Greybeards Gripes

I lock-tighted the barrel mounting screws and the scope lock nut this morning.  About 75 rounds this afternoon,  did not shake anything loose. 

Problem:  I was able to get 10 to 15 rounds into a 3 inch circle at 100 ft.  (definately not earth shattering)  But,  after that, it started getting wild again.  About every third shot would be a stringer.  That went on for 30 to 40 rounds,  then the point of aim shifted about 6 inches!!!

I called Compasseco and was told to;  *check the skirts on the pellets,   *hold the gun for an instant after squeezing the shot, *Don’t hold the gun to tight, * check the screws for loosness after every wild shot.  They are also sending a replacement bolt-to-chamber  seal.  The Tech said the TF-99’s are very accurate, and that he’s not seen one that didn’t shoot good.   (I may have one for him)

I have 18 perfect pellets sorted for tomorrow,  and three sighting targets ready for them.  I’ll move into 10 meters,  because that’s where the Tech. said he sights them in.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

~~GB

Well,  it’s looking like the TF-99 is going to be a little disappointing.  I ran through about 100 match quality pellets today,  at about 25 yards.  The accuracy was not impressive.

First off,  I can not keep the barrell to stock mounting bolts tight.  The suggestion from Compasseco is to lock tight them. 

Next,  the 4x to12x Tech Force scope,  wants to shake itself apart too.  (more locktight?) And,  it’s adjustment wheels are not very responsive.

Toward the last 25 rounds or so I fired, I was getting a grouping of around 2.5 to 3 inches.  (at 75 feet!)  I was expecting a lot better.  With the scope set at 6 power, I can see every line on the target, and see exactly where the crosshairs lie when the gun goes off.  The bullet is not landing where the crosshairs lay!  Tomorrow, I’ll pickup some fresh locktight, and try to glue everything together.  Once the glue is dry,  maybe I’ll get the chance to try it out again. 

Bottom Line:  Remember that old saying,  “You get what you pay for”.  Pay for a Chinese gun and you’ll get a Chinese gun.  Maybe I can tune it up and get it to shoot exceptably, maybe not?  Time and many more .22 cal pellets will tell.

~~GB

Here it is,  after more than 25 years without a bolt,  this 1930’s Winchester Model 67 .22 single shot rifle,  is complete again.  The replacement bolt, bought off Ebay,  (Unfortunately it’s NOT Gold plated), is cleaned lubricated and has had a few test rounds fired.  The old gun seems to still be pretty accurate.  Using a .22 long rifle round,  at about 15 ft,  I was able to smush a house fly sitting on a stump.   The bolt took a fair amount of cleanup,  (the Ebay discription was “Excellent condition”).  About an hour of wire brushing and buffing with Dremel tool,  has it looking and operating like nearly new.

I’m quite pleasantly surprized at how light and agile this old piece is.  Much lighter and better balanced than my new TF-99 Chinese air gun.  Working with this Model 67 right after working with Dad’s old Model 61a,  really brings to light how much Amercan workmanship has been lost.  The only bad part of it is,  that empty slot in the safe  where the SKS used to sit,  is now full again.

~~GB 

I finally learned why I can no longer use a Visa or Mastercard to purchase credit on the AllofMP3 Music download site.

I seems that the U.S. music barons have finally found a way to obstruct the service.  The Legal system didn’t work, (AllofMP3 is legal),  Threats didn’t work, (AllofMP3 doesn’t scare easy), Bribery didn’t work (I’m guessing that accepting a bribe carries a pretty severe punishment in Russia),  but they were able to work their dirty work on the credit card industry.  Visa, MasterCard, and Discover  have all illegally disqualified AllofMP3.  The Russian’s have it in Court and are trying to force the real criminals to re-establish their ability to accept charge cards,  but who know when or if they will prevail. 

~~GB

Aside from the daily blogs and essays I read online,  and occasional TV news, a big source is reading paper books.

Recent list:

Gray’s Anatomy,  15th Edition, Henry Gray F.R.S

Toa of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Lee

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (plus “The Hobbit”)

Tough and Versatile Knots,  Geoffry Budworth

Relativity,  Einstein

No Second Place Winner,  Bill Jordan

Cryptography and Network Security, Stallings,  (I tried)

Unix in a Nutshell,  O’Reilly

Taekwon-Do,  by Choi Hong Hi

Isle Royal Shipwrecks, Avery

Hell I was There,  Elmer Keith

The Custer Wolf, Roger Caras  ****

The Elements of Style,  Strunk and White

The complete Sailor, by Seidman

The Sea Shall Embrace Them,  David Shaw

NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection

The Second Ammendment Primer,  Adams

The Bill of Rights Primer,  Amen and Adams

Gates of Fire,  Stephen Pressfield  ****

A Hunter’s Fireside Book,  by Gene Hill

…

Mr. Hill’s book is currently at my headboard.  What has impressed you,  what are you reading? 

~~GreyBeard

Today “the better half” and I decided to take a road trip. 

From the small city of Ohmer,  we  turned off US-23 onto main street,  then shortly ran into Tyler Plains Rd.  Tyler Plains road,  a fairly smooth sand road,  crosses (you guessed it) Tyler Plain.  Tyler Plain is a very large and roadless area of nothern Michigan Wilderness.  The private land is posted,  but more than half of the nearly all wooded land is unposted and part of the Au Sable State Forest.  Thousands and thousands of acres.  The single road (Tyler Plains Rd) crosses it diagonally a little north of center.

It was a nice easy scenic drive that ended us up in West Branch, were we dropped of some scrap copper and aluminum.  (Enough to buy a tank of gas)   We chose back roads again to get home,  and stopped by the club, (Eastern Arenac Sportsmans Club), to knock out a couple of boxes of ammo from our pistols. 

Not a bad day,  about 85 miles of back roads,  some target practice, and a light lunch,  and less than a quarter tank of gas used, with the only down side being a pretty dirty truck.

Some day’s this retirement stuff ain’t so bad.  :-) 

~~GB