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Posted: 12/21/2007 11:44:40 AM EDT
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Just got back from the range. I have been trying to zero a Valdada while breaking in a Ko-tonics 18 in. stainless. I have about 60 rounds through it and today everything felt right so I moved over to my right hand target and at 100 yds fired 3 rounds in about 30 seconds. I did not fire round 5 and 6 because I got distracted and it was about 4 minutes befor I was able to fire round 4. The first three look about the size of one single 45 round with 3 visible edges. The 4th round hit 11/4 "low and perfectly in line vertically. I am totally new to this weapon and really shooting altogether and I have some questions-please help me. (no round five I got pissed) 1. Did the cool off time effect round four 2. Is there any significance to the round being low instead of high relative to barrel temp 3. I was shooting SSA 115 gr combat loads- is this a consistently good shooting round 4. Has anybody ever had problems with a Valdada zero 5. How many rounds before I should consider the barrel broken in. 6. Could fouling contribute that much between two shots I can't think of anything else-but I'am not as wise as some of you are so please let me know what I am missing other than the obvious-that I just misplaced the last shot. What troubles me is that the verticle alignment is so perfect- I just think it was something else |
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I think you are probably reading too much into one, single group. The barrel is probably not "broken in" IMHO. Tim usually says his barrels are ready to rock right out of the box, but I believe imperfections in the bore may take around 100 rounds to wear evenly around the lands and grooves, so I never worry about group size until I get to about 100 rounds. -Cooling time probably did not affect the POI much. If you have the medium contour stainless, heating and cooling are probably quite negligible w/r/t group size. -the round probably just went 1 and 1/4" low because you shifted the hold very slightly. This was but one, single round, and I think shooter variability, or perhaps the SD of the velocity of one of the rounds could explain that better than your Valada or barrel being somehow suspect. Of course, this presumes that you checked / fully re-tightened all the mounts and screws, etc. after shooting the first few rounds. -SSA 115 grain enhanced-frag. SMK's are among the most accurate factory 6.8 SPC's on the face of the Earth. It's damn fine stuff, period.  -I have never used a Valada, so can't help there. -see above - I doubt fouling is significant at this point. However, that said....I personally "fire lap" my barrels when new. This is more of a personal preference than anything else, but I think it makes good sense. I usually shoot 20 rounds, clean, then 20 more, clean, then 20 more clean, and call it good after that. I "sight in" after shooting a fouling shot from a clean bore and leave it dirty once I start hunting with the gun. I usually clean after about 100 rounds, or if it has been very humid. Remember also that the Ko-Tonics barrels are at least capable of an average of 1 MOA. So, you will probable get some groups that are .75" and others which are 1.25", and this is still great performance for an AR. You also must take into account that some barrels like certain loads, and this barrel might like Vmax's better than SMK's or hand-loaded speer TNT's better than anything else. Before you get upset about any barrel, test many different loads, including handloads to determine its accuracy potential. Keep shooting. I think you'll love your Ko-Tonics. They are an amazing value. Hope this helps... |
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ChickenMan!!!!!.... he's everywhere! How ya doin? Good to see you got your scope and finally got to shoot! If I remember correctly, I lapped the bore of your barrel. You don't need to do any break-in (h-t-r, ChickenMan has one of my stainless barrels, so normally a break-in is required unless they are lapped) You should just shoot it. Shoot it a lot. Clean when you think it needs it. But definitely shoot it. Also, "Combat Loads" may not be the most accurate load out there, I have never seen anyone test them for accuracy. You should be shooting SSA "Enhanced Fragmentation OTM" load, which is the same bullet as Combat Loads, just not as much BOOM. I have a "selling off inventory" deal of $16.50/box of 20 for the standard OTM. But go out there and SHOOT. Practice will get you down to tiny groups. There is a 1/2" 5-shot group waiting in your rifle, you just need to coax it out gently. Here's CM's rifle....  |
I can go along with that... and for all of you guys that use Kotonics if you find an OL that works good in one Ko Tonics it will probably work pretty well in other Ko Tonics so ask the guys here that are getting good groups what OLs they're using on reloads. I'm betting you can load every bullet to 2.295 or 2.3" in a Ko Tonics and get the best groups. |
I agree with the OAL of 2.295 - 2.3 but the only thing is you have to be using PRI mags. If I'm not mistaken you can't get those lengths with C-P mags. |
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