60-shot 10m Air Pistol practise

Very bad weather so rather than shoot black powder pistol, decided to do a 40/60 shot 10m Air Pistol practise session on the Club's indoor range (even though the air temperature was only 4degC on the range!).

Using the Steyr LP10 and H&N Finale Match pellets, without any warmup, started with a 40-shot session, shooting 10 shots per card:

STATS
-----
Session score(s): 312.2 ex 400
Std. Dev: 2.65
Shot Average: 78.05

Then shot another two cards to complete a 60-shot practise session:

STATS
-----
Session score(s): 464.3 ex 600
Std. Dev: 1.98
Shot Average: 77.38

The worst card was number #5 with a 74.1 scored, and the best was card #4 with an 80.1 None of the shot cards had all their shot holes in the black. The cold air temperature on the range meant that the trigger finger lost it's sensitivity of the trigger blade, hence several 'jerked' flyers. Final running stats as follows:

STATS
-----
Running Average: 79.94
Std. Dev: 2.42
BC: 600
PB: 90.0




   

2014 Summer season results finalised

Finally got to see the results of the Kent county Black Powder 2014 Summer Leagues competition.

Shooting in division 2 [out of 3], managed to end up with a creditable 3rd place [out of 7], with a shot average of 78.90 ex 100, for a bronze medal. My first black powder medal!

For the Kent county Black Powder 2014-15 Winter Leagues, I'm still shooting in
division 2 [out of 3], but I am the shooter with the highest average in that division.

R8 shot

With the outdoor range registering only 2 deg C, only shot one card before the trigger finger became too cold.  As previous, just after the session started, the sun cleared the side of the range and appeared over the stop butt, in to the eyes of the shooter and reflecting off the pistol sights.

Using the 'usual' setup with the home lube recipe and a filler, shot an overall 82.0 with very easy loading. 

The three non-scoring shots were all flyers in the white. Scored 1 in the 10 ring!

STATS
-----

Session score(s): 82.0

Running Average: 79.30
Cards: 69
BC: 870
PB: 92.1

Kent season shot average: 78.8
Kent season Std. Dev: 4.15

Some 10m air pistol practise

Completed the 60-shot NSRA/Eley 10m air pistol competition on 19th November in a rushed session at the Club. Done as 10 cards with 4 shots on each, the best card returned a 35.1 and the worst a 28, for competition stats of 315.3 ex 400, with and average of 78.83 and a standard deviation of 2.65 (the lower this number, the more consistent the shooting) .

The end of November saw the start of the winter season for the Hendon League 10m air pistol competition. With a submitted average of 77.33, completed the round one six cards with 30-shots in total, with a 234 ex 300 and an average of 78.0 and a standard deviation of 2.77, so slightly up on average but with a worse standard deviation.The worst card was the first to be shot, with a 34.0 ex 40. The best was a 43.0

In order to avoid the Christmas range closures, took the opportunity the following available range session, to shoot round two of the Hendon League 10m air pistol competition. Finished the round with a 238 ex 300 and an average of 79.33, up on the round one results. The standard deviation was 1.60, showing a more consistent shoot, even though the session was rushed, and the range VERY cold at only 9degC. The worst card was the first to be shot, with a 37.0 ex 40. The best was a 42.0

Beginning of December took advantage of some quiet time at home to shoot an ex-200 practise on two cards. Shot an 86.0 followed by an 85.0 for an average of 85.5 and a standard deviation of 0.05

All in all a very good little session. I'm very happy with the 6-shot grouping on the last card, although I've since dropped the rear-sight on the Steyr LP10 two clicks, ready for the next session. Hopefully I can shortly get my running average up over 80.0 and my standard deviation consistently below 2.0!

Overall my air pistol stats are now as follows:

STATS
-----

Std. Dev Average: 2.46
Running Average: 79.94
BC: 600
PB: 90.0

Round 7 shot

Shot round 7 of the Kent BP winter league using the previous set up of:

Pistol: .36 Mortimer
Powder: 9.1gns of Swiss No.1
Patches: 0.010"
Lubricant: 1:2:12 Lanolin:Beeswax:Neats Foot Oil
Balls: .350" Hornady
Filler: 6.5gns of coarse ground semolina

Again the lube recipe 27C worked without any issue, as did the loading. Shot the card without any pressure and was upset when the last two shots dropped low in to the white. 

Several good groups starting to form. I think the practise and comp cards with the 10m air pistol are helping a lot.

Allowing for the errors caused by my trigger control and aim point, I think that the left/right windage setting is OK. I might drop the elevation slightly though.

STATS
-----

Session score(s): 79.0
Session average: 79.0
Std. Dev: 3.91

Running Average: 79.26

Cards: 68
BC: 857
PB: 92.1

Kent season shot average: 78.3
Kent season Std. Dev: 4.23

A good combination?

Shot rounds 5 and 6 of the Kent County Black Powder winter league. I used a slightly different set up from last time, and was quite pleased with the results:

Pistol: .36 Mortimer
Powder: 9.1gns of Swiss No.1
Patches: 0.010" 
Lubricant: 1:2:12 Lanolin:Beeswax:Neats Foot Oil
Balls: .350" Hornady
Filler: 6.5gns of coarse ground semolina

# The powder is metered out and then weighed in to batches of 13 matching phials. 

# The filler is 'measured' using two scoops of a .22LR brass case on the end of a wooden 'lolly stick'.

# The lubricant [recipe 27C], forms a soft solid once the melted mix is poured in to an old air pellet tin. Patches are lubed individually by placing them, when needed, on to the lube and then using the heat from a finger to melt the lube in to the patch.

Loading with this setup is VERY easy!

Round 5

The round 5 card had a few wild shots due to poor aim/hold/trigger release on my part. Even so, I managed 5 scoring shots inside the 9-ring. All ten scoring shots in the black. Final score was 83.0

Round 6

Found the group was tighter on round 6 card, but high and to the right. Very pleased with the 3-shot cloverleaf hole, and the 2-shot keyhole. Nine shots in the black. Final score was a 77.0

Overall Stats
-------------
Detail: 83.0 + 77.0
BC: 844
Running Average: 79.27
PB: 92.1
Cards: 67

Kent season shot average: 78.2
Kent season Std. Dev: 4.56

Have raised the rearsight as far as it will go. Need to drift the foresight slightly to the right before the next shoot.

 

Kent BP Leagues - rounds 3 and 4

Shot round 3 & 4 of the winter season with a new set up.

Pistol: .36 Mortimer
Powder: 9.1gns of Swiss No.1
Patches: 0.010" Ox-Yoke pre-lubed
Balls: .350" home cast round balls using a Lee mould
Filler: 6.5gns of coarse ground semolina

Although nothing special, shot a 78.0 and a 73.0 The second card was way down from a possible 80-85 due to very poor light control on the range. The sun had moved across the top of the butts ans was in direct eyesight. Even with a had to shade the eyes, the foresight, rearsight and top sighting rib of the pistol glistened in the very bright sunlight.

The filler was a first for me, and it seemed to make a more solid 'bang' and felt more robust in the hand, although not excessive.

Overall Stats
-------------
Detail: 78.0 + 73.0
BC: 818
Running Average: 79.24
PB: 92.1
Cards: 65

Kent season shot average: 77.3
Kent season Std. Dev: 4.9

Overall average still declining [bad], but standard deviation reducing [good].

Round 2 - and a change on patches

Shot round 2 of the Kent BP winter league with last week's setup of .350 homecast hard balls with 0.010 patches lubed with Ox-Yoke. After three shots I changed the setup as the shots were awful flyers!

I still did two scoring flyers, but the rest of the shots were 8-ringers for an overall 73.0
Down on average but not too bad. 

Next time I will amend the setup to increase the powder charge up to 11gns of Swiss No.1 powder. I'll also try the addition of around 8gns of filler (I'm going to use coarse ground semolina) on top of the loaded powder. Carrying on from the second part of today's shoot, I'll be using the Hornady cast 0.35 balls, but with 0.010 lubed patches (rather than the 0.015 patches I usually use). Later on I'll try the setup with JT Tanner 0.10 patches lubed with my recipe 09 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6 or my slightly stiffer recipe 27C Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:12. 

I'm also looking to get hold of some Henry Krank 'Competition Lube' to try.

Session Stats
-------------
Average: 73.0
Std. Dev: 4.50

Overall Stats
-------------
BC: 792
Running Average: 79.37
PB: 92.1
Cards: 63

Kent season shot average: 79.0
Kent season Std. Dev: 6.0

Starting the KCSSA winter season with new balls!

Shot the first card of the Kent County black powder leagues this morning. After a 10-shot warm up to adjust to the percussion pistol trigger instead of the air pistol trigger, managed a better than average 85.0

Although not a tight a group as I would have liked, the final score, with only two flyers, was most acceptable. The setup was different from usual in both balls and patches:

Pistol: .36 Mortimer
Powder: 9.5gns of Swiss No.1
Patches: 0.01" Ox-Yoke pre-lubed
Balls: .350" home cast round balls using a Lee mould

Normally I would use 0.015" patches with a .350" ball, but the home made balls are slightly harder than the Hornady balls that I usually shoot with. This is due to the 'impure' mixture of lead in the melting pot: recovered round balls, unshot round balls, recovered .38 and .357 heads shot by underlever rifles, unshot and recovered air pistol pellets.

They seem to do well, and once I get a suitable burner to melt the lead, I'll cast some more!

STATS
-----
Session score: 85.0
Average: 79.47
Cards: 62
BC: 779
Std. Dev: 3.91

Kent season shot average: 85.0






 

Practising at home.

Although I cannot get the full distance (only 9.87m) and slightly too low (53 inches rather than 55 inches), I have been practising at home. Although only a 20-shot practise, it tested that the setup worked and that the light was adequate. Using the Steyr LP10 and the H&N finale match pellets (4.49mm), I shot an 80.0 and an 83.0 for stats of:

Session Stats
-------------
Average: 81.50
Std. Dev: 1.50

Overall Stats
-------------
BC: 470
Running Average: 77.76
Running Std. Dev: 6.18
PB: 90.0

The 'aim' is to try and get my air pistol average to 80.0 by the end of the year., althoug I'd be quite happy to pass 78.0 while improving by X-ring count!
 

More practise with the Steyr

Another training session with the air pistol shot at 10m, this time indoors! The first three cards showed slight improvements each time, but the final fourth card showed a poor than average score due to tiredness, mainly in the lower back.

Shot an 80.1 - 82.1 - 83.0 - 76.0

with the second card all in the black, single flyers on the first and third cards, and a mess on the last card.

Session Stats
-------------
Average: 80.30
Std. Dev: 2.70

Overall Stats
-------------
BC: 450
Running Average: 77.59
Running Std. Dev: 6.26
PB: 90.0

Posted these scores online with the Targetshooting Canada for their Postal Match.

See: http://www.targetshooting.ca/reframerize.cfm?redirect=http://www.targetshooting.ca/postals/results.cfm

30-shot practise - with new grip

Completed a 30-shot practise session with my Steyr LP10 air pistol at 10m. Shot it outdoors in natural light with a slight cross wind blowing at times!

 

Second card using new no-fingertip grip



Shot in strings of 10, with a 15 minute break between each set. The first set was rushed, with only a few seconds between each shot. Managed to get the following scores =>

76.1 - 87.1 - 80.1

The session stats were:

Overall: 243.3 ex 300
Average: 81.10
Std.Dev: 4.55

 which overall puts me on:

Barrel count: 410
Average: 77.33
PB: 90.0
Std.Dev: 6.44

Card 2 was the best card of the session. The 'new' grip means that the little finger is straight and doesn't touch the grip at all, the thumb is relaxed and applies no pressure to the grip, and the middle and ring finger are straightened and relaxed so that only the base of these fingers apply any pressure to the grip.

60-shot air pistol practise

As it is cheaper than black powder, did another practise session with Steyr LP10 air pistol at 10m. Shot it outdoors in natural light as there was no wind blowing during the session!

Managed all 60 shots in just over an hour, with a small break between each 20-shot set. Managed to get the following scores, given that my average going in to the session was 76.68 =>

70 - 83 [refilled cylinder] 76 - 82 - 80 - 81

The session stats were:

Overall: 472 ex 600
Average: 78.67

which overall puts me on:

Barrel count: 340
Average: 76.68
PB: 90.0
Avg Dev: 4.48

Card 5 [the 80.0], set a new PB for 10-rings scored, with 3 in the bull. All the cards had at least one in the white!

10m air pistol practise

Some 10m air pistol practise, just to see if after 35 years, I can still do it!

Shot two 10-shot practise cards on a freezing indoor range, using my new Steyr LP10 and H&N Finale Pistol Match pellets.

Both cards were around my BP average; 77.0 and 79.0

The group on both cards was slightly high, even though I have dropped the rearsight.

Stats
-----

Barrel count: 200
Session scores: 77.0 + 79.0
Average: 75.45
Personal best: 85.0
Std Dev: 7.15

Two practise rounds - one with new balls.

The first practise card was poor 54.0 It was shot using the original Hornady .350 balls with prelubed .015 Ox-Yoke patches. Contributing to the poor score was the greasiness of the lubed patches transferring from fingers to the pistol stock. Although I wiped my hands on a baby-wipe after each loading, I had to properly wash my hands at the end of the 10-shot detail.

The second card was much better. I managed a 77.1 again with a 10-shot detail. This time I swapped to using my newly cast .350 lead balls. Using recovered lead from the range butts, mixed with some left over .38 wadcutters and some old air pistol pellets, the finished balls are nice and shiny, as well as a little bit harder than the normal balls.

STATS
-----
Session score: 54.0 + 77.1
Average: 79.38
Cards: 59
BC: 762

Std. Dev: 1.61 (on second card)

The second card started off well with 9 shots in the black. The 10th shot ruined it with a shot out in the 3-ring at 10 o/c. Otherwise it was a fairly good group inside the 8-ring.

Different patch thickness

Shot a practise card using the usual set-up, but with 0.12 patches instead of the 0.15 normally used.

The result was very poor. The [27C] lube recipe with the thinner patches resulted in no grouping at all. The loading was however a lot easier! Had 4 misfires with the Dynamit Nobel 1075 percussion caps!

I'm retiring lube recipe [27C] at this time as unsuitable. I'll revert back to lube recipe [09] Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6 until I come up with something that gives better grouping. I will however try using the thinner 0.12 patches with the [27C] lube recipe.

STATS
-----
Session score: 72.0
Average: 79.87
Cards: 56
BC: 730

Std. Dev: 5.57

A single A/P practise card

A single air pistol practise card slotted in one evening after work. With a few flyers, a solid [and average] 81.1 was scored.

The grouping was fairly good for such a rushed card. I've since raised the rearsight 3 clicks to compensate for the slightly low group.

STATS
-----
Session score: 81.1
Average: 77.08
BC: 120

Std. Dev: 5.19
PB: 85.0

Ending the season

Ended the summer 2014 season of the Kent County Black Powder Leagues with rounds 9 and 10 being shot. I again used the recipe 27C lube.

Round 9 was again a consistent 81.0 giving a standard deviation of 0.70 Again the grouping wasn't very tight with this lube/patch combination. This was followed by round 10 where things started to go wrong. As well as two misfire with the Dynamit Nobel 1075 percussion caps, tirdness, back pain and sore eyes lead to a very disappointing 65.0 being scored. There was no grouping and almost every shot could be considered a flyer!

STATS
-----
Session score: 81.0 & 65.0
Shooting average: 80.02
Cards: 55
BC: 711

Lube 27C and round 8

Shot round 8 of the Kent Black Powder League using a modified lube recipe. I took recipe 27 and added more Neatsfoot Oil (version 27A and 27B). Eventually got to recipe 27C using the following recipe:

Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:12

The recipe is solid, although fairly soft. When you place a patch on top of the solid lube and then use a finger to move it about, the heat from the finger melts the lube and the patch is easily 'wetted'.

The result was:

 

The grouping isn't brilliant but I suspect that's due to a painful lower back condition rather that the lube. Balls were slightly harder to ram home, but no issued encountered. A lube recipe to keep for the future.

STATS
-----
Session score: 87.0
Average: 80.28
Cards: 53
BC: 691
Std. Dev: 4.75

Some air pistol practise

A few days ago I had the chance to do some proper 10m air pistol practise. Shooting three AIR 4/89 cards with the Steyr LP10 and H&N pellets, I was pleased to shoot around my black powder average on all three cards.

 





The first card [above] gave both an almost perfect 10.9 as well as two flyers. Final score was 80.2 with the 4-shot group in the 10 ring. Card two also gave an almost perfect shot with an X-ring 10.7 for a final 77.1 score. The final card gave a score of 79.1

STATS
-----
Average: 76.73
BC: 110
PB: 85.0
Std.Dev.: 5.28

Next lube trials

Here are the proposed lube recipes to be trialled next:

27 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:4 - TBA looser than [18]

29 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:5 - TBA looser than [26]

28 Tallow:Beeswax:Paraffin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:2:2 by weight - TBA Gatofeo No.1 'modified' lube.

19 Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:6 - TBA version of successful [09]

23 Lanolin:Olive Oil 1:6 - TBA version of successful [09]

30 Paraffin:Olive Oil 1:6 - TBA version of successful [09]

The successful recipe lube [09] is/was:

09 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6

Round 7 - Lube recipe 26

For round 7 I used lube recipe 26:

26 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:3 - this is a modified version of lube recipe [16] where the recipe was Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:1.

 



This lube was better but it was still too stiff to lube the patches thoroughly. Each patch had to be lubed individually, making the fingers very greasy and slowing down the shooting such that I only just finished inside the thirty minute limit.

Although easier to load, the resulting group was very poor and very inconsistent.

The next lube recipes to be tested will be:

27 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:4 - TBA looser than [18]

28 Tallow:Beeswax:Paraffin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:2:2 - Gatofeo No.1 'modified' lube.

29 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:5 - TBA looser than [26]

STATS
-----
Session score: 76.0
Average: 80.15
Cards: 52
BC: 678
Std. Dev: 2.94

Two lubes tested

Shooting two rounds of the Kent Summer BP leagues, took the opportunity to try lube recipe [16] on round 5, and lube [25] on round 6.

R5 loading with lube recipe [16] was hard going. Lube fairly stiff and difficult to lube the patches on both sides. Lube just sat on one side and did not soak through. Hard to load each time. Shot an 82.0, just above average:

 

R6 loading was a lot easier with lube recipe [25] - Henry Krank's Competition Lube (thanks for the try Don!). Patches easily wetted and loaded, but grouping poor. Sooty swabs after each shot. Managed an 81.1



STATS
-----
Detail scores: 82.0 + 81.1
Running average: 80.23
Barrel count: 665
Cards shot: 51
Std.Dev: 1.25 improving to 0.61

Discarded patches

Here is a photo of the discarded patches I sorted out while packaging groups of 13 in to little plastic 'shooting detail' bags for the firing point.

 

Other than the one bottom right (which is the wrong size, having been punched out while the material was folded over), all the patches show 'edging' where the material is a lot thicker than 0.015".

Lubes cooked up

All ready for today's shooting, four lube recipes to try and compare:

09 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6
14 Tallow:Beeswax:Paraffin 2:1:2 by weight - Gatofeo No.1 lube.
16 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:1 - TBA [NZ Pistol lube].
18 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:3 - TBA.

As you can see below, they all look very similar:



Only lube recipe [09] is liquid, the other three have all hardened due to the presence of the beeswax. Recipes [14] and [16] have solidified but are very soft, and they are the ones I will try today. Recipe [18] with the higher beeswax content is much harder. I am not sure how I will use this recipe to lube the patches.

Lube prep

I've been going through my lube recipes list and have decided upon the next 4 to be tried. Using recipe [09] as the datum, I'll be mixing up and then trying the following three recipes:

14 Tallow:Beeswax:Paraffin 2:1:2 by weight - "Gatofeo No.1" lube.

16 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:1 - "NZ Pistol lube".

18 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:3 - TBA.

Lube [14] has appeared, and been recommended, in so many BP forums, I though it was worth a try.

Lube [16] is a version of [15] but softer (less beeswax) and with the addition of the olive oil to make it thinner (less stiff) so easier to wet the patches and load in to the pistol. Might add more olive oil if it appears to be too stiff.

Lube [18] is a version of [07] but with increased neatsfoot oil to make it thinner. Might add more neatsfoot oil if it appears to be too stiff.

Summer season R3 & 4 shot

On a reasonably sunny Saturday morning, shot rounds 3 and 4 of the summer season Kent County black powder leagues. Not sure what division I am in yet, but with a competition average of 77.0, I suspect I will be demoted to division 2.

Using the normal set up but with Dynamit Nobel 1075 caps and the 3:2 water:aqueous crème lube. Not very good! The lube fails to wet the patches fully as there were lots of dry areas on the patches, even after soaking for 5 minutes.

After each shot, the barrel was swabbed out and the 4 by 2's were very sooty. Even so, shot a personal best !!!



Shot a 92.1 with a reasonably tight group.

Stats
-----
Detail score: 92.1
Running average: 80.31
Barrel count: 626
Std. Dev.: 8.34
Cards: 48

Then ruined the day with a very poor round 4 card. Shot only a 74.0 Using the Ballistol:water lube recipe, the resulting group opened way up. Will not use this recipe any more.

Stats
-----
Detail score: 74.0
Running average: 80.18
Barrel count: 639
Std. Dev.: 4.37
Cards: 49

Next time I will modify the 3:2 water:aqueous crème lube recipe, to a wetter 4:2 water:aqueous crème mix. Hopefully the group will stay tight, whilst the patches are suitably 'wetted'.

Lube recipe [09] Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6

Started off Saturday's practise with a modified setup (indicated in red):

Mortimer pistol in .36
0.015 patch [from JT Tanner]
6:1 olive oil:tallow lube [homemade - recipe 09]
0.350 lead balls [from Hornady]
11 grains Swiss Number 1 [from Starley]
1075 percussion caps [from Dynamit Nobel]

The patches were 'wetted' with less lube than last time, so as to help reduce the 'splatter' when loading. I did this by adding more and more dry patches to the lube in the tin, until the new patches stayed dry. This lube recipe is slightly stiffer than the previous one, and loading is a little harder.

The powder load was upped from 10 grains to 11 grains of Swiss No.1. I also made an accurate check on the powder dispenser used. After setting it up for '11 grains', the phials were loaded. I then weighed all the phials and grouped them according to weight. Once I had 13 filled phials of the same weight (accurate to 0.01 of a gram), they were batched together for a card. 

Went back to using the Dynamit Nobel 1075 caps as I have a lot of them available. Of the 26 shots fired today, I had one misfire. The hammer fell but the cap failed to go off. After recocking, the cap went off on the second firing.

The first practise card had several flyers that I believe were down to the patches. While loading I noticed several were taken from the edge of the material. These had 'edging seams' on them, making them slight thicker on one side. For the second card, any patches like this were discarded.

Stats
-----
Detail score: 81.0
Running average: 79.84

The shots all appeared to be slightly to the right, so I might need to drift the foresight to the right, to bring the shots to the left. I will confirm this after the second practise card.

A fantastic second practise card. Almost equalled by PB of 90.1 A good group horizontally, with some vertical drifting (inconsistent sight picture due to outdated spectacles prescription!). I will drift the foresight to the right.

Stats
-----
Detail score: 90.0
Running average: 80.06
Barrel count: 613
Std. Dev.: 7.03
Cards: 47

Managed to get the running average back up over 80 ex 100. Also managed to get 12 of the 13 shots in the black. The wayward shot was a 5 o'clock magpie, straddling the 6/7 line.



  

Lubes for next session

If the weather is good next Saturday, I'll try a practise session using lube recipe 09 [Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6]. The 0.015" Jeff Tanner patches have been pre-wetted in the minimum amount of lube possible. This should help reduce the 'splatter' previously experienced.

 

I keep the patches stored in an old air pistol pellet tin. On the left of the picture above, is the phial of premixed recipe 17 [Ballistol:water 1:2]. This is what I'm currently using, but might be one of the causes of the loose groups, hence the retry of recipe 09.

I'll also be looking to try slightly larger powder loads. Google weight conversion has given me the following to try:

0.60g = 9.2594gr
0.65g = 10.031gr
0.70g = 10.803gr
0.75g = 11.574gr
0.80g = 12.346gr
0.85g = 13.118gr
0.90g = 13.889gr
1.00g = 15.432gr

Currently I use around 10.5gr of Swiss No.1 powder. I'll probably try some 12gr loads.

First air pistol practise of 2014

Allowing me to practise at home, and resulting in less kit needing to be carried up to the Club, I bought a late Christmas present for myself of a Steyr LP10 air pistol. Other than a slight change to the elevation setting on the rearsight, I have not made any changes to the factory set-up.

My best card of the three shot so far this year has been the above 77.0 After this card I dropped the elevation down three clicks. Hopefully the left/right spread will decrease with practise. 

Shot using H&N Target Finale Match pellets at 4.49mm diameter. Cylinder charged at 170. Shooting glasses fitted with 'old' intermediate prescription, adjustable aperture and several blinders.

Stats

-----

Running average: 76.0

2014 average: 73.0

BC: 80

PB: 85.2



Lubricants to date

01 Henry Krank's oiled patches - good datum - good quality material, but expensive.

02 Ox-Yoke oiled patches - very oily!

10 Ox-Yoke Wonderlube 1000+ - loading was slightly harder, swabs not cleaning thoroughly. Will retry using different 'wetting' procedure.
 03 Ballistol:water 1:1 - seems to work well, expensive though, hard to get Ballistol [only on eBay].

17 Ballistol:water 1:2 - works better, easy loading.

13 Ballistol:water 1:3 - loading still very easy but group seemed to open up.
 04 Tallow:Olive Oil 2:1 - far too stiff for pistol patches, group opened up.

05 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:2 - stiffens up too much after time BUT easy to clean afterwards! Perhaps a summer lube?

08 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:4 - much softer than [05] and melts by body heat. Will try wetter mix [09]

09 Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6 - liquid even when colder weather, splatters when loading [don't overwet patches], very dirty swabs so cleaning easily, good scores/grouping though. (March 2014) Less wetting produces much better results and a tighter group. Recommended.06 Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:2 - too stiff for pistol patches. Try more olive oil [19].

19 Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:4 - TBA.
 07 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:2 - too stiff, needs more oil to loosen it up [18].

18 Beeswax:Lanolin:Neatsfoot Oil 2:1:3 - TBA.

11 Aqueous cream:Water 1:1 - loading was very easy, patches were not being completely lubed though - try wetter mix [12].

12 Aqueous cream:Water 2:3 - wetter version of [11]. TBA.

15 Tallow:Beeswax 1:2 - far too stiff for pistol patches, less beeswax needed.

20 Tallow:Beeswax 1:1 - TBA.

21 Tallow:Beeswax 3:1 - TBA. [Rifle lube? Massachusetts Arms Co.].

22 Tallow:Beeswax 4:1 - TBA. [Rifle lube? Marlin Firearms Co.].

16 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil 1:1:1 - TBA [NZ Pistol lube].

24 Tallow:Beeswax:Olive Oil:Ballistol - 5:10:tablespoon:teaspoon - TBA.
14 Tallow:Beeswax:Paraffin 2:1:2 by weight - TBA.

23 Olive Oil - Too wet. Needs tallow, lanolin or beeswax to stiffen it up.

25
26
27
28
29
30

Score graph

Here's my score and Std. Dev. graph to date. After 45 cards and 587 shots, my running average sits at 79.82

Mortimer .36 percussion pistol - shot single handed from a target stance at 25yds.

 

The 'aim' from 2014 is to get my average above 80.0, and keep it there!

Winter season ends

Ending the winter season of the Kent Black Powder league with a whimper rather than a bang! Round 10 was a disappointing 77.1 with no good grouping.

 

Again the usual setup was in place, along with CCI percussion caps. Average still below 80, and Std. Dev. has worsened to almost 2.

Stats
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Detail score: 77.1
Running average: 79.82
Barrel count: 587
Std. Dev.: 1.99
Cards: 45

As prep work for the next season, I'm looking to try a thinner patch (0.010") as well as going back to two of my original lubes: [12] Aqueous cream:Water 1:2 and [09] Tallow:Olive Oil 1:6. I'm looking to see the groups tighten up.

Almost there - rounds 8 and 9 shot

On a very soggy range, managed to shoot rounds 8 and 9 of the Kent County Black Powder 2013/2014 Winter League.

Lots of standing water on the range - the firing point hard-standing almost under water as well.

Round 8 was a very loose card with no signs of any grouping. Shot a 76.1 Swapped from Dynamit Nobel caps to CCI caps, as I had two misfires during the initial capping off.

Round 9 gave a much better grouping, with 11 shots in the black. With a score of 79.0, this card was almost back at the running average. Std. dev. for this card was 0.62

Stats
-----
Detail score: 76.1 + 79.0
Running average: 79.88
Barrel count: 574
Cards: 44

Round 6 and 7 after the Christmas break

Shot a very poor card for round 6 of the competition. The two month break between shooting did not help, even though I do some pistol stance exercises at the gym, three times a week.

For round 6 shot a 74.1 with a lot of high-right wild shots! Must remember to do some dry-fire practise, or some exercise, before shooting a comp card after a long break.

In round 7, I shot a much better 83.2, although the group was slightly to the right. The result of the poor R6 card and the better than average R7 card, means that the STD has increased above 1.0, and the average has dropped below 80.0

Stats
-----
Detail score: 74.1 + 83.2
Running average: 79.98
Barrel count: 548
Std. Dev.: 2.27
Cards: 42

Round 5 continues the average!

After a bit of a delay (Sorry!), finally got round to updating the round 5 score for the Kent County Black Powder 2013/2014 Winter League.

Managed an 81.0 with only three shots off in the white. Too many in the 8-ring though. Very strong sunlight low in the sky, just above the buttstop.

Usual setup but with Dynamit Nobel 1075 caps - had two misfires though!

Stats
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Detail score: 81.0
Running average: 80.06
Barrel count: 522
Std. Dev.: 0.67
Cards: 40

The standard deviation [Std. Dev.] stat indicates how close to the average that the shot score was. The lower the number the better.