RTI Arms Priest 0033 Ongoing Review

[Jman2311]

Thanks for the advise Motorhead. Actually I can take all of those parts out very easily. 

[Motorhead]

Just use the moly sparingly ... don't want to foul the hammer bore with it. ( Slow hammer way down )

[WiseGuy]

Thanks for the ongoing review, this is definately on the short list of guns that I want soon. Will keep reading this thread, thanks again.

[GKid]

quote:
"The USDA-Wildlife Services office must facilitate the procurement of a depredation permit through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Atlanta.
Exceptions:
 Federal law states that blackbirds (yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, Brewer’s, cowbirds, and all grackles) causing or about to cause damage to personal property, crops, trees, livestock, or wildlife may be shot without having to obtain a federal permit.
 Blackbirds (yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, Brewer’s, cowbirds, and all grackles) concentrated in such numbers as to constitute a health hazard may also be shot without a federal permit (if discharge of firearms is allowed by city and/or local ordinances)."

hey AllAmerican,

So the way I read this, we can take grackles when they're in large numbers and crapping all over the place (including on my car) and stealing food right off of our paper plates?

AWESOME!    Honey, I'm quitting my job and gonna shoot grackles full time!

thanks for the correction.  I have never been so happy to be wrong.

Gary

[skorec]

Just use the moly sparingly ... don't want to foul the hammer bore with it. ( Slow hammer way down )

Did you mean molybden grease ?  Is it OK  ( suitable - do not infract/impact )  also for rubber or silicon rings ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tamiya-87022-Molybdenum-Grease-Craft-Tools-SDA-/191457407452?hash=item2c93c031dc:g:XScAAOSw2XFUk7dO

[Motorhead]

No idea what % that grease is
many of us use HONDA Moly 70 or the Bel-Ray assembly lube .... Air Rifle headquarters "Macarri" also sells moly grease of a high %

[Jman2311]

As promised I made it out to 100 yards today.  I don't know if the problem is me or if the results are typical at that distance but I feel like the results were just acceptable and not really great.  I was shooting JSB kings at about 890fps straight from the tin.

Here is a link to the album where you can get the images with greater detail.


I had nearly perfect conditions as you can see here



This was my first group holding off at the chairgun recommended 3.6mils.  The shot on the extreme lower right was the first shot and should be disregarded because my dumbass loaded 2 pellets into the barrel.  I later corrected my POA to 4 mils exactly.


Shot group 2.  Very light hold. My shoulder wasn't even really on the buttstock.  I assume the little bit of recoil is the reason for this group being so open.


This was the last 10 I shot on the targets.  This time with a more firm hold and the gun properly shouldered.  This I can live with but I had hoped for better.  It could be me, It could be the gun.  Time will tell.

After shooting this gun everyday since I got it I can say that I am now quite happy with the cocking of the gun.  It has smoothed up alot.  Since it has worked in it has gotten smoother but as I had thought earlier it isn't really any lighter but it feels that way.  A deliberate stoke to the rear to set the sear followed by letting it slingshot forward loads the pellets well.  A slight push forward to cam the bolt down and quick follow up shots are possible.  I am considering the idead of replacing the piston in the regulator as I have been told that may solve the squelch issue.  Plus that kit is only about $15 so the price is good.  If/When I do this I will let everone know if it is a suitable upgrade.

[Motorhead]

3 Inches at 100 yards for a .25 cal shooting KINGS @890 fps ..... In light winds no less.

IMO it needs to do a whole lot better than that to be a serious contender in the compact Carbine / Bullpup wars of late.
+/- 1 MOA accuracy is very common place these days ( That's +/- 1" at @ 100 yards ) out of like guns.

Not wanting to sound like an A Hoe here saying this ... just is what it is and stating the obvious.

[Jman2311]

You aren't hurting my feelings.  Actually your saying what I am thinking.  I think there is more work and time to put in to get a solid verdict from me.  As it is now, I'm not happy but I can live with that for a first try.  I am very happy with what I can do  with it at 50.  I figured out today that I like how it carries in the field.  However I really expected it to do better at 100 and I am wondering what I can do differently next time to see if the problem is me. And that is very possible.  More to come I guess.

[Motorhead]

Have you done any barrel prep yet ?
Transfer tube deburring ... Leade polish and making sure rifling land are not sharp shaving lead when a pellets chambered ... Crown free of burrs and evenly "Crowned" ...  Bore well cleaned and burnished or lapped in with JB paste or more aggressive cleaners ?

Barrel prep many times can make or break an otherwise good barrel being a $)((# or Gold.

[Jman2311]

Nothing other than swabbing the barrel with some cleaning patches.  Looking down the barrel everything looks bright but I wanted to show the "out of the box" first.  I have an AT44 that has had lathe treatment and a good polish and it made a world of difference.  Look like this Priest may get that some of that soon.

[robertr]

 I am sure it will come around, you have Motorhead helping you so you should be good.

[Bizill]

Don't forget that Jman isn't using a benchrest.

[skorec]

Jman2311,

Did you use  " JSB Match Diabolo Exact King MKII Heavy .25 Cal, 33.95 Grains" ?

 

[longhunter]

no offense, but I think most of the problem is the shooter, compounded by the manner in which the gun is being rested. that little bipod thingy, right in front of the trigger, isn't a very stable platform. it's too far back, allowing too much wobble of the barrel. also,those things were designed as a vertical foregrip /  field expedient rest, appealing mostly to the armchair commando. they fall short on both counts, in my book.
if you really want to see what your gun is capable of, ( the rest of us would like to see, as well ), get it on some solid footing, like front and rear bags, or better yet, lock it down in a gun vice. and, try some different pellets. the jsb's may not be the hot ticket, for that gun.

[Jman2311]

no offense, but I think most of the problem is the shooter, compounded by the manner in which the gun is being rested. that little bipod thingy, right in front of the trigger, isn't a very stable platform. it's too far back, allowing too much wobble of the barrel. also,those things were designed as a vertical foregrip /  field expedient rest, appealing mostly to the armchair commando. they fall short on both counts, in my book.
if you really want to see what your gun is capable of, ( the rest of us would like to see, as well ), get it on some solid footing, like front and rear bags, or better yet, lock it down in a gun vice. and, try some different pellets. the jsb's may not be the hot ticket, for that gun.

You didn't look at the album did you?  I mean I know it is my sons in the picture, but I used the same setup.  Bagged up front and in the rear.  I completely understand the mechanics of that bipod and where it must mount on this gun.  I think it is a little fast to say that it is appealing mostly to the armchair commando.   I got that grip pod before I went to Iraq, issued to me, and I later used it during my time in Afghanistan.  It is a fine piece of equipment for its intended purpose.  Maybe I should also add that while I was in the Marine Corps I had the secondary MOS of 0933 Marksmanship Coach.  I qualified as a rifle and pistol expert every time I shot for qualifications at our ranges, totaling 7 times over my 7 years in.  Not wanting to be boastful but maybe I should let you guys know where my experience comes from and that by that standard I would hope you would trust that I am a capable marksman.  I really felt that I was giving the gun a fair shake here and instead of trying to inflate its performance I just shared what I got, for better or for worse.  This case wasn't great.  I definitely need to try some other pellets.  That is a given at this point.

[Hunt4dinner]

How many types of pellets have you tried shooting through it? I had to shoot 10-12 different pellets through my prod before I found 1 that would group well.

[Jman2311]

So far only kings.  I have some polymags but I know they aren't extreme long range rounds and I didn't buy them for that.  At this point I plan to get the Straight Shooter variety pack and see what I can get out of all of those.  Probably will take a couple weeks to get that and test them.

[longhunter]

Like I said,  no offense. I was going by the info given. No, I didn't check out the album. My bad. I still don't like the grip pods. I used one, myself. It's footprint is too small, in my opinion.
The polymags are good long range pellets. I used to use them in my .25 condor. Might also want to try some h&n barracudas. They usually perform well, at longer ranges.

[Hunt4dinner]

So far only kings.  I have some polymags but I know they aren't extreme long range rounds and I didn't buy them for that.  At this point I plan to get the Straight Shooter variety pack and see what I can get out of all of those.  Probably will take a couple weeks to get that and test them.

That should tell you better how the rifle shoots. I wouldn't base it off one pellet since they all shoot different. I thought my prod was a piece of $h!t until I found the right pellet and now I love it! Might not hurt to swab the barrel inbetween each set of pellets so they're all starting with a fresh slate.