257 New Valve and Spring Testing for Tomorrow !

[wll2506]

Well, went shooting today with Doug and Nick.... I needed a spring change for sure as my stock spring did not have the power to run Doug's valve.

I went back to the office and I changed my stock spring to about a 9+ lb spring that Doug supplied for use with his custom valve. It takes a lot more pressure to cock my gun even when on 1 with the Power Wheel ...... Tomorrow morning will be to tale of the tape ... kind of....as I only have a 3000 psi tank, and can't fill it to the 3400 psi that it needs to be. Don't know what my speed will be tomorrow but if it is in the 950 area, I will have confidence I will get in the 975+fps with 3400psi in my CF tank for 5 shots :-). ! Nick was getting about in 1050+ using bullets a good bit heavier than my Lyman mold 72gr pills with his Condor !

Those bullets from Doug and Nick's guns got to the target quick and hit like a ton of bricks at 225 yards ! They let me shoot their machines and I was able to smack a couple of soda cans with Doug's 257 and his 308 :- ) shot Nicks Slayer 308, and it is quite the machine :- )

We will see how gun performs tomorrow :- )

wll2506

[nielsenammo]

We will have to do it again soon!

[shamu25]

William, you are surely in good company. I am so jealous.  I have Doug's valve and spring and hammer.  With stock tank filling to 3200 and PW at 1 am getting a very flat curve which peaks at 960 with 73 gr.  26" barrel.  Toying with the thought of getting a CF tank.  Arsenal Molds "Noble"mold is awesome. Very accurate bullets at 90 gr

[wll2506]

Well today was a cluster for sure !

Went out and shot 5 shots with 72grainers .... I'll get back to this .......

After shooting I go to the little farmers market a mile or so up the road, I start to make a left turn into the marker driveway and BANG ... my front passenger side tire comes off my truck !!!! Just what I need when I'm out in the boonies.... call AAA and they tow me back to my house. LUCKILY the tire did not damage my hood, the side of my truck or ruin anything else .... seems that the passenger side ball joint is a known problem in Toyota's, cotter pin goes and nut unscrews itself and BANG! I will tow it to my mechanic on Monday, also have to register my other car to get that running in the meantime and get that insured ...... what you see on my face is not a smile !!

The only thing good about this is that it did not happen when I was on the freeway or yesterday when I was way in the boonies with Doug and Nick ... if the ball joint would have given away yesterday I might be toast !!

Now back to the gun ... I only fired 5 shots, the first was 975fps (may have been 972 as I deleted it by mistake just as I started to look it, and I'm blind as a bat), the second 968fps, the third 966fps, the forth 962fps and the last 958fps. a very nice high to low power slope. I think with more PSI in my new CF tank when I get it, I may get a curve with an average of around 970-975 ish for 5 shots ?. I had the PW about a 1/2+ turn up, and maybe it needs to be at 0. I also do not have a custom heavy hammer ... don't know if that would work better but I'm right on the cusp.

Gun was right at the high side of 3000psi, so shooting at 3400 or maybe 3500 ? will make a huge difference in average velocity ..... You must have the horse power behind that bullet to get the speed you want. I think about 2800 ish is on the low side for this gun when you want a average speed of 975fps..... but like I said I'm using a standard hammer with a Doug heavy spring and valve.. The standard spring at 10 was shooting in the 650ish area as I remember.

I had a drop of about about 600 psi from first to last shot .. but that shot zone was 200 - 300 tank psi lower than when I get my CF tank ... that should change everything. Remember I trying to get just another maybe 10fps average... I'm not trying to turn this gun into a 257 Weatherby ! I might add that in the beginning of this adventure I was looking for a 925fps to 945fps ish velocity, after a little playing around I see that a velocity higher than that is very, very doable without much problem.

Looking at what I got today I don't see a 7 shot sting for me, but I can very well live with five ... as this is a very specialized gun (for me) and don't see me in reality ever needing more than 3 shots for a large predator and an insurance of two more good high velocity rounds ! I will say that the consistency was very good and with a bit more horse power I'm there ;- )

My CF tank should be shipped out in a few days and then it takes another ~10 days to get here ... then the games begin in earnest !


wll2506

[Tofazfou]

1st, Try another 100 psi in the tank you already have

2nd, you can also try backing the PW down only a couple to a few numbers then reshoot string at 3000 psi

[wll2506]

1st, Try another 100 psi in the tank you already have

2nd, you can also try backing the PW down only a couple to a few numbers then reshoot string at 3000 psi

Soon as I get my truck running I'll give that a shot  ;- )

wll2506

[wll2506]

1st, Try another 100 psi in the tank you already have

2nd, you can also try backing the PW down only a couple to a few numbers then reshoot string at 3000 psi

Soon as I get my truck running I'll give that a shot  ;- )

wll2506

Well truck is running and only cost me $349.00 to fix ... could have been a huge job.

My CF 4500 tank is scheduled to arrive this Friday, but I have an idea it may be here tomorrow as it is already in Los Angeles. I will test it Friday or Saturday for sure. Looking forward to getting this tank as I could be a real + for my other guns also....upping the psi a few +++ will increase the speed for sure and lower my PW setting, maybe helping with a bell curve for more shots, If things work out I will test ?

Will fill my new tank to 3500 psi to see what she does with 257240 bullets, Doug's valve, Doug's spring and a standard hammer .. PW set to "O".  I want 5 good shots ... if I get a couple more that would be great, but I do want 5ea 975fps ish shots. I think I should be a bit over that as I'm close now with a standard 3000+psi tank

I would love in the high, high 900's -1000fps range so I can try 257388 bullets, but if it is not to be then so be it, I'll stick with the 73 gr'ers and be happy. For what I really want this gun for, 388's are a big luxury as I really don't think I'll ever shoot over 150+ ish yards, I just want it because of the better BC. This is a Coyote air gun to use at ranges of 75-100ish yards from a stand using a call. Looking at all that is written about the '240 bullet, it is very accurate and more than enough for my use.

My other 25 cal guns are fine for everything else I do especially with Nick's 39gr slugs !

wll2506

All it takes are a few days and things change a lot. Filling up to 3600psi gives me a bell curve with 72gr pills ... will see how 85gr pills do tomorrow.Will shoot using same PW setting as 72gr bullets, and then give the PW a 1/2 turn revolution to see how it does with that using these 85gr heavies.

wll2506