I have a question on your ammo chase post. After a rifle is built (completed) is sending it, to KSS for Eley or to Laupa, to be lot tested a dumb idea? I know members talk about firing a brick or two before sending for testing. I wonder why a builder shoots a 1-3 boxes to tune up a newly built rifle work? Why would a brick or two be better? Would the lot chosen early suddenly be come an inconsistent lot to use later? This is a puzzlement? Anyone got an answer?
1. After a rifle is built (completed) is sending it, to KSS for Eley or to Laupa, to be lot tested a dumb idea?
Sending a newly completed rifle directly to a ammo test center is attractive. It’s efficient and it should give you some “decent” ammo to shoot with your new build.
Recognize that the rifle is brand new, probably only function tested by your gunsmith, with only initial evaluation of a rifles precision. The rifle will probably perform better as it’s tested, tuned and the barrel becomes “conditioned”.
So, NO, it’s not a dumb idea. It get’s you started and will give you confidence that the rifle and ammo are paired. You’ll have data from the test site for the ammo you select as well as for the lots you rejected.
2. I know members talk about firing a brick or two before sending for testing. I wonder why a builder shoots a 1-3 boxes to tune up a newly built rifle work?
Most experienced rimfire benchrest shooters will agree that a new build “settles” as the first few bricks of ammo are shot. If you’ve got a decent inventory of ammo for your other RFBR rifles you might prefer to do your own lot testing. If you’ve got little or no ammo inventory you’d probably be better off using a test center. In this age of ammo shortage from Eley and Lapua using a test facility affords you the opportunity to test several lots - that’s a plus!
A builder who shoots one to three boxes of ammo is function testing and getting an initial impression of the rifle’s potential. He’s probably also doing an initial barrel tuning to help the new owner get started. Most RFBR shooters recognize that optimizing performance from a new rifle doesn’t occur overnight.
3. Why would a brick or two be better?
As the new rifle is shot the mechanical parts, i.e., bolt and to a lesser extent the trigger, begin “breaking in” and become more comfortable working together. Smoother bolt throws result and the shooter begins understanding the “feel” of the new rifle.
A new rifle should perform better as the break-in period progresses. Again, this doesn’t happen immediately.
4. Would the lot chosen early suddenly be come an inconsistent lot to use later?
I think a lot chosen immediately following a build completion should perform well over time, i.e., until it’s all gone. A barrel will become conditioned with use - probably similar to the barrel lapping process some gunsmiths or barrel manufacturers use.
Remember, you’ll probably shoot thousands, hopefully tens of thousands of rounds through your rimfire benchrest rifle. Searching for “killer ammo” is a task that never ends. There’s a lot of approaches used to choose winning ammo. What works for you will become evident as you understand what your rifle requires and the expectations you have for your shooting or competitive goals.
I hope this helps,
Norm Flynn