The Brasstard » Competition

In Review: Fiocchi Exacta .223 – 77gr HPBT MatchKing

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:03:14 +0000

I was recently approached by an ammo retailer called www.ammoforsale.com, who sent me some Fiocchi Exacta 77gr Sierra MatchKing-HPBT .223 (223MKD) for testing. So, I pulled out the old 90’s model Ruger Ranch rifle, some targets and a chrono and set out to see what this ammo can do. Needless to say, my tough little Ranch Rifle is not known for making dime-sized groups at the length of a football field. Just to keep things in perspective, if I get 3 or 4 MOA, I am usually pretty happy. Furthermore, the twist-rate of the scrawny Ranch Rifle barrel is not really suitable for such a heavy bullet. I usually shoot 55gr – 62gr with decent results. The heavier 77gr bullet in this Fiocchi load would be better suited for a 1:7 twist-rate. However, since I’m not a big .223 guy (sue me), it is all I had laying around for the test.

Here are the results…

Reliability

All rounds fed, fired and ejected flawlessly in my rifle. However, the Mini-14 has yet to fail me with any type of ammo, so it is hard to say how it will work in a more finicky rifle. Nonetheless, the Fiocchi load appears to be well-manufactured and provided good geometric consistency from round to round.

Velocity

My chrono results were averaging around 2,630 FPS with an average 12 FPS spread on either side of that. For match ammo, this is about perfect. The load is not too hot, and the spread is small, which provides good P.O.I. consistency.

Accuracy

The accuracy test was the point where I realized that this load needs a faster twist-rate in order to be judged fairly. My 50-yard rested groups with the Ranch Rifle varied between 2”in – 2.25”in (sigh). I am absolutely positive that this load is capable of far better performance if used in a proper platform. What I wouldn’t do for a decent bolt action .223 with a 1:7 twist-rate and a free-floating heavy barrel at a time like this.

Conclusion

The Fiocchi load provides excellent quality at a reasonable price. How can you ask for more than that? And the folks at www.ammoforsale.com are friendly, well-stocked and ready to serve.

Happy shootin’,

The Brasstard

Ruger 10/22 Trigger Group Disassembly/Reassembly – Detailed Tutorial & Images

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:45:58 +0000

Sharp and detailed images will guide you through the disassembly and reassembly of the Ruger 10/22 trigger group. Use this as a reference to aid you with trigger jobs and/or installing custom parts…

Before you start, make sure that your gun is unloaded and all ammo is removed from the work area. Then, field strip your rifle as shown in these instructions.

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The Tools Required:

A small punch (around 3/32″) to remove the cross-pins
A pair of needle-nose pliers to hold small parts
If available, a small padded vise to hold the trigger housing

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DISASSEMBLY PROCEDURE

Step 1: Remove the hammer main spring…

With the safety off, hold the top of the hammer with your thumb while you pull the trigger to release the hammer and swing it forward. Caution: Hammer spring under tension. Hold hammer firmly to avoid injury.

Pull the top of the strut to remove the hammer main spring. (Below)

If you wish to remove the spring from the strut, compress the spring with your fingers while you slide the retainer clip off in the direction shown (below). Caution: Don’t let the parts fly away.

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Step 2: Remove the ejector…

Use your punch to push out the cross-pin. Caution: Spring under tension.

Remove the ejector from the trigger housing…

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Step 3: Remove the hammer assembly…

Use your punch to push out the hammer cross-pin.

Remove the hammer assembly from the trigger housing.

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Step 4: Remove the bolt stop/release…

Use your punch to push out the cross-pin.

Pull the plate up and to the rear of the housing to remove.

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Step 5: Remove the trigger/sear assembly…

Use your punch to remove the cross-pin.

… then pull the trigger/sear assembly up and out of the trigger housing.

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Step 6: Remove the trigger return plunger/spring…

Pull the plunger straight out of the hole in the back of the trigger guard and replace the spring if necessary.

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Step 7: Remove the magazine catch/release…

Use your index finger to depress the magazine retainer piston while you pull the mag release lever out of the bottom of the housing. You may need to wiggle the mag release a little to get it out.

Great work! You have successfully stripped down the fire control group to a bare trigger housing.

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ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE

Before you begin assembly, make sure you clean and lightly oil all of the parts in the fire control group. Do not leave excess oil on the parts, as it will only serve to attract excess dirt. Replace any of the unwanted or worn parts with new or custom parts and follow the steps below.

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Step 1: Install the magazine catch/release…

Insert the retaining piston and spring into the hole on the front face of the trigger housing.

Use your index finger to depress the piston while you insert the magazine release lever from the bottom of the trigger housing.

Make sure the top portion of the mag release lever is in the correct position in the rear of the piston (below).

Test the function by pressing upwards on the mag release lever. It should depress the piston (below)…

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Step 2: Install the trigger return plunger/spring…

For steps 2 and 3 it helps to clamp the trigger housing vertically so that gravity keeps the trigger return plunger/spring in place.

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Step 3: Install the trigger/sear assembly…

First, piece together the trigger and sear using the cross-pin to hold it all in place. Make sure the spring is in the proper position in its retaining holes.

Carefully remove the cross-pin from the trigger/sear assembly, but don’t let it fall apart (above). Carefully insert the trigger/sear into the top of the trigger housing (below; double arrows) and align it with the correct cross-pin hole (below; single arrow). Insert the cross-pin.

Once it is installed, it should look like this (below)…

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Step 4: Install the bolt stop/release…

Place the bolt stop/release plate into the trigger housing from the top. Make sure the plate is flat against the shooters left side of the housing, and ease it into position so the bottom portion comes through in front of the trigger guard.

Align the cross-pin hole in the bolt stop/release plate with the hole in the trigger housing and insert the cross pin.

Make sure the top, flat part of the bolt stop/release plate aligns with the top of the trigger housing (below).

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Step 5: Install the hammer assembly…

Place the metal bushings into the hammer axis hole, and place the spring in the correct position on the shooters right side of the hammer (below).

Install the hammer assembly into the top of the trigger housing by lifting the rear of the bolt stop/release plate and sliding the hammer bushing under it (below). Align the cross-pin hole on the trigger housing with the hammer axis hole and insert the cross-pin.

Make sure the lower arm of the spring is correctly positioned inside the notch on the bolt stop/release plate (below).

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Step 6: Install the ejector…

Place the ejector into the notch on the top/front of the trigger housing.

Align the ejector’s axis hole with the cross-pin hole and insert the cross-pin.

As you insert the cross-pin, compress the top arm of the spring so that it goes under the cross-pin (below).

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Step 7: Install the hammer main spring and strut assembly…

With the safety off, pull the trigger and manually push the hammer into the forward position.

Insert the hammer main spring assembly into the retaining hole in the lower rear of the trigger housing.

Align the top of the strut with the groove on the back of the hammer.

Use your thumb to retract the hammer back into the cocked position, and engage the safety.

Congratulations! You have completed the fire control group assembly procedure. You may now reinsert it into the receiver. Have fun and stay safe out there with your Ruger 10/22.

The Brasstard

In Review: Glock’s Race Gun, the 9mm G34

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:32:45 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to borrow this handy little pistol for a falling plates match at Laguna Seca last weekend. It was one of very few Glock pistols present among the vast sea of precision-tuned 1911’s. When it comes to match shooters, there are some wide variations in personal sentiment regarding the use of Glock’s for competition. Despite the fact that the majority of those opinions are less than favorable, the G34 tends to draw a lot of fascination from even the most skeptical and die-hard 1911 lover. From the get-go, the gun’s performance was very impressive… far superseding my own level of speed and accuracy. I’d like to thank Brasstard user “KPB” for letting me borrow his toy for the event. Now lets take a closer look at this beautiful little piece of competition hardware…

When it comes to competing, it is hard to beat a well-tuned, all-steel, single action 1911 that is chambered in something tame like the 9mm Luger or .38 Super. Unfortunately, most of the 1911’s I saw at the competition cost between $2000-$4000 depending on their configuration. They also feel a lot different to me than the guns I normally carry for self defense, which are all double action only (DAO), or DA/SA combos. Therefore, the G34 made a lot of sense to me as a good “working-class” competitive pistol; being both affordable and feeling more like what I have in my pants when I carry. The specimen here can be had with all of the upgrades for under $1000.

Despite the noble marketing efforts made by Glock, you will likely need to invest a few extra bucks into your new G34 to really achieve “Glock Perfection”. For competition use, you will first need to swap out the 4.5 lb trigger for one with a lighter pull, less take-up, a cleaner break, less over-travel, and a shorter reset.

This was done on our specimen by installing the Glockworkx Complete Fulcrum Trigger Kit that was purchased at glockstore.com (part # T0591-A). This includes a fully adjustable trigger pull down to about 2 – 2.5 lbs… ours was set around 3.5 lbs by the owner, which is a nice compromise between accuracy and safety in a DAO pistol. It also eliminates the notorious miles of creep, take-up, and over-travel we have learned to accept in the stock trigger of our Glock’s. The reset was very short, making you ready to plug the next plate in a heartbeat. The Glockworkx trigger group does it’s job very well, and will quickly make your G34 into a smooth racing machine.

In the image below, you can see the Sure Touch Extended Chrome Slide Release also picked up at glockstore.com (part # T0597). This add-on makes for very fast and easy locking and unlocking of the slide. However, one must use caution if you are not used to this device. It protrudes from the slide more than the stock version, and it gives you a lot more leverage requiring very little effort to operate. As a result, my thumb accidentally nudged it during my 10 and 15 yard relays causing the slide to lock back on me. After I repositioned my upper thumb, the problem went away in the subsequent 20 and 25 yard relays.

The owner also added a nice stainless steel guide rod to smooth out the cycling action and add a little weight to the front end (glockstore.com part #LS005-A). You can also use a tungsten rod if you want even more weight in the gun.

Finally, the owner also added some better sights to make target acquisition faster and easier. The front sight is a fiber optic system from Novak Sights. This came in very handy since the match started just before sunset, and ended in the dark with flood lights illuminating the course. The fiber optic sight works well in a wide variety of lighting conditions, and it helped me stay on target as the sun went away for the day.

The rear sight is a Glock factory-made adjustable system with windage and elevation adjustments for fine tuning your race horse. This sight, combined with the front fiber optic from Novak made for a fast and accurate sight picture throughout the race.

All in all, the G34 is a straight-up Glock to its core. If you like Glock’s, you will love this gun… guaranteed. If you are not a fan of Glock ergonomics, don’t expect the G34 to spark a new romance in you. As with other full-sized Glock’s of the 3rd generation and older, the grips are best suited for folks with larger hands. For me, the bigger the better… my favorite grip being the large-frame G20. As you can see below, the G34 pretty much incorporates itself into my large hands with little effort.

On the other hand, if you are a small-framed person like my wife, you may not find the G34 as pleasing to handle. At 5′2″ and 105 lbs, her tiny hands are dwarfed by the full-size G34. As you can see below, there are gaps and spaces in her grip where parts of her hands should be united. As a result of these observations, the G34 might not be the best choice for folks with small hands.

In the end, I have to say that the G34 was a great all-around performer. If I had to criticize it, I would say that it could use a bit more weight. When your opponents are wielding 40 oz behemoths, the 23 oz G34 can feel a little out of its weight class. I think that a mag well extension, a tungsten guide rod, and maybe a compensator of some sort could go a long way with this gun. However, it was a fantastic performer as is. The accuracy is truly superb, the trigger is clean and quick, and if you use your time wisely, even the 25 yard plates will fall like the Berlin Wall. On his final relay, the owner of the gun, “KPB” knocked down 5 out of 6 plates at 25 yards in under 9 seconds while drawing from a holster. For a non-professional match, this is professional-grade performance from both the weapon and the user.

As for me, the G34 is high on my list of “must have” guns. I have no doubt that one day, one of these will find its way into my own collection. Until then, “KPB” can count me borrowing his race toy with staunch regularity.

Regards,

The Brasstard