I switched powders to higginson powder`s surplus h335 with 160 grain cast bullets. Shooting off the bags the gremlin showed up on the first shot and then again on the 4th.
I can make the gremlin appear when I ride the bolt slow and force it close on this 858. If it slams forward under spring tension, then there is no gremlin. Hmm it thought. Well maybe there is not enough port pressure to send the bolt flying back.
H335 is a pretty slow powder. I could not safely increase the charge as I was pretty close to max. HMMM
So I held the 858 very tight to the shoulder to limit the amount of recoil that I was sucking up. I fired it and it cycled properly. I did it again and it cycled properly again. I did it again 125 times more and it cycled properly everytime.
This is getting me to thinking that my 858 gremlin maybe a little like limp wristing an automatic pistol.
I can make the gremlin appear when I ride the bolt slow and force it close on this 858. If it slams forward under spring tension, then there is no gremlin. Hmm it thought. Well maybe there is not enough port pressure to send the bolt flying back.
H335 is a pretty slow powder. I could not safely increase the charge as I was pretty close to max. HMMM
So I held the 858 very tight to the shoulder to limit the amount of recoil that I was sucking up. I fired it and it cycled properly. I did it again and it cycled properly again. I did it again 125 times more and it cycled properly everytime.
This is getting me to thinking that my 858 gremlin maybe a little like limp wristing an automatic pistol.


















































