Weight test on airgun pellets - Air-Arms Diabolo and H&N Finale Match

 To evaluate quality control on top brand airgun pellets - in particular with the goal of using (or not) this procedure to sort pellets for extreme precision Benchrest 25 Air Rifle match competition, I took a sample of 50 pellets from Air-Arms Diabolo 4,5mm and weighted them. I decided to use a sample of 50 pellets from Haendler & Natermann (H&N) Finale Match Air Pistol High Speed 4,5mm as a cross reference for quality control accross diferent manufacturers / different pellet types.

Please note that both Air-Arms and H&N pellets are around 8 or 9 GBP per each tin of 500 units - a "mental note" that this about 1/10 of the price of equivalente .22 LR ammunition.

Average, Maximum, Minimum and Standard Deviation

Histograms

Rowan Engineering Custom Turret for Nikko Diamond 10-50x MK.I

After finding out that the custom scope elevation turret by Rowan Engineerring Ltd (UK) for the Nikko Stirling Diamond 10-50x scope (that I use on my Air-Arms EV2 MK.II Field Target / Benchrest setup), was designed only for the new version (MK. II, 27 mm diameter) of this scope, I was lucky enough to get Rowan's custom shop support, trough Derek Rose, and to get it modified to fit the previous, slightly larger, version (MK. I , 28,5 mm diameter).

The fitting and anodized external finish are absolutely "luxury" grade. Fits like a glove. Thank your Derek Rose for all the support! On the side of the turret - the custom large focus sidewheel (and "matching" pointer) also a custom work by Rowan Engineerring Ltd (UK) .

My draft drawing for dimensions sent to Rowan Eng.
for the MK.I Nikko Diamond  10-50x turret "re-fit work"

Sourcing high grade silex stones for flintlocks

Helping a fellow national shooter, M. Cruz, sourcing high grade silex stones for his new MLAIC competition muzzleloader flintlock pistol, a Arsa, made in Spain, .45 caliber, "Manton" model, I came across the recommendation from this Spanish manufacturer for F. Javelot (France). The Arsa Manton pistol uses 5/8 " stones (15 x 18 mm) such as the one shown on the photo on the left.

Specs and price list by F. Javelot for flint stones - 2011

Additional research also pointed another strong recommendation towards the "old school guru" of flint stones - highly rated within the demanding MLAIC competition shooter community, Jean-Jacques Dutrieux (France) . The similitude between the tables, and the common French nationality, make me believe that F. Javelot is a dealer for Dutrieux products.

Billinghurst MLAIC training sessions

Across the last two Saturdays, December 10th and 17th, 2011, I invested some quality time training with my black powder muzzleloader in .36 caliber, a Billinghurst by custom German gun maker Tilo Dedinski. The 2012 Portuguese MLAIC matches are only 7 weeks away and training is essential.

Billinghurst .36 caliber and a training score of 93 / 100
(MLAIC Kucheneuter score rules sort the best 10 out of 13)

Loads setup details (in use order):

• 11 grains FFF Black Powder, made in Spain by RIO
• Corn semolina, made in Portugal, brand "Globo", "Carôlo de Milho - Sêmola" (for culinary use) 
• Cotton wads, made in Germany by " Riffle Bullet Caster GmbH & Co.KG ", diameter: 24 mm
• Cotton wads lube, made in Germany by " Riffle Bullet Caster GmbH & Co.KG " 
• Lead balls, made in Germany by "Riffle Bullet Caster GmbH & Co.KG", caliber: 0,354 ", weight: 65 grains
• Percussion caps, made in Germany by RWS, N0. 1075

Yesterday, right on the last target at the Jamor shooting range (Dafundo, Oeiras, Portugal), I broke my personal training record for the MLAIC Kuchenreuter discipline, with 93 / 100 points - my previous record was 92 / 100 from a January 2011 training session .
Score is made from the 10 best out of 13 shoots, at the ISSF 25 meter pistol target, and a >50% inside the ring is required to score inward (not as in ISSF where touch ring scores inward) - all under a 30 minutes match time constraint.

Targets from the training session Dec. 10th :

Targets from the training session Dec. 17h :

Close up on the 9-10 ring from the 93 / 100 target.
On the 10-X ring, there are 3 impacts
- the lower  "insertion" is a 2-in-1

Scores in detail:

Dec. 10th, 2011

Target I:     7 8 8 | 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 , Scores: 86 / 100

Target II:    0 5 7 | 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 , Scores: 88 / 100

Dec. 17th, 2011

Target I:    4 6 7 | 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 , Scores: 88 / 100

Target II:   8 8 8 | 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 , Scores: 93 / 100

Please note that MLAIC scores only the best 10 out of the 13 match impacts. 

Original leather sling "Arsenal do Exército" for the Mauser Vergueiro

Detail on the back section
- with one leather loop holder and brass buckle.
Note the "A.E." engraving on the leather

Back in September, 2011, with the help of Brian from Bryburn Trading Co Pty Ltd, an Australian (St. Peters, New South Wales) vintage "militaria collectable" dealer,  I managed to get hold of one original Portuguese Mauser Vergueiro leather sling (originated from the units that Portugal sold to Brazil) - complete with all the original brass elements (buckle and button/stud) and the leather loop holder.

Now, from the same dealer, I managed to get an even more accurate original - also complete with leather loop and the brass elements but with a special "extra": the "A.E". engraving on the back leather section. The acronymous stands for "Arsenal do Exército [Português]", that translates to "[Portuguese] Army Arsenal". Considering it is an original vintage piece, it is in great condition and in perfect working order condition.

The sling at the maximum extension - approx. 1 meter (3,2 feet)

I used it on the October 2011 Portuguese Shooting Federation Vintage Military Weapons Match - and reached the second place on the rifle match, with 179 / 200 points (an average of 9 / 10 score for each of the 20 match shoots). The use of a sling on this match, shooting prone at a 100 meter distant target, "locks" the rifle around the supporting left arm -  critical to ensure accuracy .

Overall view - Mauser Vergueiro (8x57 IS), m/1904/39, with leather sling

Sling dimensions:

• Overall maximum usable lenght: approx. 98 centimetres
• Thickness: 3 millimetres
• Width: 2,5 centimetres
• Round front brass stud diameter: 9,3 millimetres
• Back brass buckle long: 2,5 centimetres
• Leather loop width: 1,25 centimetres

Detail on the external side of the back section brass buckle
and leather loop holder

Detail on the front section with the brass stud

Another set of "posters" for the Portuguese Shooting Federation

Just published a set of 3 posters, designed and produced "pro bono" for the Portuguese Shooting Federation ("Federação Portuguesa de Tiro", FPT), for the forthcoming Portuguese Regionals and Nationals for Air-Pistol (10 meter ISSF) and Air-Rifle (10 meter ISSF and 10 meter "break barrel").

A previous set, also "pro bono", was produced for the vintage military pistol and rifles ("Armas de Ordenança") and for the .45 ACP pistol regionals and nationals.

And another one - for the 2011 Portuguese Shooting Federation ISSF Referee Certification Course:

Book Collection - "The Ultimate in Rifle Precision"

"The Ultimate in Rifle Precision", The Bench Rest Shooter's Annuals of 1949, 1950, 1951, 1954 and 1958  - to my knowledge those were the only 5 published "year books", and a true unique piece of history from the early years of Bench rest shooting competition in the USA - took me about 3 years, many auctions and (re)searches, but finally got them all on my collection.

"The Ultimate in Rifle Precision", The Bench Rest Shooter's Annuals
1949, 1950, 1951, 1954 and 1958 (left to right)

The books were edited by Townsend Whelen (Colonel. U. S. Army, Retired, March 6, 1877 - December 23, 1961, nicknamed "Townie" ) - one of his best known quotes is "Only accurate rifles are interesting".

The 1949, 1950 and 1951 books were published by The Sportsman's Press at Washington, D.C., USA. The 1954 and 1951 books were published by The Stackpole Company at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Along with this "5 pack annuals", the other top recommendation as far as Benchrest History is concerned, and already on my collection, is the book "Modern Accuracy (in Bench Rest Shooting), The Story of Bench Rest Shooting", by L. R. Wallack (nicknamed "Bob"), published in 1951 by Greenberg Publisher, New York, USA.

"Modern Accuracy (in Bench Rest Shooting),
The Story of Bench Rest Shooting",
by L. R. Wallack, 1951

National "Vice-Champion" - Benchrest 50

... at Carregueira, 1st Match 2011

With an accumulated score of 732 points, just one point bellow the first position, I finished last Sunday, October 2nd, 2011, the 5th match of the Portuguese Shooting Federation 2011 Nationals for Benchrest 50 and got my self the "silver" medal as "vice-champion" (runner-up) on the "Heavy Varmint" class - same position as on the 2010 Nationals. On the team scores, I finished first along with my fellow club members from CPTPP.

Final score sums the best 3 matches out of 5 - on a overall maximum of 750 points.

I competed with my "old trusty" German made J.G. Anschütz 1903, with a classic JGA BR50 stock, with Leupold Competition 45x, made in the USA, scope over Sportsmatck mounts, and using German made Lapua Center-X 40 grains .22 LR ammo. The rest is a ADJ 3 by Varide Cicognani (made in Italy).

This was the most disputed BR50 Nationals to date - with everything "opened" right to the last shot - and with a overall increase on all shooters scores. Portugal goes up on the sport!

5th Match, Jamor, 245 points with 12 X

4th Match, Tavira, 235 points with 8 X

3rd Match, Fervença, 244 points with 10 X

2nd Match, Fervença, 243 points with 8 X

1st Match, Carregueira, 242 points with 10 X

P. Mateus - 2nd on the 2011 BR50 Nationals
- best 3 of 5 match overall scores

P. Mateus at the 5th Match at Jamor, 2nd October 2011
- during he "setup period", still with the safety flag marker on the breech

Erasmo Giordano and the 9x21mm

Last Sunday, September, 25th, at the Portuguese Shooting Federation 9mm Pistol 2011 Nationals, and shooting within the same Club team (a 3 persons team - along with another fellow Club member, Mário Dias), I was along Erasmo R. Giordano, the Italian inventor of the 9x21mm caliber - retired and living in Portugal. I took his time - always in a good mood - to get hold of an extended autograph on the book "Cartridges of the World", 11th Edition, rigth on "his own" 9x21mm page.

Chating with Erasmo R. Giordano, on the left,
about "Cartridges of The World"

Original, in Italian: "All'amico Pedro Mateus, da parte del "Papá"
e inventori del 9x21, con stima e simpatia. Erasmo R. Giordano. "

"To my friend Pedro Mateus, from the "Dad" and inventor of the 9x21,
with high regards and sympathy, Erasmo R. Giordano"

Me, holding the "Cartridges of the World" 11th Ed. , on the right,
and Erasmo R. Giordano, on the left

Original leather sling on my Vergueiro - Portuguese Mauser

With the help of Brian from Bryburn Trading Co Pty Ltd, an Australian (St. Peters, New South Wales) vintage "militaria collectable" dealer,  I managed to get hold of one original Portuguese Mauser Vergueiro leather sling (originated from the units that Portugal sold to Brazil) - complete with all the original brass elements (buckle and button) and the leather loop holder. Now my +100 years old piece of working history is complete - and all original.

Left side

Right side

Detail on the back section - with leather loop holder and brass buckle

Detail on the front loop brass button

Weight sorting .22 LR ammo for Benchrest 50 extreme precision

Sharing the results of weight sorting .22 LR ammo for Benchrest 50 (BR50) - sorting two 100 samples from the same production batches: one from Lapua CenterX and another from Akah X-Trainer.  Both are Made in Germany by Lapua - Center-X is a top of the line ammo costing approximatly twice as much as the low end Akah X-Trainer.

Test results for the Center X
 - the all 100 units batch is within a tight 0,2 grains precision interval  (!)

Test results for the Akah X-Trainer show a high spread in weight
Approx. 66% can be fitted in the 0,1 grains interval of 51,5 to 51,4

A "matrix sorter" helps to keep track of groups within different weights

A 0,1 grains precision digital scale

Next steps, since the 0,2 grains precision interval as "factory default" from Lapua Center-X is considered to be "match grade", and no further sorting should be required there, will be focused on measuring rim thickness. For that I'll be using a thickness gauge by Hornady , http://www.hornady.com/store/Rimfire-Thickness-Gauges . I'll report about that measuring process and data on a forthcoming post.

The Hornady thickness gauge applied to a calliper
(diagram from Hornady product manual)

The Portuguese Mauser Vergueiro - training prone at 100 meters

Very happy with today's, September 11th, 2011, training with my +100 years old DWM 1904 "Vergueiro" rifle (also known as the "Portuguese Mauser") at the Carregueira 100 meters shooting range.

With FNM 8x57mm IS 198 grains full metal jackets, shooting prone, simulating the 20 shot at 100 meters for the "Prova Combinada de Armas de Ordenança" ("Combined Match for Standard Issue Military Weapons") promoted by the Portuguese Shooting Federation, I managed to score an average of 7,85 shooting at the official ISSF 50 meter precision rifle target.

The DWM 1904 - Vergueiro "Portuguese Mauser" in 8x57mm IS
along a Leupold "Gold Ring" 30x spotting scope on a Jobby Gorillapod flexible tripod.
A rubber Pachmayr Decelator slip-on pad is fitted - and allowed by the match rules

The training match series (scores list in chronological order) were:

9, 8, 8, 10, 5 , sub total of 40 / 50 points

7, 9, 9, 8, 7, sub total of 40 / 50 points

5, 6, 7, 7, 9, sub total of  34 / 50 points

8, 7, 9, 9, 10, sub total of  43 / 50 points

An overall 157 / 200 points, average of 7,85 / 10 points - very interesting evolution versus, last July, the first training score of  140 / 200 points, average of 7 / 10 points.

A HD video of the last shots on today's training session:

Luger P-08 "Parabellum" - 110 shots training session

September, 10th 2011, under light rain, just got back from the Carregueira (Belas, Sintra, Portugal) shooting range where I made a 110 precision shots training session with my beloved 70 years old Luger P-08 BYF 41 "Parabellum" - using PMP Denel 9x19mm ammo, FMJ, 115 grains ammo (made in South Africa).

87 / 100 points, ISSF 25 meter, single handed
Luger P-08 "Parabellum" 9x19mm, PMP 115 grains, FMJ ammo 

The results were very inspiring, in particular since I'm a newcomer to this military pistol, with a overall average around 8 / 10 points - and with some very nice consecutive groups around the X mark that made me smile (and proud). The use of an adjustable shooting iris, part of the Knobloch shooting glasses I regularly use for ISSF disciplines, proved very determining on keeping the front sight (tiny, old school military design) under crispy and permanent focus.

3 x 10 points  ISSF 25 meter target

Knobloch shooting glasses - with blinder and adjustable iris

Cant't wait for the coming regionals and nationals of "Armas de Ordenança" (using ISSF precision target at 25 meters, single handed, 30 shots precision - 5 minutes x 5 shot series - and 30 shots "velocity" 1 minute x 5 shot series - overall 600 points) - where only Portuguse vintage (pre-1960) military standard issued weapons are allowed.

A true classic - Luger P-08 BYF 41 "Parabellum"