LOW BUDGET .22 TRAINER / SILHOUETTE RIFLE-start to "finish"

Something you may find interesting, and hopefully help someone out...

I usually don't like posting links to other forums, but it's and "epic" post so rather than clutter up your forum here is the link:

LOW BUDGET .22 TRAINER / SILHOUETTE - start to "finish"

Involves a MKII F "Walmart" rifle.

Have a Mossberg 144LS that shoots very well from 50 feet to 100 yards, had it since the sixty's have cleaned many prone targets at 50ft indoor

UPDATE ( ON THE SILHOUETTE SIDE ):

got to shoot today, the weather was less than pleasant, and the fair weather shooters stayed home, plus there was some mis-communication with the regulars, most thought it was going to be cancelled.

as stated before i took the low budget trainer threads rifle. although i haven't spent much time getting to know the rifle as much as i should've, and not doing the offhand practice i promised myself last year that i would do, i still can't be too let down. i shot 4 seperate 40 round matches.

match 1 = 12
match 2 = 13
match 3 = 15
match 4 = 22

being only my sophmore year doing these silhouette matches, i can't really complain, at least i broke 20 and found a hold which was working for me, plus in position to move up from B class to A class in the hunter rifle class.

i was expecting worse, as the mkii bv used last year is more "tweaked for target", but i found that the regular sized barrel was causing me less muscle fatigue, which allowed me to stay on target longer and produce a better shot. when i missed, at least i missed "small".

i found my groove towards the end, and the rifle would probably perform better with less poundage (it's at 2 lbs, 12 oz.) but it safely over the hunter class trigger pull rule (no less than 2lbs.), and as the low budget threads has in it, only cost the price of a cheap feeler guage to make trigger shims. so i can live with the extra 12 oz., for now.

i felt as i could've made the bolt handle a little longer about 1/8" to 1/4" more, but it still worked nicely having this leftie cycle a rightie rifle.

one of a more seasoned shooter that was using an $1600.00 anshutz shot a 18 and a 26, so that made me feel good about my under $300.00 rifle (when the bipod, sling, and cheekpiece are off to conform to the rules) had performed in comparison.

all in all that walmart rifle worked out as hoped for the silhouette game, no malfunctions, comfortable, and rather consistant when i did my part.

Great post Pred.

I'm gonna pick up my new 93fvss Saturday, you've given me lots of ideas to make it a better trainer.

thanks

Jay

In another installment on the Low Budget Trainer project, LOW BUDGET .22 TRAINER - start to "finish" this addition deals with shortening the barrel.

Barrel length - many say shortening the barrel increases accuraccy by reducing the "whip", harmonics, or even the velocity and the amount of drag on a bullet as it has to go through the rifling once the powder is burnt up (usually said in the first 16" of length). I decided I wanted to find out firsthand myself, so I decided to cut the barrel on my Savage MKII "F" model which was a rifle intended on "doing it yourself" with many projects - this one no exception, but a little riskier.

Once I convinced myself that I can do it with simple tools and accepting that I may in fact ruin a barrel and have to purchase another, I started the project. Qualified gunsmiths and the weak of heart may be forewarned, this is truly primitive way to do it.

The MKII F used came with an advertised barrel length of 20". When measuring with a cleaning rod and a closed bolt it measures 21 1/8", and from the muzzle to the receiver 19.75". Pick how you want to measure it, I shortened it by 2", and it improved group size.

First some tools I used - hacksaw with new blade, a reloading case chamfer tool, a metal file and sandpaper (for smoothing out the saw marks), a pip cleaner (for keeping debris from going down the barrel), a fuel injector fuel line clamp 13-15mm (to put on the barrel to help guide the saw blade for a straighter cut), a slotted screwdriver, and of course "Perma Blue" blueing pen to blue the modification on the muzzle.
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/tools.jpg[/img]

I measured where I wanted to start cutting (-1" from muzzle as I was also doing aan ammo / FPS / group test for every inch cut), placed and tightened the clamp with a slotted screw driver, then inserted the pipe cleaner (doubled over). I made the cut toward the muzzle side of the clamp so as not to mark any finish on the main barrel (between the clamp and front sight was 1" and where I would cut).
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/clamponbarrel.jpg[/img]
[img width=337 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiifcuttingbarrel.jpg[/img]
[img width=337 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiifcuttingbarrel2.jpg[/img]

I then used the file and sandpaper to get an even flat muzzle and to get rid of any saw marks. With the file I lightly (at a 45 deg. angle) went around the outside of the barrel to take off any burrs and sharp edges. I then took the chamfer tool to crown the muzzle opening and to remove burrs. I did some testing with the -1", then repeated it all again to cut off another 1" for a total of 2".
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelsectioned.jpg[/img]
(This picture is from a previous crowning)
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/MKII%20F/MKIIFMAKINGCROWN.jpg[/img]

Note the "STAR" from the even crowning - had I thought about it earlier, I would have painted it white to help show this better.
[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelstar.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelmuzzle2.jpg[/img]

I cleaned the bare metal with acetone to remove any oils and residue, then touched it up with the Perma Blue pen, which did an excellent job, this photo does not do it justice.
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelmuzzle3.jpg[/img]

A side benefit (other than reducing groups by 1/4" at 50 yards and 1/2" or more at 100 yards) is that the shorter barrel seemed to balance the rifle better and gave it a more "custom tacticool" look, which is actually tough to capture in a photo of the "improved" stance.


So to get a "sleeker, meaner stance" and IMHO a better shooting and handling rifle, it took at the most an hour to cut, file / sand, and finish the barrel. Of course most of us have these things on hand which would lower the cost, but if had to be purchased:

Hacksaw - $4.99
Saw Blades - $2.99
Presto (Perma) Blue pen - $5.25
File / sandpaper - around $5.00 for both
Chamfer tool - ranges from $2.00 to $18.00 - calling it $10.00.
Fuel infector line clamps - $ 2.99
Pipe cleaner - $ ? (can use paper towel, cotton ball, etc. also)
Flat blade screw driver - $3.25

Total for the barrel shortening: $34.47 - if having to buy all the tools used.

Does the shorter sporter barrel perform as well as the bull target rifle barrel? Not quite, HOWEVER it is an improvement on how the sporter barrel performed before - link to the test http://savageshooters.com/SavageForu...c,36859.0.html

b-4 the shortening:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelb42.jpg[/img]

After the shortening:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelafter2.jpg[/img]

Before:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelb4.jpg[/img]

After:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/mkiibarrelafter.jpg[/img]

Before:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/10312010006.jpg[/img]

After:
[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/mkii%20barrel%20stuff/10312010038.jpg[/img]