Managed to get to the range this morning.
Shot 5 rounds of "Limit" 124gn with thread protector on at 25 yards - Top group
And 5 without - Bottom Group. Both groups from the bench using a rest.
I do not believe that the thread protector on my rifle, is causing any accuracy issues, but later on I noticed a group opening up and found the protector had come lose again, so I either need to use some PTFE tape, Glue or leave it off whilst shooting. Or get something that stays on!
I managed to get 50 rounds of Privi Partizan 115gn and shot two 5 shot groups as before,
The groups are noticeably smaller and this may be my fall back ammunition, if it was not £24 per 100.
Feed issues persist, but 2 things are stopping me from contacting SGC at this point.
Firstly, I suspect that how you load the magazine is important. I find that if I hold the magazine in my left hand with the rear away from me. I can push a round in with my right hand thumb and then push it all the way back with my left thumb. Any deviation from this and I suspect that the rounds are not sitting correctly.
Secondly, Lubrication! I need to read the (on line) manual again re lubrication. I noticed that when Bob sent the gun back to me it had a good layer of grease on the bolt. I cleaned that off and today was using my normal oil. After the first 70 odd rounds I started to get miss feeds then after 100 it was almost every second shot. So as the problem appearer to be escalating, and no other changes were made to the rifle, I will explore this further.
Finally, I tried a few rounds from the weak shoulder. Despite there being nothing about this gun other than the ejection port that makes it a right hander, it took a lot of effort to get my cheek position and eye relief right etc. I will need to practise this before any competition and thankfully can do it at home if need be. Using the lever release, stops you from having a proper grip on the pistol grip as your left thumb needs to operate the lever, this was not a great problem and with practise will not be an issue.
What is a issue is the amount of Shi* that hist you in the face when you fire a shot from the weak shoulder. There is no way on earth that anyone should ever try this without safety eye wear. After the first blast I was seriously considering stopping and thoughts of paintball style masks were entering my head. I persisted but found that I was seriously gun shy and was predicting the blast so badly that my shots were all over the place.
I will need to get over this, ether through practice or with some kind of shield / defelctor. The competition scores are so close that dropping points on this stage alone will see me tumble down the score board.
Most importantly I enjoyed using the gun today :shakeshout:
DM