Project Appleseed

That was fun!  It was also a very busy, very rapid two days.

Results? Last AQT of the day, 214.  Glad I got it, still too many mistakes but boy did I improve!  My wife attended with me and being a new shooter - very new as the instructors will attest - she did great and had a great time!

My first of what I hope is many Appleseeds, and we found a local club we will start to use.  Great folks, Bruce Smith is a great shoot boss and all the instructors were better than great.

Lessons? Don't forgo the soft, stable elbow pads (ouch).  Scope is good for adjustability, but the stock and eye relief must fit you right when in the sling.  I thought I was good.  I was not, but I now know more about setting up than before.  Zero is worthless without consistency.  Mueller adjusts right by turning left - and I need my glasses to read that darn dial.  Automatch  does not like my 10/22T (FTE), CCI SV is great.  NPOA is very zen when you relax - holes in holes.  I drag wood and need to break the habit.  Glasses need anti fog in SoFla.  I need new scope mounts.  My Ruger 10/22T trigger is actually very nice after 9 years.  My wife is getting a 10/22 that fits her and I get the TD back.  I have been cheating with bipod and sandbag - and have some bad habits to fix.  Dry fire - and do it again.  Relax.

Above all - there are still friendly, committed patriots with a love of marksmanship, country, and teaching.  Really good folks and we had a great time.  Without Bruce, Smoke and Chris taking time to setup a cheekpad for both of us (yes, leopard print self stick bandage), correct and assist in my efforts to zero - never would have made it.  Next time, maybe with iron sites.

It's funny you mention the auto match as I was recently starting to wonder about it myself. I've noticed obvious consistency issues with the loads simply by sound and I've now seen 2 other people in in the last 2 shoots having multiple problems with it.

Congrats on achieving Rifleman and I hope you keep coming back til you can do it consistently. I have complete faith with those fine instructors and dry fire practice you mentioned, you will do just that. Huzzah!

DwightC

The Automatch was giving me way too many stovepipes - shell was hanging up on ejector.  My wife's TD had the same issue day 1.  I went home, cleaned and lubed both again.  Day 2 my first mag had an FTE on the redcoats.  I switched and no issues.  The TD had 1 all day and I attribute to 1) breaking in a new rifle 2)deep cleaning 3)TD just works with it.

From what read on rimfirecentral, lots of folks have this issue with Automatch - basically it works for some...for others not at all.

I have work to do, including getting my 12 year old out there - but a try at instructor may be out there

Congratulations on earning your Patch. 

Your FTE is not ammo related. It's the fit of your extractor that is the problem. I shoot AutoMatch all the time with no issues.

Ask Smoke or 9mm4545 about my work on 10-22s.

 

Hey Doug,

It was a pleasure working with you and your wife as well.  Both of you brought the most important thing a shooter can bring to an Appleseed:  a teachable attitude.  Congrats to you on shooting the score at your first Appleseed -- not a common feat by any means.

Hope to see both of you at another shoot in the future!

-Chris

Chris - hope you drive back north wasn't too bad.  Sue is already looking at some stocks to fit her.

Douglas - I would definitely be curious on your comments.  I had two rifles - TD and 10/22T that had extract issues with Automatch.  The TD has a new Titanium extractor I put in before the rifle was fired.  The TD only had probably 200 rounds through it, and cleaning/lubing again Saturday seemed to clear up the FTE - only 1 happened in the morning.

The 10/22T has close to 10K rounds through it - mostly CCI 40 Grain, 30 Grain and SV, and I cannot recall ever having an FTE issue (been lucky).  Misfires, like most .22, occasional and very few - but that is the ammo not the rifle.  Then I ran auto match and basically would have an FTE every other mag.  I swapped through 5 different magazines so do not think that was a factor.

I cleaned and lubed (took bolts out), cleaned extractor well, spring, plunger, etc.  The 10/22T failed on the magazine of automatch.  I went to the CCI SV and flawless for rest of the day.  Some reading indicates that the T bolt spring is set for SV velocity, and that HV causes it to cycle too fast and FTE.  I don't buy that / bunk since the majority of rounds through this rifle have been HV (albeit on a bipod or rest - where those pesky habits developed )

I'm more a mechanic than an engineer - so if you have suggestions/have seen this would very much like to learn.

Congrats on your shiny new patch FlyingScot!  Sounds like you've been bitten by the Appleseed bug 

Doug, it was a pleasure working with you and your wife (aka: "wire slayer" . While I have had great results with AutoMatch, it is possible that some lots are better than others. If you have found an ammo that your rifle likes, then buy a bunch of it. Well, just try to buy a bunch of it...

If you are considering changing scope mounts anyway, you might like this Picatinny rail which will let you get your scope further forward: http://www.amazon.com/Ruger-10-22-Picatinny-Scope-46102/dp/B004VIANPE This one is a 20 MOA rail, which is nice if you should want to shoot your .22 at longer distances and don't want to run out of scope elevation adjustment. You will need a set of Weaver or Picatinny scope rings to make it work. Try to get the lowest rings you can, which will probably be a medium ring with the Mueller APV scope you have.

I look forward to seeing both you and Sue again at another Appleseed.

Douglas is right on, a new extractor fixes FTE a $11 part.

Quote from: douglas34474 on February 10, 2014, 12:11:24 AM
Congratulations on earning your Patch. 

Your FTE is not ammo related. It's the fit of your extractor that is the problem. I shoot AutoMatch all the time with no issues.

Ask Smoke or 9mm4545 about my work on 10-22s.

 Yeah I have a new Kidd extractor coming - ordered Sunday.  As for buying ammo the rifle likes - good luck!  CCI SV and 40 Gr HV are scarce.   I'm fairly good but have some variety these days, just like everyone else.

Thanks for the rail link - going to try that with some new rings and found an adjustable soft cheek pad to replace that snazzy leopard print.  Wire Slayer is pretty happy and looking forward to getting back out - we are going to check the Sunday events at the HRPC after my shoulder is ready.  Next Thursday RC repair - I shot this with a shaky shoulder, but that forced me to listen and get elbow under stock, and that worked great!  Thanks to all!

This is how I modify the OEM extractor.



By removing material as shown you make the hook longer, which places more side pressure on the case, holding it tight to the bolt face to better control the case until it hits the ejector and gets kicked out of the action.