6.5 Mystic #2 is All Dressed Up with New Pics.

Thanks for the kind comments. Got a few looks with the 'WTF is that!' written on their faces. That was fun. Pity, next season, no more surprises, unless......??????

MikeE, I really thought about leaving the stock in the raw but shot it once (day pics were taken) and literally got slivers in the cheek. That is way more fun then I need. On went the paint.

Shooting at a different range can throw you for a loop. When setting up, bench and seat heights were all different which meant alot of mucking about with rests and such while under the 'pressure' of the event (we had lots of time but 150 beats per minute and it feels like you have two seconds).

I am really glad each relay was reduced to 15 shots (orig was 20). Being on the ball for that long IS tiring. You can bet that all my practise will now go well beyond the normal 5 rds string.

I take my hat off to all the TR shooters. Sure, everyone has been at it a very long time but still. Being strapped into that jacket, controlling breathing and rifle, dealing with the heat usually found in the summer, and then popping them in the X ring - that's tough!

For now, I will continue in the BR class as I really enjoy shooting off a bench. Plus, I tried the rifle on the floor at home and can say with the utmost certainty that this stock is absolutely horrid for prone shooting. Lots to change.

I am about to send off the barrel and action to build Mystic #3 cause every good scientist has to ensure results are repeatable. If it sucks, I won't tell anyone :)

This project has taken the better part of 5 yrs and has included a dozen rifles in both standard and wildcat chamberings. I have learnt alot and for me, there are things I will worry about and others that don't matter to me. Much of what I will not longer worry about cover many must do's in the BR world.

I hope that as you read through the development (skip through all that #####ing and whining in the middle posts), it will help you build rifles that not only shoot well but are also affordable.

The trend in much of the competition world is towards more and more expensive gear (note, I didn't say better). That is making this sport unattractive to entry level shooters (yeah the young poor guys and gals). Without them, this sport is dead within 10yrs even without the Liberals.

At every local club, develop classes that restricts costs as much as possible. Bring in handicaps, make the targets bigger, factory rifles classes with very strict rules, claimer classes to put a cap on spending, whatever.

I am about to hit 39 and will likely be the YOUNGEST shooter at the majority of matches across Canada. This is not a good thing.

This project and many of my other 'customs' have been built around the premise that you don't need to spend alot to get alot. Just put the money where it matters and/or buy products that will do the same job for a lot less.

Believe me when I say, I love new high tech as much, if not more, then the next guy and drooled all over the gear at Kamloops. However, when a bare custom action costs upwards of $1600 leading to a completed rig of $4000 which takes 6 months to build, that is just not going to bring in the average Joe/Jane.

F class may very well be the only set of rules that doesn't handicap the factory rifle (at least the good stuff we find today). 1/2 to 3/4 MOA of consistent accuracy is all that is needed to shoot possibles. There is no shortage of rifles sitting in many gun lockers that can do that without a problem. Encourage anyone to come out and play. Offer a club rifle for that matter.

Once they have fun chasing the 10ring, the investment and growth will come.

This Mystic rifle is proof positive that you don't need to spend a mint to have a great shooting rig (my total cost is way less then that $1600 custom action). So build up something, anything, and come out and play.

Believe me, at Kamloops, all the $$$ spents didn't save alot of shooters from the shifting conditions.

And that is the way it should always be...Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Jerry
 
Congrats Jerry....

Glad that all worked out for you and the rig. My question is on the 6BR that you mentioned being a formidable opponent. What was it based on in regards to action?

You talk about the money aspect that stops people from trying and attempting to compete. This is very true. As much as I love accurate guns I do not have lockers full. Why? Cannot afford to. What I have decided to do is have the few that I have be the best that they can be. I have my Rem 700 6BR built by Dennis Sorensen with a few additions by myself. I have sunk a lot of money into that project and do not regret it. My varmint rig has turned into something to nice to go out in the field to whack critters. It has been relegated to the bench.

I have my Sako TRG 30-06, Browning Gold 12 gauge, and done up Ruger 10/22 (which does not shoot as well as I would like). That be all.

There is one addition for next spring and that will be the Bat actioned LV 6PPC. Lots of money tied up in the BR and the PPC. It took a lot of time away from the family and overtime to come up with the funds to fund the projects. I get asked many times what will the Bat PPC do for me that my 6BR will not. I ask the guy asking the question why he needs the Harley or the 40 g note pickup. The answer usually is because it is the........ well you know what I mean. I want the Bat PPC because I just have to have one. Some like old cars, I prefer the hot new cars of today.

All I know that the collection that I end up by next spring will probably not grow more than what it is. I have a hard enough time loading for the 2 that I have let alone a large collection.

Bottom line Jerry, great shooting and keep up the work. Can't wait to see what #3 brings.


Calvin
 
Calvin, you are the type of shooter I am talking about. YOU STARTED!!!

By all means, build the dream rifle. That's the whole point of why we work those extra hours after all.

Unfortunately, all too often, a newbie only sees these mega dollar rigs in the hands of top shooters. Figures that is the only way to do well and doesn't even bother to start.

Too bad there isn't an equipment list because I believe the top 5 rigs didn't have a custom action in any of them. I know for sure that there was a Rem700, and Stevens in the top two places. A SAKO and another Rem, not sure about rig 5.

Not saying the production action is better then a custom. Just saying a custom isn't necessary to do well.

As to the 6BR, I know that is based on a Rem700. A very heavy no taper barrel of unknown make. A black painted stock that doesn't look like one from a major stock maker. An adjustable recoil pad. And a HARRIS bipod. Optics was an Elite 4200 in Leupold rings (or something similar looking).

Second overall also used a Bushnell. The Nightforce owners placed third and further down the pack.

A well thought out rig that fit the shooter and obviously accurate. Nothing exotic and within the budget of just about everyone. In fact, most blinged out black rifles/AR's cost two to three times as much.

However, don't discount the shooter. When you shoot 5 relays over two days and shoot possibles and a very high X count (he only missed 10X's!!!!), you didn't do that just on equipment alone.

He saw the changes that others didn't and was able to drive his rig into the winners circle. That takes practise, experience, and skill....Period. You get these by burning powder and lots of it.

Shooting takes a lot of money (actually more then the rifle, at least if you are shooting like you should) and there are many shooters with their super duper rigs that they can't afford to shoot. That is like having a 5yr old Ferrari with 2000miles on it. What a waste (I believe rifles and cars are meant to be used and enjoyed - not gather dust in a box).

Get out there and make some noise. I bet the more you use your rigs, the more accurate they will become.

Remember the 10 ring is 4" wide at 300m so any rifle that can shoot MOA WILL shoot possibles, IF you can steer it.
Jerry
 
HI Jerry,

Just wanted to drop a line to thank you for sharing.

I was involved in TR shooting years ago in the excellent army cadet program and got to shoot all over, including your neck of the woods and a trip to Bisley. Finished 26th on Stickledown at 900yards with the issue sportco .308 rifles we had. Heady times for a 16 year old!

I never shot TR competitively again. I got into bullseye pistol, dabbled in service rifle in the military and now I am full throttle into IPSC.( ~20k rnds/yr)

However...I just bought my first "precision" rifle from a fellow CGN. a STEVENS .308 in a Savage stock, floated barrel and a 9-18 Busnell in Weaver rings and mount. I have my dies set up in my old Lee turret press, but it seems there is too much slop in the turret so I might get a couple of those C-shaped Lee presses for the two dies. I have some local buddies helping me out with getting started loading rifle.

This thread got ugly there for a while, but I enjoyed it immensely. ### has lost another potential customer who may not offer stimulating technical discussions but certainly has spent some time kicking around a range.

Thanks again, I'll PM some range results with my new reloads if you like.

Good shooting mate

Pete
 
Viper7, the slop in the turret may not be a terrible thing. I'm using a Lee Turret press, and there is quite noticable movement.
I produce ammo with 0.002"-0.003" run out pretty consistantly, which isn't perfect; but it's good enough. Load some rounds and find someone with a contraption to spin the rounds. You never know. If you do decide you need a new press, look at the Lee Classic Cast. My next press purchase will be a Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax
 
Put your money

into the best dies you can get. Instead of paying the big bucks on a press (unless reloading Magnum sized cases) put the money into Redding bushing dies. It is the DIES along with quality brass and bullets that make a good round not the press. I always used to think that a press had to be heavy and tight. Wrong. The press just provides the force to move the shell in and out of the die. You want some slop in the ram so that the case can center itself into the die. If the ram is tight it cannot move that bit that may be required to freely push the case into the die thus putting unwanted stresses on the case possibly distorting it. The die does all the shaping as well as the seating of the bullet. Poor dies, you end up with runout in your bullets.
 
Viper7, welcome to the crazy mixed up world of rifle shooting. At least the targets don't move...much.

Don't worry about the slop in your press. It is actually a good thing as cycbb486 alluded to. The press only provide mechanical advantage NOT the actual sizing. That is up to the dies. Just look at how much play is in the shellholder. Must be there.

Believe it or not, the rifle ammo I loaded for the Mystic was on a Lee Challenger press, Lee Collet neck die and reg seater. Powder was weighed on a Lee scale, dumped through a Lee Funnel. Primers put in with a Lee Auto primer (hand version). However, runout is checked on a Sinclair setup.

I have ammo that has very little to no runout and obviously shoots ok.

Before spending money on mega dollar dies and presses, figure out if you have a problem with the standard stuff first. If you want to make the best ammo possible, get a quality runout guage set up. I like the Sinclair and the NECO is supposed to be good too. No experience with the RCBS unit.

Without a way to measure your progress, you will never know what did or didn't work. You will find that the most important step to making good ammo is in the sizing operation. Here I find the Lee collet neck die equal (actually better) to any on the market. I have never had sized brass with increased runout vs what came out of the chamber. If the chamber is straight, the sized brass is also straight. It is a quirky die and does require a bit of force to use but once you figure out how to use it, none better.

In fact, it will eliminate the problem common to bushing dies. Many are now finding that the bushing die will not size right up to the shoulder on some sharp shouldered cases (40deg shoulders for example). This leaves an ever increasing donut making chambering difficult.

This simply does not occur with a collet die. Not bad for a die 1/2 the price. Custom collet dies can be had from Lee for a whopping $50US.

Also, many are finding that the 1 or 2 thou of neck tension is not enough. When you go to 3 to 5 thou of neck tension you are sizing the same as the collet die and most neck dies.

So before you change to the 'good' stuff, find out if you have a problem. Measure your ammo and make sure that it is straight. If not find the problem and fix it. More then likely the reason for the lack of rifle accuracy lies somewhere else.

Jerry
 
For all that shoot a 260AI/6.5 Mystic with a 40deg shoulder, I just found a die that can be used as a body die.

Redding makes a 7-08AI 40deg FL sizing die. Take out the decapping rod assembly. neck sized 6.5 Mystic brass does not touch the neck portion of this die. You can adjust the die to just bump the shoulder making chambering easy.

Likely, the case will grow to where chambering gets tough long before the primer pockets loosen up. There is no listed body die for this wildcat and custom dies cost a mint. This die solves this problem and is readily available and not bad pricewise.

I am all smiles...

Jerry
 
Mystic #3 just arrived home and has been mounted into the rifle block. A few different things with this one. Hopefully, performance will be the same.

Chamber was cut similarly to #2 so hopefully loads will be the same. Find out shortly and will post results.

Jerry
 
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