You can not just get the pin, it will not fit through a standard bolt.
I have been talking to DiOrio and we are at a disadvantage, USA shooters can send the bolt in for refit at a reasonable price. We have to order a new front bolt piece and its not going to end up as a cheap conversion.
I have had my first action order for the new style, but its untested really at this stage. Calfee has let the news out a bit before they are fully tested or released.
The new crescent shaped firing pin does not require any modifications to the existing bolt body, the pin blank is the same outer diameter. There are two ways to obtain the new firing pin shape; one is to send your slide to me and I can replace the existing pin tip with the new shape. This option will be problematic for overseas customers because the firing pin slide is considered a controlled item by our State Department and requires import and export licensing. The second option is to purchase a completely new firing pin slide assembly, the slides of each model are interchangeable and do not require any special fitting or modifications to your existing receiver provided it has not been modified from factory specifications. On the current license I have in place with Brett, we have Miscellaneous Components listed as a line item and the firing pin slides are covered under this category. I have not conducted accuracy testing yet on this design, however Bill Calfee has as well as another customer this weekend who posted his findings on Bill's forum this morning. I also sent a V1 and V3 slide to Tom Wilkinson to test, he will get in contact with me once he's concluded his testing. If anyone in AU is interested in the new pins, Brett is your point of contact to place an order. If you have specific questions about the design and want to email me directly, feel free.
Ok it looks like something has been lost it the translation here.
I’d like order a firing pin slide for my 2 lug and 2 springs to match. Cost? I’m not worried let me know when you work it out and when you want me to pay.
The new slides are going to cost me around $460 Aus, plus shipping, plus customs fees and taxes, plus a small margin for me. Won't know exact price till I have them in hand but I would not expect much change out of $600 Aus.
And some want or will need a new spring as well $?
Get in touch with me if you want to put a deposit down and get things moving.
Brett
Brett
Given the price of an action I thought a slide would be around that price and I sent you a PM.
So there is no misunderstanding with other shooters on why I’m doing this. I already have enough accuracy to win big matches, I just need to pull the trigger at the right time. But I do 95% of practice on electronic targets with cheaper ammo mainly SK and the reports of reduced flyers with this new firing pin interest me in using practice ammo. It could end up I only have this new firing pin in the bolt when I have a practice barrel on the gun, time will tell.
My 3 match barrels are polished so I can’t fib about what barrel I’m using they are all low mileage and I’ll never wear them out, from memory have only been feed Tenex, at the time I was only paying the retail price of Eley Team for Tenex so I had plenty of it. The 3 nationals I shot before the Brisbane world championships were IRB RBA 3 gun and TRA and I won all 3 but what I never said, it was with different barrels and lots, so working out which barrel to use at the WC wasn’t easy. I have 3 practice barrels one is a total dud the other 2 I’ve used in small matches with large smallbore scoring rings and neither has dropped a point, they are not bad just not killer barrels. How I setup the scope, action, bedding and stock so all the barrels worked is a process I’ll keep to myself.
The sporter barrel I won with at the Brisbane WC started off as a practice barrel but after about 5000 rounds of SK it started shooting a lot of 600’s on the electronic targets so I tried some match ammo it in and it worked out good and the WC is the only match that barrel has shot it.
Peter
PS I bought all these goodies when the exchange rate was $1.20 so it was a lot cheaper than it is now.
Sorry these new pins are a bit slow leaving the USA sorry.
Anthony at Turbo has redesigned a firing pin that will be supplied with these new pins that will work in all Turbo actions. In fact they will be suitable for all firing pins and might be better.
Supply of the first order of springs will arrive at Turbo this week, hopfully the parts will be shipped to Australia soon after.
Brett
I’ve been asked about firing pin spring management so I thought I’d post it here for all to see.
With the old Turbo spring management was something only the top shooters in the US seemed to understand. I imported the first batch of DiOrio Turbos to Australia and while I had heard the DiOrio had better firing pin springs I still had extra springs in my shipment. The the DiOrio have been great and all I’ve done is have a spring for practice and one for matches.
With these actions you must put some sort of lube on the cocking ramps on the bolt handle, if you don’t lifting the bolt just gets harder and harder. But it feels like 99% of the lube works it’s way down between the firing pin and the bolt body, if you don’t clean the lube out it hurts accuracy up to the point that you start having misfires. So before a match I’ll strip and clean the bolt and put the match spring in and after the match when I take off the match barrel I take the match spring out too and that is all I do.
People have watched me open and close my Turbo bolts with one finger and some think I’ve changed or shorten the spring or altered the timing, the spring and timing are 100% untouched. The answer is elsewhere!
I hear the firing pins are on there way but the springs didn’t make the shipment. There has been a bit of R&D done spring development so I’m very interested to see how these new springs workout in testing.
When I get my firing pin I’ll need to polish it up so waiting for springs doesn’t worry me. This is what my current firing pin looks like and its a slow process.
Here is photo of my bolt handle and it’s polished up in the right places. The cocking ramps are highly polished but so I don’t go too far I like to be able to see just a little of the machine marks. All of this greatly helps with the bolt lift.
The problem with closing the bolt is you need to push it nearly all the way forward before you can push it down. A lot of people don’t address the lead carbon ring that builds up at the front of the chamber and the bullet needs to be forced into the chamber making the bolt harder to close. Try putting a empty case in the chamber and if it a lot easier to close you need to get a bronze brush into that chamber area and clean out the lead carbon ring. When I run in a new barrel in I have a procedure that greatly reduces the lead carbon ring problem.
When I upgraded to Turbo's I called it Project Alchemy the ancient art of turning lead (bullets) into gold (medals) and as part of the project I needed a good guncase to carry them around in. I had the 1mm shell for the case custom made and I fitted it out myself, the stock is balsa/carbonfibre that I made and painted myself, I like to do my own gear.
The best pair... case and rifle.
Uau... outstanding.
I do like to cherish my gear, but you are on another league.
Several years ago I did my own cases with laminated wood and felt an all the other fancies, then I succumbed to SKBs and the likes.
Looking at yours I think part of the magic is gone...
It’s a nice case and it’s worked out great but it’s light and a bit fragile to use in a plane trip or something like that. It was much harder to design than make, a lot of little prototype parts made and rejected before the final design was set.
The stock is interesting the paint is a 2 pac polyurethane and is a solid colour all the through, so any runs in the paint I just sanded them flat and polished it up and it looks like a professional did it.
The gun had to be under 10 1/2lbs but with a 24” .9” barrel and a 10-60 March scope there wasn’t a lot of weight left for the stock. I’ve always made and bedded my own stock and they can affect the way a gun shoots and it’s hard to test for the little problems I see. So I had 3 barrels that were tuned in Dan Killough in the US and I spent a lot of time in a tunnel we have in Sydney testing different stocks and bedding and ways to control vibrations until all 3 barrels shot similar to how they they had done in the US. I found I could have 1 or 2 barrels shooting great but getting all 3 on song took a bit of R&D. It’s worked out that almost all barrels I use in this stock/action/scope platform all shoot great. Anyone who doesn’t think vibration play a huge part in getting the best out of these guns, for a right hand shooter just put the fingertips of you left hand on any metal part near you front bag and fire a shoot. And think all those vibrations have gone through the action, bedding, stock and front bag.
Pedro as with most things I do go a little overboard so here is my little mat, rear bag and elbow rest that I made, naturally all matching the gun case.
Peter,
We are drifting from the thread but I doubt that someone don't like your posts showing one big, huge, important part in this game... having fun.
And sure you are having a lot of fun doing all those custom items. They look good, and what looks good, feels good.
Another thing that I play a lot of, like you, is with vibrations. As an example, I know which scope, among mine, works best in a particular rifle. I learned that the hard way. I played so long with one of my rifles, spend so much time batch selecting, just to realise nothing did what I wanted. One day I switch scopes, just I needed one in another rig, and the rifle come to life. Bingo!
With my Team, we build stocks with particular woods for particular actions and weight, knowing what to expect as a final product. Took long, but it pays dividends.
Now, I'm learning the best way to select those good lots according to wind drift and prediction of it. And it's related to brand too...
okay whether you are drifting off subject or not i have been following and reading and learning things as you are going along have picked up some tips thus far and maybe i'll pick up some more i am just embarking on my adventure into the Dark Art of Bench Rest Shooting in the process of building my rifle in rim fire and as with you i like to customize my gear along the way so whether you are drifting or not keep it up because some of us are getting a lot out of this
have your self and every one a merry Christmas
Yes the thread got a little off track. But while there seems to be a few of these new firing pins on there way here. I don’t expect anyone will be posting results of testing on here. So all that is said above might be all that is said on this subject.
Wally
Your post made me think there are a lot of new guys in the sport and very little info to help people get off to a good start. I’ll start a thread next week with my views on how new shooters can improve their wind reading skills much faster.
Peter thanks mate any tips and information i can gather is good as you know we all keep gaining bits here and there i keep a book of the main points that others have passed on to me at state shoots and have had some coaching mixed in there from some on the top at the moment so THANKS to you and others for any information
p's to every one have a safe and merry Christmas and new year
Peter, this a very keen subject to me as I have held some training for new comers. A full day training with theory and practice.
I like allot to do it, having four already under my belt, and more next year. But i have one recurrent issue that is hard to deal with... maybe you got a simple answer to it...
I tend to say that, on benchrest, gear is very important, but equally the attitude and the mental preparation, both feed with proper training and goals setting.
Issue is, many people come to this category deeply believing that gear is what makes champions. Have you, of course you did, deal with it? And how did you turn the corner without disbelieve from those believers?
I got the new pins today, along with some extractors and trigger hangers.
Sadly no springs yet.
Still have to cost them out and send invoices, so won't be sent out before Xmas but getting closer.
Photos tomorrow, fires permitting.
Brett
Yes you see a lot of shooters who think it’s all about the rifle and when the ego doesn’t match the results it’s the guns fault and they sell it and get another better one. I think there have been very few times I’ve won matches that I’ve had the most accurate gun on the line but I’ve learnt that if I pull the trigger at the right time more than those with the super accurate guns most times I beat them. So I don’t have a problem with other shooters worrying about the gun more than their abilities.
I tell new shooters you need good gear to shoot good scores but you will never win a big match unless you have a solid mental game very few listen.
The problem with talking about the mental game is most people don’t understand what it is. My view is look at the the brain like a computer it has only X amount of processing power and when a shooter is having a great practice day they are relaxed and using all the processing power of the brain. But when they go to a match they think about their scores, other shooters scores, are they using the right lot and so on. End result is there is too much going on in their head and they can’t access the full processing power and shoot lower scores in matches.
I have my own way of preparing for big matches and I’m someone who shoots bigger scores in matches than practice so for me it works. But getting my head into that sweet spot is not easy because it’s a moving target. For me it’s not a question of do this and that and everything will be great it a case of constant refinement and it is very boring doing the same mental tasks over and over. Even after all the work I do preparing the mental side, at some matches I’m trying to relax at others I’m playing heavy rock on my iPod to get my blood pumping a bit harder.
Pedro Going to attempt to get this write as I don’t have a way with words so I am doing pretty well at club level we do have a good amount of good shooters up this way so enough to keep you honest if you know what I’m trying to say but at state level I come undone in the way you describe where the failure of a good result is nagging at me all the time I have tried a few different way of pushing this aside but only works for a round a target or so any tips in this area would be welcomed I know the more I go to different shoots the better this will get I hope having seed that we do 5 rounds of a 3 card I R B shoot at different ranges up here in the north I am involved in running one and help at the others maybe I take on too much and this may be my down fall as I say any help in settling down at these shoots would be welcomed
While i agree somewhat there a few points i will make.
There are levels to everything competitive & here are my thoughts.
Equipment in benchrest is very important. Top line equipment these days is so good you can be the best shooter ever that without competitive stuff working on the day you wont get a sniff. I've seen awesomely competitive shooters get left behind. Half the battle/talent is sourcing capable gear & keeping it performing at its best.
The mental game, where do i start? No 1 approach will work for all & I try not to get caught up in it too much. I just keep an unwavering desire to perform at my best/win, never giving in. Doesn't matter if you miss the first or the last shot the score is the same. Mental toughness will shine through. Don't ever give up on a target, day or match. Even if all goes wrong consider it a lesson learned that will hold you in good stead for future comps.
I hate to say this Wally but sometimes being selfish is the way to go. We all make a choice how much to take on trying to be everything to everyone re running shoots, helping new shooters, setting up the range, giving time to people who have traveled distances, delegate duties, committees, coaching etc... May i suggest picking 1 or 2 shoots to target your elusive bigtime win. Kindly explain your position & organize replacements before the day then set about your goal.
Mentally set yourself to beat the best at their best. Thinking about past performances while at a shoot means your not focusing on the job at hand. Have confidence, envisage your winning performance, execute.
Peter thanks for the tips and you are right I do tend to look after others first and as you say sometimes you just have to put yourself first and just get in the right space and shoot to my best I have over quite some time obtained the right gear and know how to look after it this takes time as nothing in the sport of bench rest is cheap yes there is cheap out there and I did have this for some time as I slowly up graded to what I think is the best front rests rear bags and just this Christmas got the rifle which I think will do the job now to get used to it all and go shooting thanks for the tips as I have seed before I keep all the information I get and refer to it a lot when I think things are not going my way and the big one is I have to put myself first for a change once in a while thanks again
Wally
I just came back to this thread and realised I didn’t say anything about your gun, it looks good. I wish I could use the lower profile butt, but I have a upper back problem so I need the gun to sit higher.
Wally
Yes good gear is not cheap, but it all has a resale value and I look at like an investment. I just park some money in that investment and if I need the money I just cash out that investment. It’s the ammo that disappears down the barrel that is the real cost.
I hear the springs have arrived and the pins and springs will be shipped out soon. So those who are getting the upgrade will be out testing soon. I do all my tuning and lot testing in the wind on electronic targets so I’ll have no hard data to share so I won’t be making any comments about my results.
Also regardless of the results I get I won’t be using the new firing pin at the TRA nationals at Easter, I’ve only ever shot 2 TRA nationals and my 2 day scores were 1267.2 and 1267.7 and I’ll be using the same barrel/ammo/ firing pin combination to try and win a 3rd TRA nationals. My point is I’m not the person to be looking at to judge it the firing pin upgrade is worth the price.
I received my firing pin on Thursday and tested on Friday. I found the firing pin tip the same length on the new and old the firing pins but where the trigger engages the firing pin the length was not exactly the same. The early actions had a shorter firing pin travel and it could be not a simple drop in upgrade with some of the earlier actions.
With the larger footprint the springs need to be a bit stronger but I could still open and close my bolt with one finger and didn’t notice any difference in working the bolt.
With the recent heavy rain Cecil Park had flooded and grass is still very wet so when the sun came out lots of mirage and maybe 3/4 of 10 in elevation between cloud cover and sunshine, not a day for great scores. But with a practice barrel and SK I still managed to shoot 627.7 and that score would of been good enough to be in the top 10 on both days at last years TRA nationals. On a more reasonable day I would expect this combination to be shooting around the 630 mark.
So do I think this firing pin design makes cheaper ammo shoot like match ammo? In my gun I’d say a very firm Yes. Will it help make any difference with match ammo, you guys can work that part out yourself.
Peter
I’ve included a photo the score is at top and yes there were a couple of 9.9s’ but they were driver error.
I’m still only using SK (a 628.8 this morning) and the thing I’m finding the barrel is lot easier to clean. I’m clearly getting a higher percentage of combustion of the powder and primer with less unburnt crud left in the barrel.
Peter I would like to thank you for the appraisal of the new type of firing pin and from reading it looks like they do make a difference so I might just have to get one for myself
Wally
I said in the beginning that my main reason was to help with cheaper practice ammo and cut cut down on flyers and it’s seems to cut down on flyers.
At this point I haven’t tried this firing pin with any of my match barrel and good ammo but I’m not expecting to see any improvement with my good lots of Tenex.
I tried some 2015 Tenex in the practice barrel yesterday and it seemed ok. The Eley powder doesn’t burn as clean as the SK and it took 3 patches to clean the barrel using Eley. The wind showed me every direction and speed yesterday so not a day for big scores but an excellent testing day. I do seem to be shooting near my best this year so don’t read to much into the scores a 600.50 which translate to 631 on the electronic scoring and that would of been good enough for top 4 at last year TRA nationals but yesterday was tougher wind.
I can’t say this firing pin makes a gun shoot better but it does seem to help with consistency. If you are getting little flyers and it’s ammo related this firing pin will help, but if your flyers are tune related it’s not going to help.
I can remember a 2 day IRB match at Coffs I shoot a 749 on the second day and the 9 was a little flyer and if that 9 goes in the x-ring I would of picked up a new 1, 3 and 6 target national IRB records, with the 9 I lost the match by 1 point and no records. So one of those little flyers at the wrong time can really hurt and if I had this firing pin back then I think I might of come home with a better result.
I think for me the real value of this firing pin will be when I go lot testing, I expect it to be easier and cheaper ( not testing as many lots) to find good lots.
Tomorrow I’ll start testing my match barrels but I’ll keep those results to myself.
Guys
I’ve been asked a few times about what SK I use, what I use is maybe 10 years old. Long story but at the time I was getting a good discount and was only paying about 50% of the retail price so when I found a good lot of match or practice ammo I’d buy all they had, I think it was 7 cases of this lot of SK and I took all of them and I’m down to my last case of this lot of SK.
Thinking about it, the last ammo I acquired was what Eley gave me after the 2015 world championships and I still have a case of that lot of Tenex, so I have no idea what is good or bad with current ammo.
You can not just get the pin, it will not fit through a standard bolt.
I have been talking to DiOrio and we are at a disadvantage, USA shooters can send the bolt in for refit at a reasonable price. We have to order a new front bolt piece and its not going to end up as a cheap conversion.
I have had my first action order for the new style, but its untested really at this stage. Calfee has let the news out a bit before they are fully tested or released.
Brett
The new crescent shaped firing pin does not require any modifications to the existing bolt body, the pin blank is the same outer diameter. There are two ways to obtain the new firing pin shape; one is to send your slide to me and I can replace the existing pin tip with the new shape. This option will be problematic for overseas customers because the firing pin slide is considered a controlled item by our State Department and requires import and export licensing. The second option is to purchase a completely new firing pin slide assembly, the slides of each model are interchangeable and do not require any special fitting or modifications to your existing receiver provided it has not been modified from factory specifications. On the current license I have in place with Brett, we have Miscellaneous Components listed as a line item and the firing pin slides are covered under this category. I have not conducted accuracy testing yet on this design, however Bill Calfee has as well as another customer this weekend who posted his findings on Bill's forum this morning. I also sent a V1 and V3 slide to Tom Wilkinson to test, he will get in contact with me once he's concluded his testing. If anyone in AU is interested in the new pins, Brett is your point of contact to place an order. If you have specific questions about the design and want to email me directly, feel free.
Best Regards, Anthony DiOrio
Ok it looks like something has been lost it the translation here.
I’d like order a firing pin slide for my 2 lug and 2 springs to match. Cost? I’m not worried let me know when you work it out and when you want me to pay.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
The new slides are going to cost me around $460 Aus, plus shipping, plus customs fees and taxes, plus a small margin for me. Won't know exact price till I have them in hand but I would not expect much change out of $600 Aus.
And some want or will need a new spring as well $?
Get in touch with me if you want to put a deposit down and get things moving.
Brett
Brett
Given the price of an action I thought a slide would be around that price and I sent you a PM.
So there is no misunderstanding with other shooters on why I’m doing this. I already have enough accuracy to win big matches, I just need to pull the trigger at the right time. But I do 95% of practice on electronic targets with cheaper ammo mainly SK and the reports of reduced flyers with this new firing pin interest me in using practice ammo. It could end up I only have this new firing pin in the bolt when I have a practice barrel on the gun, time will tell.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Peter
So do you run Eley exclusively in your competition barrels or do you put SK through now & then.
Peter O
Peter
My 3 match barrels are polished so I can’t fib about what barrel I’m using they are all low mileage and I’ll never wear them out, from memory have only been feed Tenex, at the time I was only paying the retail price of Eley Team for Tenex so I had plenty of it. The 3 nationals I shot before the Brisbane world championships were IRB RBA 3 gun and TRA and I won all 3 but what I never said, it was with different barrels and lots, so working out which barrel to use at the WC wasn’t easy. I have 3 practice barrels one is a total dud the other 2 I’ve used in small matches with large smallbore scoring rings and neither has dropped a point, they are not bad just not killer barrels. How I setup the scope, action, bedding and stock so all the barrels worked is a process I’ll keep to myself.
The sporter barrel I won with at the Brisbane WC started off as a practice barrel but after about 5000 rounds of SK it started shooting a lot of 600’s on the electronic targets so I tried some match ammo it in and it worked out good and the WC is the only match that barrel has shot it.
Peter
PS I bought all these goodies when the exchange rate was $1.20 so it was a lot cheaper than it is now.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Sorry these new pins are a bit slow leaving the USA sorry.
Anthony at Turbo has redesigned a firing pin that will be supplied with these new pins that will work in all Turbo actions. In fact they will be suitable for all firing pins and might be better.
Supply of the first order of springs will arrive at Turbo this week, hopfully the parts will be shipped to Australia soon after.
Brett
Guys
I’ve been asked about firing pin spring management so I thought I’d post it here for all to see.
With the old Turbo spring management was something only the top shooters in the US seemed to understand. I imported the first batch of DiOrio Turbos to Australia and while I had heard the DiOrio had better firing pin springs I still had extra springs in my shipment. The the DiOrio have been great and all I’ve done is have a spring for practice and one for matches.
With these actions you must put some sort of lube on the cocking ramps on the bolt handle, if you don’t lifting the bolt just gets harder and harder. But it feels like 99% of the lube works it’s way down between the firing pin and the bolt body, if you don’t clean the lube out it hurts accuracy up to the point that you start having misfires. So before a match I’ll strip and clean the bolt and put the match spring in and after the match when I take off the match barrel I take the match spring out too and that is all I do.
People have watched me open and close my Turbo bolts with one finger and some think I’ve changed or shorten the spring or altered the timing, the spring and timing are 100% untouched. The answer is elsewhere!
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys
I hear the firing pins are on there way but the springs didn’t make the shipment. There has been a bit of R&D done spring development so I’m very interested to see how these new springs workout in testing.
When I get my firing pin I’ll need to polish it up so waiting for springs doesn’t worry me. This is what my current firing pin looks like and its a slow process.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Turbo bolt lift
Here is photo of my bolt handle and it’s polished up in the right places. The cocking ramps are highly polished but so I don’t go too far I like to be able to see just a little of the machine marks. All of this greatly helps with the bolt lift.
The problem with closing the bolt is you need to push it nearly all the way forward before you can push it down. A lot of people don’t address the lead carbon ring that builds up at the front of the chamber and the bullet needs to be forced into the chamber making the bolt harder to close. Try putting a empty case in the chamber and if it a lot easier to close you need to get a bronze brush into that chamber area and clean out the lead carbon ring. When I run in a new barrel in I have a procedure that greatly reduces the lead carbon ring problem.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
I couldn’t get 2 photos to load so here is a 2nd photo of the bolt handle
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Hi Peter, is a delight seeing your gear.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks
PedroS
Hi Pedro
When I upgraded to Turbo's I called it Project Alchemy the ancient art of turning lead (bullets) into gold (medals) and as part of the project I needed a good guncase to carry them around in. I had the 1mm shell for the case custom made and I fitted it out myself, the stock is balsa/carbonfibre that I made and painted myself, I like to do my own gear.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
For some reason the first photo is upside down and I can't change it.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Photo 3
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
The best pair... case and rifle.
Uau... outstanding.
I do like to cherish my gear, but you are on another league.
Several years ago I did my own cases with laminated wood and felt an all the other fancies, then I succumbed to SKBs and the likes.
Looking at yours I think part of the magic is gone...
Thanks
PedroS
Pedro
It’s a nice case and it’s worked out great but it’s light and a bit fragile to use in a plane trip or something like that. It was much harder to design than make, a lot of little prototype parts made and rejected before the final design was set.
The stock is interesting the paint is a 2 pac polyurethane and is a solid colour all the through, so any runs in the paint I just sanded them flat and polished it up and it looks like a professional did it.
The gun had to be under 10 1/2lbs but with a 24” .9” barrel and a 10-60 March scope there wasn’t a lot of weight left for the stock. I’ve always made and bedded my own stock and they can affect the way a gun shoots and it’s hard to test for the little problems I see. So I had 3 barrels that were tuned in Dan Killough in the US and I spent a lot of time in a tunnel we have in Sydney testing different stocks and bedding and ways to control vibrations until all 3 barrels shot similar to how they they had done in the US. I found I could have 1 or 2 barrels shooting great but getting all 3 on song took a bit of R&D. It’s worked out that almost all barrels I use in this stock/action/scope platform all shoot great. Anyone who doesn’t think vibration play a huge part in getting the best out of these guns, for a right hand shooter just put the fingertips of you left hand on any metal part near you front bag and fire a shoot. And think all those vibrations have gone through the action, bedding, stock and front bag.
Pedro as with most things I do go a little overboard so here is my little mat, rear bag and elbow rest that I made, naturally all matching the gun case.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
A better look at the rear bag a bit of hand stitching in this one.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Plus a horse shoe on the bottom for luck.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Peter,
We are drifting from the thread but I doubt that someone don't like your posts showing one big, huge, important part in this game... having fun.
And sure you are having a lot of fun doing all those custom items. They look good, and what looks good, feels good.
Another thing that I play a lot of, like you, is with vibrations. As an example, I know which scope, among mine, works best in a particular rifle. I learned that the hard way. I played so long with one of my rifles, spend so much time batch selecting, just to realise nothing did what I wanted. One day I switch scopes, just I needed one in another rig, and the rifle come to life. Bingo!
With my Team, we build stocks with particular woods for particular actions and weight, knowing what to expect as a final product. Took long, but it pays dividends.
Now, I'm learning the best way to select those good lots according to wind drift and prediction of it. And it's related to brand too...
Thanks
PedroS
okay whether you are drifting off subject or not i have been following and reading and learning things as you are going along have picked up some tips thus far and maybe i'll pick up some more i am just embarking on my adventure into the Dark Art of Bench Rest Shooting in the process of building my rifle in rim fire and as with you i like to customize my gear along the way so whether you are drifting or not keep it up because some of us are getting a lot out of this
have your self and every one a merry Christmas
Wally
Wombat
Pedro
Yes the thread got a little off track. But while there seems to be a few of these new firing pins on there way here. I don’t expect anyone will be posting results of testing on here. So all that is said above might be all that is said on this subject.
Wally
Your post made me think there are a lot of new guys in the sport and very little info to help people get off to a good start. I’ll start a thread next week with my views on how new shooters can improve their wind reading skills much faster.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Peter thanks mate any tips and information i can gather is good as you know we all keep gaining bits here and there i keep a book of the main points that others have passed on to me at state shoots and have had some coaching mixed in there from some on the top at the moment so THANKS to you and others for any information
p's to every one have a safe and merry Christmas and new year
Wally
Wombat
Peter, this a very keen subject to me as I have held some training for new comers. A full day training with theory and practice.
I like allot to do it, having four already under my belt, and more next year. But i have one recurrent issue that is hard to deal with... maybe you got a simple answer to it...
I tend to say that, on benchrest, gear is very important, but equally the attitude and the mental preparation, both feed with proper training and goals setting.
Issue is, many people come to this category deeply believing that gear is what makes champions. Have you, of course you did, deal with it? And how did you turn the corner without disbelieve from those believers?
Thanks
PedroS
I got the new pins today, along with some extractors and trigger hangers.
Sadly no springs yet.
Still have to cost them out and send invoices, so won't be sent out before Xmas but getting closer.
Photos tomorrow, fires permitting.
Brett
Stay safe over there. Everything else is secondary.
Peter
Pedro
Yes you see a lot of shooters who think it’s all about the rifle and when the ego doesn’t match the results it’s the guns fault and they sell it and get another better one. I think there have been very few times I’ve won matches that I’ve had the most accurate gun on the line but I’ve learnt that if I pull the trigger at the right time more than those with the super accurate guns most times I beat them. So I don’t have a problem with other shooters worrying about the gun more than their abilities.
I tell new shooters you need good gear to shoot good scores but you will never win a big match unless you have a solid mental game very few listen.
The problem with talking about the mental game is most people don’t understand what it is. My view is look at the the brain like a computer it has only X amount of processing power and when a shooter is having a great practice day they are relaxed and using all the processing power of the brain. But when they go to a match they think about their scores, other shooters scores, are they using the right lot and so on. End result is there is too much going on in their head and they can’t access the full processing power and shoot lower scores in matches.
I have my own way of preparing for big matches and I’m someone who shoots bigger scores in matches than practice so for me it works. But getting my head into that sweet spot is not easy because it’s a moving target. For me it’s not a question of do this and that and everything will be great it a case of constant refinement and it is very boring doing the same mental tasks over and over. Even after all the work I do preparing the mental side, at some matches I’m trying to relax at others I’m playing heavy rock on my iPod to get my blood pumping a bit harder.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Pedro Going to attempt to get this write as I don’t have a way with words so I am doing pretty well at club level we do have a good amount of good shooters up this way so enough to keep you honest if you know what I’m trying to say but at state level I come undone in the way you describe where the failure of a good result is nagging at me all the time I have tried a few different way of pushing this aside but only works for a round a target or so any tips in this area would be welcomed I know the more I go to different shoots the better this will get I hope having seed that we do 5 rounds of a 3 card I R B shoot at different ranges up here in the north I am involved in running one and help at the others maybe I take on too much and this may be my down fall as I say any help in settling down at these shoots would be welcomed
Thanks
Wally
Wombat
While i agree somewhat there a few points i will make.
There are levels to everything competitive & here are my thoughts.
Equipment in benchrest is very important. Top line equipment these days is so good you can be the best shooter ever that without competitive stuff working on the day you wont get a sniff. I've seen awesomely competitive shooters get left behind. Half the battle/talent is sourcing capable gear & keeping it performing at its best.
The mental game, where do i start? No 1 approach will work for all & I try not to get caught up in it too much. I just keep an unwavering desire to perform at my best/win, never giving in. Doesn't matter if you miss the first or the last shot the score is the same. Mental toughness will shine through. Don't ever give up on a target, day or match. Even if all goes wrong consider it a lesson learned that will hold you in good stead for future comps.
I hate to say this Wally but sometimes being selfish is the way to go. We all make a choice how much to take on trying to be everything to everyone re running shoots, helping new shooters, setting up the range, giving time to people who have traveled distances, delegate duties, committees, coaching etc... May i suggest picking 1 or 2 shoots to target your elusive bigtime win. Kindly explain your position & organize replacements before the day then set about your goal.
Mentally set yourself to beat the best at their best. Thinking about past performances while at a shoot means your not focusing on the job at hand. Have confidence, envisage your winning performance, execute.
Peter
Peter thanks for the tips and you are right I do tend to look after others first and as you say sometimes you just have to put yourself first and just get in the right space and shoot to my best I have over quite some time obtained the right gear and know how to look after it this takes time as nothing in the sport of bench rest is cheap yes there is cheap out there and I did have this for some time as I slowly up graded to what I think is the best front rests rear bags and just this Christmas got the rifle which I think will do the job now to get used to it all and go shooting thanks for the tips as I have seed before I keep all the information I get and refer to it a lot when I think things are not going my way and the big one is I have to put myself first for a change once in a while thanks again
Wally
Wombat
That's a sleek looking rig mate. Hope success is just around the corner for you.
Peter
Thanks Peter there is a few years’ worth of saving to get to this stage now to enjoy it
Wally
Wombat
Wally
I just came back to this thread and realised I didn’t say anything about your gun, it looks good. I wish I could use the lower profile butt, but I have a upper back problem so I need the gun to sit higher.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
thanks it took a lot of saving and then some but now just have to get the best out of it and myself
Wombat
Wally
Yes good gear is not cheap, but it all has a resale value and I look at like an investment. I just park some money in that investment and if I need the money I just cash out that investment. It’s the ammo that disappears down the barrel that is the real cost.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys
I hear the springs have arrived and the pins and springs will be shipped out soon. So those who are getting the upgrade will be out testing soon. I do all my tuning and lot testing in the wind on electronic targets so I’ll have no hard data to share so I won’t be making any comments about my results.
Also regardless of the results I get I won’t be using the new firing pin at the TRA nationals at Easter, I’ve only ever shot 2 TRA nationals and my 2 day scores were 1267.2 and 1267.7 and I’ll be using the same barrel/ammo/ firing pin combination to try and win a 3rd TRA nationals. My point is I’m not the person to be looking at to judge it the firing pin upgrade is worth the price.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys
I received my firing pin on Thursday and tested on Friday. I found the firing pin tip the same length on the new and old the firing pins but where the trigger engages the firing pin the length was not exactly the same. The early actions had a shorter firing pin travel and it could be not a simple drop in upgrade with some of the earlier actions.
With the larger footprint the springs need to be a bit stronger but I could still open and close my bolt with one finger and didn’t notice any difference in working the bolt.
With the recent heavy rain Cecil Park had flooded and grass is still very wet so when the sun came out lots of mirage and maybe 3/4 of 10 in elevation between cloud cover and sunshine, not a day for great scores. But with a practice barrel and SK I still managed to shoot 627.7 and that score would of been good enough to be in the top 10 on both days at last years TRA nationals. On a more reasonable day I would expect this combination to be shooting around the 630 mark.
So do I think this firing pin design makes cheaper ammo shoot like match ammo? In my gun I’d say a very firm Yes. Will it help make any difference with match ammo, you guys can work that part out yourself.
Peter
I’ve included a photo the score is at top and yes there were a couple of 9.9s’ but they were driver error.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Mine is in and ready for some testing
Dave
I’m still only using SK (a 628.8 this morning) and the thing I’m finding the barrel is lot easier to clean. I’m clearly getting a higher percentage of combustion of the powder and primer with less unburnt crud left in the barrel.
First patch through the barrel
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
2nd patch and it’s done, shooting the 60 shot match and sighters it’s about 80 odd rounds between cleaning.
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Peter I would like to thank you for the appraisal of the new type of firing pin and from reading it looks like they do make a difference so I might just have to get one for myself
Thanks
Wally
Wombat
Wally
I said in the beginning that my main reason was to help with cheaper practice ammo and cut cut down on flyers and it’s seems to cut down on flyers.
At this point I haven’t tried this firing pin with any of my match barrel and good ammo but I’m not expecting to see any improvement with my good lots of Tenex.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys
I tried some 2015 Tenex in the practice barrel yesterday and it seemed ok. The Eley powder doesn’t burn as clean as the SK and it took 3 patches to clean the barrel using Eley. The wind showed me every direction and speed yesterday so not a day for big scores but an excellent testing day. I do seem to be shooting near my best this year so don’t read to much into the scores a 600.50 which translate to 631 on the electronic scoring and that would of been good enough for top 4 at last year TRA nationals but yesterday was tougher wind.
I can’t say this firing pin makes a gun shoot better but it does seem to help with consistency. If you are getting little flyers and it’s ammo related this firing pin will help, but if your flyers are tune related it’s not going to help.
I can remember a 2 day IRB match at Coffs I shoot a 749 on the second day and the 9 was a little flyer and if that 9 goes in the x-ring I would of picked up a new 1, 3 and 6 target national IRB records, with the 9 I lost the match by 1 point and no records. So one of those little flyers at the wrong time can really hurt and if I had this firing pin back then I think I might of come home with a better result.
I think for me the real value of this firing pin will be when I go lot testing, I expect it to be easier and cheaper ( not testing as many lots) to find good lots.
Tomorrow I’ll start testing my match barrels but I’ll keep those results to myself.
Peter
PS always good to finish with 10.9
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys
I’ve been asked a few times about what SK I use, what I use is maybe 10 years old. Long story but at the time I was getting a good discount and was only paying about 50% of the retail price so when I found a good lot of match or practice ammo I’d buy all they had, I think it was 7 cases of this lot of SK and I took all of them and I’m down to my last case of this lot of SK.
Thinking about it, the last ammo I acquired was what Eley gave me after the 2015 world championships and I still have a case of that lot of Tenex, so I have no idea what is good or bad with current ammo.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)
Guys I’ve been asked about the firing pin upgrade, all the info is on this thread.
Peter
RBA HoF #1 (2007)