Hämmerli X-Esse, first shoots

My first shoots, last August 23rd, 2011, with my just acquired second hand ("as new") Hämmerli X-Esse, .22 LR pistol were very satisfying - with two impressives 48 / 50 scores at ISSF 25 meter precision shooting rules.

Hämmerli X-Esse with Lapua Pistol King - 25 meter ISSF precision

The first training session followed a mixed set of "precision" shooting rules (5 shoots series in 150 seconds) and "first stage velocity" (5 shoots series in 20 seconds). The results, using Lapua Pistol King ammo, .22 LR 40 grains, were:

Precision, 150 seconds, 5 x series / 50 points

43, 48, 48, 42, 41, 43

Average: 8,8 / 10

Velocity, 20 seconds, 5 x series / 50 points
42, 43, 47, 39, 46, 38
Average: 8,5 / 10

Overall score: 520 / 600
Overall average: 8,6

This specfic Hämmerli X-Esse is  the "standard" model, with 4 1/2 inch barrel, made in Switerzland. Trigger was adjusted to approx. 1300 grams pull height (via the internal adjustment screw) - ISSF regulations have a mininum setting of  1000 grams. You can find further details on the trigger adjustment procedure for this X-Esse, with a step-a-step photo guide, here >>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qnHpiBlGX8

Trigger adjustment down to 1200-1300 grams

This X-Esse is the closest a "sport" pistol can get to "match grade" (without breaking any rule book, and, last but not least, within a very interesting budget). First, the grip is wonderful for the classic single hand ISSF 25 meter shooting stance - ambidextrous, with a pronounced beaver and with a roundish large-enough and well textured grip (partial stippling-like on the front and back). Strong grip adherence texture and great overall hand support. Second, the trigger - when adjusted down from the >2000 grams factory setting, down to some 1200-1300 grams, it's crispy, no creep, a true capable performer. Third, the sights - made by LPA, windage and elevation adjustable and with a match oriented sight contour. All adds up to a true performer.

The down side - there's always one - comes from the use of plastic/polymer on many components - in particular, on the magazines and on the front slide blocker. Personally, I dislike the look and fell and I sure have some questions about long term use.

Wood grip replacement by Nill (Germany)
- lacking the "extended" beavertail of the original
Photo (c) Nill Griffe Shop

There's a third party option grip from Nill Grips, Germany, but, very surprisingly, lacks, by design, the beavertail section - and that's precisly one of the strong points on the original. I will keep the original grip on this - and I'm a "dedicated" wood / Nill grips fan.

Photos and details of the Hämmerli X-Esse

Left side, safety on (red dot shows, top back)

Right side

Detailed perspective on the synthetic grip
- with a strong effective grip-on texture stipple like

Magazine removed and the slide locked in the open position

LPA back adjustable (windage and elevation) match sights

Front sight

Close up on the trigger blade and magazine extraction button

First trial at air rifle Benchrest 25 - BR25

Today, June 25th, 2011, at the Carregueira shooting range (Belas, Sintra, Portugal), with an outside temperature on the 36 C / approx. 97 F range (!), I made my first trial at Benchrest 25, BR 25, air rifle (25 meters / 27 yards). I used my "old", Field-Target "focused", Air-Arms EV2 Mk.II, with AA  Diabolo Field .177" / 4,52mm pellets (0,547 grams / 8,44 grains), scoped with a Nikko Stirling Diamond 50x  (mil-dot reticle) mounted on Sportsmatch UK mounts, on my Varide Cicognani bench rest, and made about 85 training shots with it (approx. 25 "sighters" plus 60 "match like") with overall average / bellow average results.

Air Arms Ev2-MK-II, Nikko Diamond 50x scope,

Varide Cicognani rest, Gibraltar / Roc-n-Soc adjustable stool

Scoring is a little different from BR50 - at BR25 the tiny central ring-dot is the 10 point mark by itself - if you break the ring you score 10 points, if you obliterate the ring entirely you score X. On BR50 the entire central tiny ring is only for Xs and the immediate envolving circle is the 10 points mark.

Scoring (out of 50) was:

• First target: 46, 46, 41
• Second target: 47, 44, 48
• Third target: 47, 48, 48
• Fourth target: 47, 44, 47

Overall average score was: 46 / 50 points .

Since I was using cut down A3 to A4 photocopied targets, only 3 series per sheet were available instead of the regular 5 series per sheet. Extrapolating the average per series above for a full 5 series target, that would be 230 / 250 points (9,2 / 10 points per individual target). Since I'm running 240-245 at the BR50 .22 LR there's a lot to improve around the air rifle - but, anyway, this was just the first trial, and for sure it was fun!

Official - BR25 Target  - 25 targets plus sighters

Target I - used as my full "sighter" target

  

Target II, used as my first "match like target", average 44/50

Target III, used as my second "match like target", average 46/50

Target IV, used as my third "match like target", average 47/50

Target V, used as my fourth "match like target", average 46/50

Pellets Air-Arms Diabolo Field 4,52mm (.177")

0,547 Grams (8,44 Grains)

A custom made bullet holder for my MLAIC match "workbench"

An ergonomic "workbench" (and a methodical process of addressing it in a safe and eficient manner) is a key element for succeeding at a MLAIC match. Part of this ergonomics are a few "holders" and their positioning on the bench - holders for the powder and semolina charges, holders for the loading tools and, last but not least, holders for the lead balls.

With the work and tools / design know-how of fellow shooter and friend J. Almeida Santos, also my instructor on the national Black Powder certification, I got a custom made bullet holder for my MLAIC workbench - "dual faced", on one side for the .36 caliber (pistol) and on the other for the .44 caliber (revolver).

Construction was made over a simple piece of pine wood, later finished with generous amounts of teak oil. The bullet holder has 16 holes, in 2 rows of 8 - allowing the management of the MLAIC shooting rules - of 13 shoots - 6 on one target, 7 on the other - with some extra / spare room left on the holder. The most important dimension - ergonomic wise - is the center to center (CTC) distance between holes (20 mm , 0,78") - that must enable a easy access and prevent accidental "impact" on the "neighbour" bullets - we don't want to spill extra bullets "all over" the bench, and we must also be space saver as the bench is not infinite and there's a lot of elements to work over it (and on some matches the bench is somewhat confined). Also important is the relative depth of the holes - approx. one third of the ball size.

All measures in detail (imperial and metric) - both sides of the holder

.44 side

.36 side

Details on the .44 side of the bullet holder:

Details on the .36 side of the bullet holder:

Sam Fadala and Grain Precision Tolerance on Black Powder

10 grains of FFF black powder

An excerpt from "The Complete Blackpowder Handbook" (2006, 5th Edition, Krause Publications, USA, ISBN 978-0-89689-390-0) by reputable expert Sam Fadala (bold highlights are my own edition):

"(...) Giving the Lie to the Pet Blackpowder Load

I didn't think that Pet Loads with half-grain blackpowder charges made sense. The chronograph proved the point once and for all. This was an easy test. I used the very rifle that was claimed to do its best with, if I recall, something like 60.5 grains of powder. The chronograph proved that no velocity or SD difference existed between 60.0, 60.5, and 61 grains of powder. 

Blackpowder is not sufficiently efficient to show differences between miniscule charges. Nor are blackpowder substitutes. This does not take away from careful loadbuilding. Not at all. It simply shows that half-grain blackpowder charge variances are insignificant. This is quite untrue of smokeless powder. Also, as bore size diminishes, small changes in powder charge have more meaning. Regardless of this fact, muzzleloaders in bore sizes 32-caliber to 2-bore show no value in varying tiny increments of powder charge. I also have no faith that half-grain blackpowder increments do anything in the blackpowder cartridge. The chronograph proves it.

The Chronograph Speaks '* [page] 187 (...)"

Pietta Remington 1858 .44 Black Powder Revolver - "sight trials" at the shooting range

My "new" black powder revolver, a second hand purchase from another fellow shooter (who, in fact, just barely used it), a Italian made, Pietta, replica of a 1858 "New Army" Remington .44 just went trough a "sights trial" session on April 23rd 2011 at the Carregueira (Belas, Portugal) shooting range - planning to use it for MLAIC competition (ISSF precision target at 25 meters / 27 yards with a 200 mm / 8 inc bulls eye).

Using a load of 16 grains of FFF black powder and 14 grains of corn semolina, with Davide Pedersoli .454 round ball (approx. 140 grains), sealed with common vaseline, there's a drop on the impact point of approx. 15 cms / 6 inches. I was unable to use the classic 6 o'clock hold (sights with a white spacing just bellow the lower section of the bulls eye), and only with the sights converging on the top of the paper limit I was able to do some preliminary group testing).

16 grain powder and 14 grains semolina loads
on the "ready to use" Eppendorf tubes

With a "impossible" alignment of the sights,
just on the upper limit of the target paper,
grouping was approx. 15 cm / 6 inches lower.
The left deviation comes from the absence of horizontal references when aiming so high
- the barrel blocks the bulls eye and all aiming is done "staring at the white"

The front sight is quite high - approx. 4,5 mm / 1/6" inch from the "V-ish" shapped base - and some file work will be the next task - of course more shooting, notes and measure should take place due to the irreversible nature of this "hard" intervention.

The amount of "file work" to be done can be estimated by the sight radius (25 cms) divided by range distance (25 meters) times distance off center of target (approx. 15 cms). On the present case this should be close to 1,5 mm (almost one third of the factory size of the front sight).

That would allow a "on the spot" sight in - but the 6 o'clock hold requires a higher impact point (a white space section plus half the size of the bulls eye - so, 200 mm / 2 = 10 cms for the bullseye and lets add some 5 cms for the white space., another 150mm to manage) - the overall impact would be quite impressive on the filing of the front sight (approx. 60% "down").

Another corrective measure could be, off course, to increase the powder load - but, first of all, I'm already using 16 grains - right on top of Pietta's recommendation and, furthermore, and the real "key argument" for not increasing the load, I will need to use some extra ("hot") loads to deal with the 50 meter / 55 yard "D. Malson" MLAIC competition. If I get a "to much hot" load for the standard 25 meter I will be unable to "upgrade" it for the 50 meter. And, last but not least, let's not forget the physical limitations of the cylinders - the round ball, on top of the semolina and powder must be bellow the "cut line" where it comes in contact with the barrel - and there's not that much "room left" even with "standard loads". And no - I will not reduce or cut the semolina - has some "hardcore" shooters might suggest. Good practises are to be kept!

Pietta recommended min-max loads for the .44 Reminton 1858

My "work bench" for MLAIC competition at the shooting range

Disassembling my 1858 for cleaning

Close up on the cylinder .44 "tubes" and on the octagonal 8 inch barrel