I made a short video on the weekend showing the 6.5x55 Match barrel being removed and the 243 Winchester barrel being installed. The Kahles K624i scope is then reinstalled to the receiver. I had loosened the two barrel mounting screws before starting the camera. They were as 'hand-tight' as I could get them, so getting them loosened was a bit of a trick. I don't use a torque wrench; I just tighten by hand, as consistently as I can, with the Mauser T-key. It seems to be working as the 243 barrel dropped two rabbits with the first two shots, at 230 meters. :-)
Monday, 22 September 2014
4 comments:
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Regards, Rick.
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Hi, I have read this blog a number of times. Its very good. I am looking for a new rifle and I think out of all the reviews I have read. Its come down to the Mauser M03 Extreme in.308.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words treecare. A Mauser M03 Extreme in 308 Win strikes me as being an excellent choice, for small deer, through wild boar and up to larger deer and even moose, if you're a good shot! :-) Do you think you'll use open sights sometimes? I have open sights on my 270 Win and 30-06 barrels, but not on my 6.5x55 and 243 Win barrels. With the more powerful calibers I like the idea of being able to quickly remove the scope and push into thicker scrub with shorter sight lines, with a lighter rifle. Have you seen the video on Mauser's site, called The Open Sight Hunter?
DeleteThanks for the Blog. Lots of very useful info and must admit persuaded me to get an M03. Watched your barrel change video when you touch the barrel parts before fitting are you putting some oil or grease on the pins and contact points of the barrel? Is that the best way to get repeatability?
ReplyDeleteHi Unknown. Thanks for the thanks. Great to hear that real shooters out there are finding this blog to be useful. Please accept my apologies for not seeing this comment straight away - I've been distracted by international goings-on and their implications.
DeleteTo answer your question, what you see me doing when I'm touching the barrel near the tightening bolts is brushing away bits of dust and grit that would mess with consistent fitting of the barrel to the receiver. This will also smooth away any smears of oil that might be there, which will also help with consistency.
The best way to achieve repeatable accuracy is:
- do what I did in this video, but
- snug up the barrel tightening screws lightly, then insert the bolt, cock it and close it, so that it puts some tension on the barrel
- with the bolt inserted and cocked like this, progressively and fully tighten the barrel screws.
This method is considered by a number of users I've heard from to be the most helpful. I wouldn't expect miracles though. First shots after a barrel change might not be spot on, but often are. :-) It's the same for first shots after barrel oiling or cleaning - that always throws them off a touch. A large pig at 100m is no problem in this respect.
The best repeatable accuracy will come from leaving the barrel dirty between hunts (I do this, provided it's been dry and humidity is not too high). I sometimes pull a dry patch through the barrel to wipe away powder residue. If I oil or clean the barrel, I fire a fouling shot, if I can, before meeting guilty critters.
Please let us know how you go with your barrel change technique. :-)
Regards, Rick.