And again - personal record broke on break barrel 10 meter air rifle

With 346 out of 400, yesterday morning, Dec. 11th 2010, at the 10 meter ISSF shooting range of C.D.A., Cascais, Portugal, on the 6th and final match of their year-long Tournament (final score made by the best 5 out of 6 matches) - I broke my previous record of 341 points at precision break barrel air rifle shooting.Yes!

The (personal record) series where 90, 83, 86 and 87 (out of 100) - even with one of the ever-present 5 points impact (a ghost that keeps hunting me). I feel a lot more confidant and "natural" with my shooting kit (HW 35 air rifle with custom Ginb stock fed with H&N Finale Match Pellets) and - thank you F. Lopes Neto, R. Vilhena and all others for the "coaching & tips" - "in sync" with all the changes on the shooting (feet) stance (no angle, no more then 40-50cms apart), back recoil pad height settings (lower) and, last but not least, on the "tune up" of the artillery hold (more "free recoil", less "hunter hold").

346 / 400, 7th place within 21 competitors at CDA 6th 2010 Tournament

... 5th overall on the "5 best matches out of 6"
CDA 2010 Tournament

Cleaning my black powder muzzle loader pistol

After the première of shooting session with my Billinghurst pistol - my first ever black powder muzzle loader pistol - it comes the task of cleaning (or shall we say literally wash it up).

First the pistol is taken a part by removing a single punch pin from left to right that holds the barrel to the trigger and grip (and "opening" the under hammer so that it is no longer in contact with the nipple and thereby releasing all contact with the barrel).

Next steps, around the hot water sink, are simple - remove the nipple with the appropriate key (provided by the pistols manuf.)...

... close up detail on the residue accumulation around the nipple

... detail on the just removed nipple (removal tool on top)
The white residue comes from
protective teflon tape applied to the screw sectiion

... and start washing the barrel (already without the nipple) under (very) hot water and with a tiny bit of window / dish detergent. A used tooth brush and a smoking pipe cleaner tool will come in handy to remove residues. Keep water flowing (be generous, and keep it as hot as possible for you to stand) until it comes clean and no more black stuff is present.

Using a .22 brush and cotton swabs it's a great help to reach the inner section of the "powder funnel" - and then proceed with dry cotton patches to remove all excess water from the barrel. Last but not least, use a hair dryer on maximum heat and make sure you get the barrel all dry. Same clean and dry procedure should apply to the nipple (be careful - do not lose it on the sink - use a protective drain tight grid). A tiny bit of teflon tape should be applied to the nipple screw - to avoid the heat and residues from ignition to damage / obstruct extraction.

Final touches should involve a lightly oiled (I prefer Balistol) patch running to trough the barrel... and, after reassembling the all kit for safe storage, to oil it on the outside for protection.

Premiere with my own black powder muzzle load match pistol

Today, Saturday, 11th December 2010, along with fellow club member P. André (and later, at the range, with the company and wisdom of M. Cruz), I made it - my "première" shooting my own black powder muzzle load match pistol - a custom made Tilo Dedinski Billinghurst under hammer in .36" caliber.

Using loads of 10 grains, I made a total of 20 shots (from first ever "sight in" - up to a mini match simulation) - and the last sequence of today's shots - a 5 impact series ("match simulation"), scored 47 / 50 ! Overall I was deeply impressed with both the pistol and my skill - almost no horizontal shift... and verticals all in a very decent and "predictable" range.

Air Rifle Sunday - HW 35 and Diana 66 Training

Today, December 5th, I took my "recordist" HW 35 (Ginb stocked) and my "vintage collectable" Diana 66 for training at Jamor ISSF 10 meter shooting range. Some videos of the training session bellow (my fellow Club member, F. Lopes Neto, took the Diana 66 for a "trial run" while I video documented it in action).

The HW 35 and my shooting stance (with some great tips from F. Lopes Neto - keep feet closer, keep muscles tighter, lower gravity center on the back) are all on a great moment - a "demo match" during today's training session granted me 339 / 400 points (series of 89, 82, 82, and 86 (/100) - with 84 on the "sight in" series) - just 4 points lower then my new personal record from yesterday.

My first loads for muzzle loader competition

With my "muzzle loader / black powder enabler diploma" obtained after Portuguese Shooting Federation  MLAIC official training and certification last February, and with my fully custom Billinghurst pistol delivered last June, I started today, December 4th, the first loads for the première shooting I expect to perform (over a training session) within the next coming weeks (before year's end).

My diploma for muzzle loader and black powder
handling and shooting  (Portuguese), February 2010

Across the last months I've been procuring and stocking all the required supplies and tools - in particular Eppendorf laboratory tubes (safe and resistant plastic, strong lid cover, single handed operation), appropriate funnel (from the "micro" perfume refill segment), measure tools (for both "size load" and "weight load" - double check standards are never to much safety for the subject at hand) storage cases and, of course, the "raw materials" - black powder (FFF) and corn semolina .

First task was to test measure and weight for the FFF black powder loads - the Billinghurst manufacturer, Tilo Dedinski, recommends a load between 10 to 12 grains (I will stock with the lower value). I used Lee Precision Inc. reload measure tool for 0,70 cc (according to Lee's included documentation "matrix") and my digital precision scale to cross check all items.

Lee Precision Inc. "slide" matrix for
measure tool size versus grains weight

"Eppendorf" laboratory tubes and "micro" perfume funnel

0,70 CC Lee Presion Inc. measure tool "re-tested"
with digital precision scale.

Next task... to measure the same weight (and naturally ending up with a much higher volume) for the corn semolina - where the Lee tool for 1,00 cc was just the right one. Once again double checking weight with the precision digital scale.

... side by side black powder and corn
- same weigth (10 grains), but approx. double volume for the corn

MTM transport cases "refactored" from standard rifle ammo standards (with appropriate "safety" labels, and a "custom" extra padding from the spares of my Peli transport cases) and a overview of my working desktop.