Where to get 223 ammo on a Sunday

ninja7848

Anybody know where I can get 223 ammo on a Sunday in Wexford.

Cass

Did you get sorted?

This topic came up with a couple of mates the other day. We were talking about the post office and why it closes for lunch at the same time most other people have a lunch break and the conversation moved onto RFDs. I commented how some shops work the same hours as everyone else and don't make allowances for when lads are off work. IOW open late, but stay open later. Open Saturday and at last a few hours on a Sunday.

If a gun shop opened at say 11am, stayed open to 8pm, then opened till 6pm on a Saturday and for 3 hours on a Sunday morning (even every second one) lads would have time to get to them. Also the amount of lads i see around me that cannot get to the shop during "normal business hours" and only have Saturday afternoon/evening or Sunday morning to get their few bits.

ninja7848

Cass wrote: »

Did you get sorted?

This topic came up with a couple of mates the other day. We were talking about the post office and why it closes for lunch at the same time most other people have a lunch break and the conversation moved onto RFDs. I commented how some shops work the same hours as everyone else and don't make allowances for when lads are off work. IOW open late, but stay open later. Open Saturday and at last a few hours on a Sunday.

If a gun shop opened at say 11am, stayed open to 8pm, then opened till 6pm on a Saturday and for 3 hours on a Sunday morning (even every second one) lads would have time to get to them. Also the amount of lads i see around me that cannot get to the shop during "normal business hours" and only have Saturday afternoon/evening or Sunday morning to get their few bits.

No didn’t get sorted. I tried every shop with no luck. I too usually work Monday too Saturday afternoon and it’s a pain sometimes to get stuff done. While I have you. Need a little advice. Been shooting at targets at a range of 100 yards and my grouping has gone haywire. I have tried loads of different types of ammo and all the same results. Rifle is m77 Mark 2. The last box of ammo I bought were Hornady Vmax 55g and also Hornady steel match of the same 55g. I also checked my barrel is free floating. With no luck. My scope did get a fall off my shoulder and hit the boot of my car quiet hard. Does it sound like I need a new scope.

Cass

There are any number of reasons the gun is not grouping. You need to identify any problems that you know it might be and if it's not them then address the problems it could be.

Common causes include:

1. Scope - Self explanatory really. A faulty scope will "jump" with each shot, not track, etc.
2. Mounts - If they are not tight enough, misaligned, etc. they can cause issues with zeroing.
3. Ammo - Depending on twist rate and what your gun likes poor quality or just a "bad fit" ammo will cause zeroing issues. Solution is to try various brands/weights and see which works.
4. Suppressor - If the threading of the rifle is not done properly, or on the rare occasion the threading of the Mod is not correct, you will get a misaligned suppressor causing the ammo to clip the mod on leaving. This clipping can be so subtle you might not see it. A way to test is line the inside of the muzzle of the mod with tip-ex or something similar and when you fire a round check to see if there is mark or void in the tip-ex (or whatever you've used). If so you can try and bore out the mod or get the rifle re-threaded.
5. Stock - If the stock is touching the barreled action it can interfere with the barrel harmonics.
6. Crown - If the crown is damaged it will cause widening of the groups. It's a small area and unless you know what you're looking for you might not see a problem.

There are some things you can do to check the above.

1. Scope - If it was working fine before the bang then it could be loosened or damaged. Try another scope, if you can, and if the groups tighten up then you have your problem. If it doesn't then move onto the next issue.
2. Mounts - Check that the screws are tight and that the mounts are not shifting on the receiver/rail. Also check the scope is held in the mounts and not slipping in the rings. Do not try to do this by grabbing the scope and trying to move it with your hand. It won't show you anything. You'll have to remove the scope and check each screw is tight.
3. Ammo - Try different brands, and different weights of ammo. See which performs the best. If you changed ammo go back to the brand you were getting results with and see if it performs with them. If so stick with them, if not then it's something else and not the ammo.
4. Suppressor - Shoot the rifle with the mod off and see if the problem persists. If so the mod is the issue. If not then it's not the mod. Or not ONLY the mod. Bring to gunsmith to check/repair.
5. Stock - Slide a piece of folded paper up along the top of stock/bottom of barrel and it should be able to get to the front of the receiver/action without obstruction. If it sticks at any point then mark the stock and look at sanding the stock. If it's composite the same applies. However if this problem is only now happening i'd be surprised if its the stock as this problem rarely develops unless the stock is timber and has become warped.
6. Crown - Bring to gunsmith and get it checked and if necessary get recrowned.

The first thing i always say to check, as its the easiest to fix, is the rifle itself and is it clean. I don't mean run a mop or brush through it, but i mean "clean".

If i sound like i'm preaching then i apologise as it's not my intent, but many people think their rifle is clean and it looks like it, but its not. I've even had this myself and i'd consider myself very fussy when cleaning. My groups opened up a little and i had chekced everything above. I dismissed the cleaning aspect because of how i clean, but after using a bore scope i found a "patch" of fouling in the last 3 to 4 inches of the barrel. I was not properly soaking every inch of the bore and the last bit was getting only a fraction of what i was using. I changed my cleaning regime and made sure i left it sit long enough to cover every bit of the barrel bore.

My regime looks like this:

I use KG, and Forest Foam products mostly. KG 1 for carbon removal, and Forest Foam or KG 12 for copper removal. It's important to remove the carbon first otherwise when the patches come out clean you think the barrel is. It's not. It's only the carbon cleaned out. The copper will stain the patches a blue/green colour. When the the copper solvent patches are running wet, and clean then the barrel is clean.

My routine would consist of the following:

1. KG/Forest Foam for regular barrel cleaning. (Wipe out/Butch's Bore shine now and then for heavy cleaning.)
2. Run a KG1 soaked patch through the barrel. This is a carbon remover to get the grime out first.
3. Leave to sit for a few minutes.
4. Run another wet patch with KG 1 through the barrel to moisten the fouling, and remove the first lot of carbon..
5. Run a nylon brush up and down the barrel about a half a dozen times. Clean the brush each time with a spray oil to prevent a build up of gunk on it, and a touch of KG1 before running back down the barrel.
6. NEVER pull the brush back through the barrel. Unscrew it, remove the rod, then attach the brush again.
7. Run another patch, soaked in KG1, down the barrel to remove fouling while treating the barrel again. Use a second patch soaked to line the bore again with solvent.
8. Leave to sit for a few minutes.
9. At this stage start preparing about 15 or so well oiled patches.
10. Start running them down the barrel one after the other until they run clean. The patches need to remain wet to prevent dry carbon sticking to the bore.
11. If they come clean before the 15 great. If not use more or repeat steps 2-9 again.
12. When they run clean and wet, then start using the dry patches.
13. Run as many as is needed until there is no more oil on the patches coming out.
14. Now repeat steps 2-9 using the copper solvent instead of the carbon remover. You are looking for wet, and clean patches. If there is any hint of blue or green then there is still copper in the barrel.
15. DO not be afraid to soak the bore. The solvent does the work so being stingy or light with it means you'll leave fouling in the barrel.
16. Use KG 12, Forest Foam or in the case of heavy fouling Wipe out. In the case of Forest Foam you simply fill the barrel and let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes or so. The KG 12 can be left to sit for a little while also, but make sure you use wet patches when patching.
17. Keep cleaning until the patches, ALWAYS WET, come out clean.
18. When you are all done and have dry patched the barrel use the mop and run it up and down the barrel again about a dozen times. Slowly. The Mop should be clean throughout this. Any sign of dirt and the barrel is not clean.
19. On the last run leave the mop half protruded from the muzzle. Wipe around the muzzle and clean any fouling on the crown. The mop will prevent anything running back down into the barrel.
20. Now use meth spirits and soak about two or thre patches. Run the meth soaked patches through the barrel. Methylated spirits help "push" any remaining oil or solvents out while not lining the bore with a liquid that will dry or "bake" into the bore when fired.
21. After the three meth patches run two dry patches.
22. Remove the bore guide and use a tooth brush, patches and bore brush to clean out the chamber, breach, etc.
23. If you have it use a shotgun mop/nylon brush to clean the chamber thoroughly as a fouled up chamber can cause stiff bolt lift and ejection problems.
24. Clean the rod, brushes, jag, and bore guide. Never leave them up dirty.
25. If the rifle is being stored away for a few weeks i roll up a soft cloth and place it into the chamber up against the breach and store barrel up.
26. On the off chance that i have somehow missed some residual this will collect it.
27. MOST IMPORTANT. When running the rod down the barrel each time (regardless whether it's a patch or mop or brush, have a rag and wipe the shaft of the rod after each run. This removes any fouling/dirt on the rod and makes sure you're not running dirt back down the barrel.

Most will have there own method. Its as personal as ammo choice, rifle choice, etc. One small tip though. Each time you run the rod up the gun have a cloth in hand to wipe the rod. This prevents any residue or gunk from the barrel sticking to the rod, and being run up and down the barrel like a paste.

cookimonster

Re: Ammo
It's worth setting up a few online accounts with various (or just one) gun shops and have your stuff delivered by post. If the local lads don't have my brand of poison then I'll get it posted (shotgun cartridges by the slabs or .22 by the box or two)
By the time I would drive around the city and pay tolls etc it's just a cheap to pay €5 postal charge for a couple of boxs of ammo. Most deliveries are free when you spend over €100

ninja7848

Thanks for the reply’s. I will start cleaning the rifle as you said. To be fair I usually use Young’s 303 and more less do the same but not as good as you describe. I have tried all mounts. Ran a dollar bill. (Well a folded tenner) between stock and barrel. It’s got to be the scope as I have tried the same ammo I was getting good groupings with. Now to try find a good quality affordable scope. Thanks for the help.

Cass

ninja7848 wrote: »

To be fair I usually use Young’s 303 and more less do the same but not as good as you describe.

Oil is not a solvent and will only help loosen the carbon, but it won't help with the copper or lead fouling. You need a proper solvent.

I have tried all mounts.

A pain in the ass, but did you take the scope off, out of the mounts, and check the rail/receiver mount as well as the rings? If not do it as though starting from scratch. i made this mistake with a 30-06 and it cost my over 100 rounds before i done it right and found a simple problem that could have been fixed had i just undone everything from the start.

Ran a dollar bill. (Well a folded tenner) between stock and barrel.

Just to be sure i'd get a piece of "thick" paper and fold it. You don't want a thin piece like a bank note as it'll give a false sense of floating. It's so thin it'll fit into places and make you think you have good clearance. A mil or less is not good. You want a decent amount of clearance between the stock and barrel. About 2mm at a minimum. It's not vital and something you can address at a later date because if the stock was banged or warped and the gun was fine beforehand then it's unlikely to be the cause.

It’s got to be the scope as I have tried the same ammo I was getting good groupings with. Now to try find a good quality affordable scope. Thanks for the help.

Before buying i'd still try and find a loan of a scope, test the rifle with it, and confirm. My mate done this, paid €1,000 for a new scope, mounted it, and the rifle was still not grouping. Turned out it was his mounts (Opti-Lock) and his original scope was fine.