent primer/powder charges
so as to produce tight muzzle velocities.
It was never about brand, only lot quality.
This week it's Tenex, last week R50, last month was Midas+.
Once it was Wolf ME, another time it was CCI SV.
All had to do with the quality of the brick, not the brand.
The perils of rimfire.
What produced sub moa today,
won't tommorow.

 

[Basher]

Feed it what it likes...

Hmmmm, what does my rifle like?
I've had 7 barrels that I tested in two different 455 receivers,
factory, Shilen, Lilja and Feddersen,
never found a brand they liked.
What shot amazing from this brick,
produced crap from the next brick.
What all of the barrels liked was cartridges
assembled from quality components
and consistent primer/powder charges
so as to produce tight muzzle velocities.
It was never about brand, only lot quality.

Welcome to the world of rimfires. You'll find the same problem with a Savage MKII or an Anschutz. You pay for quality, and spend time and money trying to acquire lot quantities that your rifle likes. Name of the game, if you're going for absolute accuracy in the rimfire world.

 

[richthe1]

Welcome to the world of rimfires. You'll find the same problem with a Savage MKII or an Anschutz. You pay for quality, and spend time and money trying to acquire lot quantities that your rifle likes. Name of the game, if you're going for absolute accuracy in the rimfire world.

Will this be different with a Vudoo? I would like 1MOA accuracy, and I will save up and buy a Vudoo if it means I don’t have to chase a particular brick each week to give me 1MOA accuracy.

 

[justin amateur]

The best rifle in the world,
can't produce first class results
from second class ammo.
Damaged driving bands, out of spec brass,
canted bullets, inconsistent seating depths,
primer amounts all affect muzzle velocities
and bullet trajectories. Finding decent ammo
has turned out to be the most difficult part of rimfire.
It wasn't until I set up a ballistic chronograph
every trip to the range, that I made the connection.
You have to produce consistent MV's, to produce accuracy.
Just because the box is labeled 1070 fps,
doesn't mean that every bullet comes out of the barrel
at that velocity.

 

[Basher]

Will this be different with a Vudoo? I would like 1MOA accuracy, and I will save up and buy a Vudoo if it means I don’t have to chase a particular brick each week to give me 1MOA accuracy.

My statement of "You'll find the same problem with a Savage MKII or an Anschutz" was meant to cover ALL cost bases, meaning rimfire accuracy is kind of a "dark art," from the least expensive rimfire to the most expensive (to include the Vudoo). That's just how it goes!

One of the easiest ways to minimize the ammo's influence on accuracy is to buy better ammo. You're paying for more consistent production and higher quality, meaning a general increase in accuracy, but there can still be some duds. People who REALLY chase rimfire accuracy may go so far as to weight each round, sort by rim thickness, cartridge length, etc.

I think with a quality rifle (of which the Vudoo is one) and quality ammo, 1MOA should be attainable as long as you (the shooter) are capable of it.

 

[padom]

My CZ 455 Tacticool is sub .50moa at 50yds with quality ammo. Accuracy improved greatly beddng the Boyd's stock. I am about to post a review of MDT LSS-22 CZ455 chassis tomorrow. All shot with a factory barreled action.

 

[rybe390]

My 455 shoots cci standard at MOA, sometimes better, without fail.

It shoots RWS target at sub MOA.

And, after doing a lot of homework, I finally found the load it loves. SK standard plus and SK match shoot 5x5 groups at .8 MOA at the worst, typical is about .5 MOA with that ammo.

I’d expect great accuracy out of a 455 barrel.

 

[MarkCZ]

Will this be different with a Vudoo? I would like 1MOA accuracy, and I will save up and buy a Vudoo if it means I don’t have to chase a particular brick each week to give me 1MOA accuracy.

No, the Vudoo is in the same boat, as all rimfire. You can have the best action, and barrel, you still have to find what it likes. And you still at the mercy of rimfire ammo. Even the best ammo will have flyers out of the blue. Most of the time, the higher cost ammo, will shoot better.

Now as far as the gun. My 455 Varmint will run sub MOA for around $450. My Kidd Supergrade will run 0.5 MOA for $1200. An Anschutz should run 0.1" or 0.2" better than the CZ, for $1500 to $2000. The Vudoo may or not shoot better than a Anschutz for $3000 or more.

If you are shooting Benchrest the few 0.1" will be worth the money. IMO for the PRS type shooting, the extra money is not going to help that much. Now if you wanting gun that will match your centerfire gun, that would make a difference.

In PRS shooting you are not shooting from a bench, you are shooting off hand, prone, from walls, etc. you will not see that accuracy difference.

Then we have the wind, past 100yds. rimfire will blow around like feather, it is up you to read the wind and make your hits. A gun that shoots 0.2" better, want help you much when the wind is blowing your bullet 15" at 200 yds.

The higher price are very great guns, but for you me, I will stick with my Kidd and CZ. I have 2 custom centerfire long range benchrest guns, they are worth the money for benchrest. I would love the have a Vudoo. It is the best system for PRS shooting, For me I can't see putting that much money in to it.

Mark

 

[Mdxj]

The best I've gotten from my 455 at 100 yards so far with Ely Match. It's a project 455 in a MPA Chasis with a whistle pig barrel. Ely Club is typically just under moa at 100 yards. All in, I have just over 1k invested in the rifle (old gen 1 PST that was gathering dust and not included in cost) including the action.

 

[TheGerman]

Problem is the ammo. I've beaten this to death lately because I really like the utility of the wind training you get with a 22LR, but going past 100 yards will drive you insane when you shoot 2-3 rounds on a 2" spinner and then shoot the next 2, 3 feet above it because of 2 rounds with shit ES.

I was chasing my own ass about this just a few weeks ago. I lot tested some Center X and shot a bunch of sub MOA groups at 100, chrono'd it, GTG. After a while I started seeing shots go way high at distance, chrono'd again and now I was seeing ES of 40+, which for the 22LR trajectory, at 200 yards ends up being gigantic.

My CZ455 with Lilja can hold 1 MOA and under, 5 shots, 100 yards. After that, the ammo just becomes too much of a pain in the ass especially when you can load match grade 77g 5.56 for less.

 

[Eoddave27]

I will start by saying I don’t have a CZ 455. It was one of two rifles on my list when I bought but I ended up with a MK ii FV-SR and stuck it in a Boyd’s stock. Stock trigger no bedding so pretty basic. All I shoot is CCI SV ammo and it has always shot sub MOA and by all reports the CZ should be as accurate or more accurate than the Savage. Maybe the stars just aligned when they built my rifle but I don’t think the way mine shoots is really out of the ordinary. This is 10 rounds at 50 yards without really trying to print a small group.

 

[justin amateur]

I can't get any brand of rimfire to produce consistent moa.
Sub-moa only happens when I get a decent box of ammo with tight MV's.
I've tried most of the match quality ammunition available
from Eley, RWS and Lapua,
with far too many MV caused flyers.
I will not make the claim of "all day long" accuracy
with any of my rimfire rifles.
The ammunition quality just isn't there.
But since I spend almost all my range time at 200 yards,
there's a strong chance it might have something to do with it.

 

[nakoa01]

Feed it what it likes...

Hmmmm, what does my rifle like?
I've had 7 barrels that I tested in two different 455 receivers,
factory, Shilen, Lilja and Feddersen,
never found a brand of ammo they liked.
What shot amazing from this brick,
produced crap from the next brick.
What all of the barrels liked were cartridges assembled from quality components
and consistent primer/powder charges
so as to produce tight muzzle velocities.
It was never about brand, only lot quality.
This week it's Tenex, last week R50, last month was Midas+.
Once it was Wolf ME, another time it was CCI SV.
All had to do with the quality of the brick, not the brand.
The perils of rimfire.
What produced sub moa today,
won't tommorow.

Exactly what he said. I have a cz that loves sk rifle match. Ran out of that brick bought another. Might as well been shooting a pistol. In fact my scopes volquartsen scorpion is out shooting it

 

[Travelor]

The question was asked about Vudoo V-22 accuracy. So far I have shot a number of brands and lots and all groups have been under 1 MOA. My Vudoo is an Apparition in a MPA Competition stock with a Vortex Viper PM II 5-25 shot from a concrete bench and Benchrest rests at 50 out to 250 yards.

BTW, mine likes SK Pistol Match best.

 

[justin amateur]

Dayyyyummm! All groups under 1 moa, out to 250 yards.
Do you know how tight the mv's would have to be to accomplish that?
Almost into the realm of "Magic!"
That'd be under 2.62 inches for a 5 shot group at 250 yards, every group.
1 fps difference in mv with a Lapua 22lr product produces 0.16 inches of vertical spread at 250 yards.
That means the ES for each 5 shot group couldn't exceed 16 fps.

 

[accurate obsession]

Hope you bought a case of that lot # of Center X, that's like unicorn dust there, otherwise the next purchase could be

 

[justin amateur]

Based on the half-third rule of rimfire,
half the distance is one-third the spread,
if you are shooting moa at 200 yards, 2.1 inch groups,
then at 100 yards 0.7 inch groups are to be expected.
And at 50 yards, 0.23 inch groups should be no problem at all.
On the other hand if what you get at 50 yards is moa or 1/2 inch,
then at 200 yards you'd be looking at 4.5 inch groups minimum.
Gravity and aerodynamics have that effect.

 

[nakoa01]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned and was unbelievable how much it helped mine is adjusting the torque of the action screws. At 18in/lb mine shot about 1in group or little over, when I got to 32, I stopped because it was punching same hole. Did the same on a friend of mines.

Pillar bedding it and free floating the barrel are both cheap and very good improvements that helped mine as well.

If your a major cheap ass like me you can get a new trigger spring from ace hardware I think its spring #144(better research that though). Took mine to about a pound for less than a buck.

Was using mine to practice while my barrel on my dasher cooled down the other night. Was hitting a 10in plate at 325 yards off a tank trap and barricade very consistently. Think it was like 12.7mil of elevation and was about a mil of wind(maybe a 1-2 mph breese). Shot 50 rd dasher and 150rds of 22lr. Lol

I spent 2 days trying to do that. Finally just gave u.p.

 

[bmicek]

I have had awesome accuracy results with my 455. Maybe it was just a good day but testing ammo in my 455 one day, all shot sub 1/3" groups at 50. Ammo tested was SK Rifle Match, SK Pistol Match, Eley Club, and Eley Target. I bought another CZ and although it shot well, it didnt seem to shoot QUITE as well as my first 455 Varmint. Still about 0.6" on average at 50 with the ammo it likes. Some groups a lot smaller and some slightly larger.

 

[bmicek]

To touch on the action screw torque as well, I tested it. When progressing through the adjustments, I noticed my group sizes changed. Went from larger groups to smaller and back to larger once I got to the peak of what I was comfortable with. My rifle shot the smallest groups at 20-25 in/lbs. Any less or any more and they opened up. BUT, once I went to return to that torque setting and re-shot to confirm this, group sizes weren't what they were when I first tested. So that was inconclusive for me. Thought I had a pattern but seemed to be a fluke or something.

 

[nakoa01]

The best I've gotten from my 455 at 100 yards so far with Ely Match. It's a project 455 in a MPA Chasis with a whistle pig barrel. Ely Club is typically just under moa at 100 yards. All in, I have just over 1k invested in the rifle (old gen 1 PST that was gathering dust and not included in cost) including the action.
View attachment 6948329

I have exact same set up. So finicky, at least mine is I think I am going to sell my chassis and just keep it a squirrel rifle.

 

[justin amateur]

A bit of advice when tuning a rifle for accuracy.
Every time you test, do so over a ballistic chronograph.
It's the only way to determine if the results
are due to the changes or MV differences.
With rimfire ammo, quality varies shot by shot.
Maybe your adjustments actually made an improvement
or maybe you had a run of tight MV's.
Or the ammo quality reeked and you're blaming the change you made.

 

[Mdxj]

I have exact same set up. So finicky, at least mine is I think I am going to sell my chassis and just keep it a squirrel rifle.

What ammo have you been using? I've tried a few different lots of Ely club and so far they have all shot about the same. Past 100 I'm averaging almost 2 moa with them but match and Tenex are giving me just above moa. Part of the issue I know is me. I've noticed at 200, rimfire is not forgiving of flaws in your position and follow through.

 

[nakoa01]

I have used sk rifle match, eley match eley club, eley target, eley subsonic, wolf match, cci std velocity.

 

[justin amateur]

sk rifle match, eley match, eley club, eley target, eley subsonic, wolf match, cci std velocity

None of which are competition grade ammunition.
All are prone to flyers and velocity aberrations.
All are second or third rate 22lr.
Typical competition grade 22lr will keep mv spread less than 40 fps.
That mv spread equals about 1/4 inch of vertical spread at 50 yards.
The other problem inherent in the lesser grade 22lr is poorly seated bullets
and smeared or damaged driving bands. Besides an ES of 50 to 60 fps,
bullet defects cause odd strays that fit no pattern. Single flyers that don't match the mv.
At 200 yards, as shown below, those defects cause wild strays,
sometimes not even staying on paper.

Apply the half-third rule, that box of CCI SV produced 11 inches of vertical spread.
Under the same conditions expect 3.6 inches of vertical at 100 yards, 1.2 inches at 50.

Side note, ever notice that competition level 22lr doesn't use the word "match" on the box?
Midas+, RWS R50, Tenex. Only the second tier or lower ammunition bears the label "match".
"Match" has become a sales gimmick, not a description of what's in the box.

 

[MDrimfirerookie]

i've been watching this thread with interest and there is a ton of good info here so thank you everyone that has posted so far.

one topic i haven't really seen addressed is what disciplines are you all shooting and what do you need for that discipline? i know i'm not good enough fundamentally yet to open my trap about my results because i'm inconsistent. BUT i also know that for most of the PRS style matches i've competed in, my misses are likely due to me and not the rifle or ammo.

the matches i shoot mostly have steel targets that are at least 1 MOA or bigger so they are pretty generous. all i need to be able to do is hit that to get the point. i can say that my rifle is definitely accurate enough for that even if i'm not.

 

[justin amateur]

Which disciplines?

My discipline is to maintain rule number 1: Hit what you aim at.

As just another interested amateur,
I can afford to indulge my OCD
in understanding the causes
of rimfire inaccuracies.
I'll read everything having to do with a problem,
examine, measure, buy and build rigs
that allow me to isolate the cause.

I'm easily entertained.

 

[sgtkeebler]

I posted as a new topic, but I put together a CZ 455 Tactical suppressor and got pretty good results with stock trigger and barrel. Below is the ammo I tested at 50yards.
View media item 352

 

[shortfuse1]

I've been getting .25 from my 455 with Norma Tac-22 5 Shot Groups at 50 yrds

 

[richthe1]

Thanks for all the advice. I ended getting the CZ 455 Tacticool. For those of you with a CZ, is there anything I need to do before I take it out this weekend? I’ve read I might need to:
(1) Make sure it’s torqued down to spec: 25in/lbs for action screws, 45in/lbs for the barrel set screws.
(2) Clean the initial brown gunk out before shooting.
(are the above necessary?)

To test ammo, I was planning on following Sophie’s recommendation on rimfire central which is as follows: Cleaning with one solvent patch, dry patches, 25 “fouling rounds” then a 6x5 group. Also, how would you recommend testing ammo using a Magnetospeed Sporter chronograph? I’m concerned that if I solely test ammo with the Magnetospeed attached the groups will not represent how the rifle shoots with the Magnetospeed off.

Any additional tips you guys have? Thanks!

 

[uncoffeed]

Clean the barrel until the bulk of the brown goo is gone. I got brown stuff from mine even after a thousand rounds. Get the bulk out, then don't worry about it.

For ammo testing, just shoot your groups with the Magneto off the gun. I usually fire five foulers on the MS, then 10 velocity shots. Then take the MS off and do your groups- four five shot, or two ten shot, or 10 two shot, or whatever makes you feel good. That leaves fifteen rounds to play with or velocity test again. I like to shoot the extra fifteen at 100 yards or more, to see how things work at distance.
If you're testing different ammos, the five foulers are enough to "season" the wax. I don't see any significant difference in chrono results from 5 to 20 rounds of wax "seasoning". The following 10 rounds ensure the "seasoning" is there for your accuracy testing.

YMMV.

 

[uncoffeed]

Oh, do be thinking about bedding your rifle. The CZ is a great tool, and it's way better with just a little attention. Get the rifle pillar and glass bedded (action and first 2" of barrel). Things will change for the better, guaranteed.

 

[308pirate]

Make sure it’s torqued down to spec: 25in/lbs for action screws, 45in/lbs for the barrel set screws.

Bro there is NO spec for those screws. You may want to call those numbers a starting point, for lack of a better term. But if you want a "spec" torque, you will have to figure out what that is for your rifle and your ammo through testing.

@justin amateur knows what he's talking about and I'm not sure some people are paying attention.

These things don't work like centerfires, where you find a load and stick with it forever (or until the barrel starts to crap out).

 

[308pirate]

I've been getting .25 from my 455 with Norma Tac-22 5 Shot Groups at 50 yrds
View attachment 6958847View attachment 6958848View attachment 6958849

Unpossible. You don't have an Area 419 pic rail and a set of scope rings that costs $200. I've been told such things are mandatory for a rimfire to work.

 

[justin amateur]

Torque specs for the CZ 455?

Let me make a recommendation

Barrel screws 30 to 35 inch-lbs.
Not 43 inch-lbs as indicated in the CZ manual.
Why? Lubricated threads require a drop in measured torque.
Using the factory spec on lubed threads will compress the leade of the chamber
actually distorting the chamber out of round and affecting accuracy.

Stock to receiver screws not to exceed 25 inch-lbs.
Over that loading will bend y'er bottom metal and compress or damage the wood.
That will allow screw threads to make contact with the bolt
interfering with or preventing bolt operation.

Magwell screws tighten to contact then 1/8th turn more.
Otherwise the plastic tabs will split and crack the well housing.

 

[rick137]

Thanks for all the advice. I ended getting the CZ 455 Tacticool. For those of you with a CZ, is there anything I need to do before I take it out this weekend? I’ve read I might need to:
(1) Make sure it’s torqued down to spec: 25in/lbs for action screws, 45in/lbs for the barrel set screws.
(2) Clean the initial brown gunk out before shooting.
(are the above necessary?)

To test ammo, I was planning on following Sophie’s recommendation on rimfire central which is as follows: Cleaning with one solvent patch, dry patches, 25 “fouling rounds” then a 6x5 group. Also, how would you recommend testing ammo using a Magnetospeed Sporter chronograph? I’m concerned that if I solely test ammo with the Magnetospeed attached the groups will not represent how the rifle shoots with the Magnetospeed off.

Any additional tips you guys have? Thanks!

I am no expert on the matter but my understanding is LabRadar is the way to measure velocities. "Track and obtain true velocities continuously up to 100 yards. The data is downloadable via USB or SD card. "

 

[308pirate]

Barrel screws 30 to 35 inch-lbs.
Not 43 inch-lbs as indicated in the CZ manual.
Why? Lubricated threads require a drop in measured torque.

While you're correct in that lubricated threads need less measured torque to achieve the required clamping force, why would one lube these particular threads?

I normally don't lube threads unless some technical information I have tells me to or the fastener is going to be exposed to severe conditions that can lead to corrosion or the joint is susceptible to galling.

 

[justin amateur]

I clean my receiver regularly.
Solvent/lubricant settles to the lowest point, the bottom of the receiver.
That's where the threads are located and the solvent/lube ends up in those threads.
You end up with incorrect torque loads if you assume y'er working with dry threads.
Slugging a barrel with the lower torque setting and with the factory setting
will show that there is a measurable difference in the shape of the chamber due to excess load.
No longer round but oval.

 

[Sethshaun]

This was after sight in. Brand new. It got tighter after about 150 rounds.

 

[rick137]

While you're correct in that lubricated threads need less measured torque to achieve the required clamping force, why would one lube these particular threads?

I normally don't lube threads unless some technical information I have tells me to or the fastener is going to be exposed to severe conditions that can lead to corrosion or the joint is susceptible to galling.

I was told by a respected manufactured of after parts such as action screws that lubing threads was good practice and better insurance. If a screw galls I presume you have to drill it out.

From Wikipedia:

"Galling is most commonly found in metal surfaces that are in sliding contact with each other. It is especially common where there is inadequate lubrication between the surfaces. However, certain metals will generally be more prone to galling, due to the atomic structure of their crystals. For example, aluminium is a metal that will gall very easily, whereas annealed (softened) steel is slightly more resistant to galling. Steel that is fully hardened is very resistant to galling."

"Galling is a common problem in most applications where metals slide while in contact with other metals. This can happen regardless of whether the metals are the same or of different kinds. Alloys such as brass and bronze are often chosen for bearings, bushings, and other sliding applications because of their resistance to galling, as well as other forms of mechanical abrasion."

 

[justin amateur]

Ballistic chronographs are tools Rick.
You can spend a lot, or spend a little.
I use a Pal chronograph. Basic optical sensor model.
I record single shots in my log book when testing centerfire handloads.
Use the high, low and average when testing rimfire for 50 shots.
All I really care about is the extreme spread.
The standard deviation has no value for my purposes.
I don't care about my average results, I care about worst results.

 

[308pirate]

I clean my receiver regularly.

Gotcha. I can't remember the last time I cleaned my 452 inside.

I'm pretty sure the screw threads on the bottom of the receiver are bone dry.