New to me Flex .30--- Added shot strings

[Dairyboy]

Awesome results! Very respectable from a 350cc bottle tune wise. And I think the accuracy is looking good in those conditions! For me the .30 is my favorite caliber.

[mackeral5]

Awesome results! Very respectable from a 350cc bottle tune wise. And I think the accuracy is looking good in those conditions! For me the .30 is my favorite caliber.

Thanks Dillon.  This is my first .30, I like it so far.  This saved me from wasting $$$ building a .30 QB78.  If I grow tired of the Flex, it will still be worth in the neighborhood of what I paid for it.  I do look forward to exploring the tuning spectrum.  I can already see the attraction of a 20+ inch, maybe 24 inch barrel on the Flex and then have a WARP as the compact short barreled version. 

[mackeral5]

Tonight I installed a light hammer.  it is actually a JSAR Buffer Hammer.  It is all MDS with no brass insert.  It weighs right at 30 grams with a 1/4-28 socket head cap screw as a striker.  I also installed a lighter hammer spring, something I had lying around. 

Shot were a nice crisp, sharp POW.  The peek poppet is barely large enough to function so it is very easy to open compared to the OEM poppet.  This meant with the OEM heavy hammer I had to dial it back a good bit, almost an inch of hammer free flight.  This resulted in a slow hammer strike, long lock time,  and excessive dwell.   Now that is no longer the case.  I can't wait to test on targets tomorrow.  It is running with a little preload against the valve, no free flight with this setup.  I saw a max of 915fps when testing preload.  Keep in mind this is with a Cobra chamber so max should be 20-40fps higher than that.  Reg is 2250psi. 

After dialing back to 880ish I filled to 4500psi and ran a string of JSB 44's.  I should have burned the first shot as it was a little low immediately after the fill. 



350 cc tank giving 50 shots averaging 883fps, just over 77fpe. 

In the next week or so I should be able to mount my 500cc tank and dial the power up a little more.

I cleaned the barrel today.  while I had it out I pushed a pellet through.  I did NOT feel a choke???  I have a sample pack of slugs from Neilsen on order, looking forward to seeing how they do. 

[mackeral5]

Last night I realized that I shortened hammer throw a little more than necessary when adapting the Mrod Buffer hammer.  So this morning I pulled the hammer and made an adjustment to the length of cap screw and brass spacer/weight being used as a striker.  I weighed the hammer assembly and found it to be a little lighter than I had stated above. 



Call it 24 grams.  I have a couple more hammers arriving today to give me more weights to test with.  To get in the 880's with JSB 44's this hammer requires a little more HST than I want, so maybe going up a little in hammer weight will help to tighten up ES while not hurting efficiency.  Shooting targets is a different experience now, the shot cycle is virtually cut in half and the report is more of a crisp POP vs a BLAM. 

[KnifeMaker]

Following your journey with it Mike. Looking forward to the slug test.

[mackeral5]

Slug sampler arrived a couple of days ago.  With only 25 of each I need to be very thoughtful in how I use them and collect data.  But, I couldn't resist putting one of the heaviest and one of the lightest across the chronograph.

60gr gave 750fps
47gr gave 872fps

As a refresher, the gun is currently tuned at 885fps with JSB 44.75gr.  Reg is 2250psi.  Hammer is ultralight at 24 grams. 

By mid-late next week I hope to have a WAR Cobra valve and Cobra regulator in my hands.  I also have a Cothran valve but based on my experience with the Cothran I am hesitant to try it on a short barrel unless air consumption wasn't a concern.  I will likely save the Cothran for when I get my hands on a 24ish inch slug barrel....

With the short barrel and externally adjustable Cobra reg, I think I want the ability to change between pellets and slugs, which mean making compromises....

[KnifeMaker]

I'll bet it withe the Cothran valve it will be stellar with the 24" barrel!

[mackeral5]

I put a few of the 47gr on target yesterday.
 They were all over the place, 3 inch groups. 

Perhaps they want to run faster than 870fps?

[KnifeMaker]

I put a few of the 47gr on target yesterday.
 They were all over the place, 3 inch groups. 

Perhaps they want to run faster than 870fps?


 

 Exactly what I am doing this morning with an NOE Based Bullet.

[Bullfrog]

I’ve never maxed out the FPE on my long Flex. It has a 24” barrel with a Cothran valve. Don thought I should be able to get close to 200fpe on my setup when tuned right. I’m content to keep it between 110fpe and 120fpe on a 2300psi regulator set point. I use that gun specifically for the BBT 65 gr HPs I cast (which come out to 60 gr with my alloy and with the deep HP).

[mackeral5]

That's great info Travis, thank you for sharing.

[frank320]

Here's a couple of data points from my 357 Flex with Cothran valve and 24 inch barrel, DonnyFL Emperor:

Shooting Cobra Regulated at 2700psi setpoint(approx 100psi per shot):
- shoots 81gr JSB Diabolo and 81gr Polymags at around 895fps for about 145fpe.
- shoots 97.5gr Morrill Diabolo at around 845fps for about 155fpe.
- shoots 110gr NSA at around 830fps for about 165fpe.
- shoots 120gr NSA at around 800fps  for about 170fpe.

Shooting Unregulated from 3600psi down(approx 150psi per shot):
- shoots 120gr NSA at about 885fps for about 210fpe.
- shoots 140gr NSA at about 840fps for about 220fpe.

With the cothran valve, if unregulated, it is a definite declining shot string. I have it currently setup to shoot regulated at 2700psi because I like the consistency and the 81gr JSB/Polymags are literally pellet on pellet at 30 yards. The 97.5gr Rick Morrill Diabolo pellets shoots well longer range as it achieves a 0.070 bc, compared to 0.042 for the 81gr pellets.

[KnifeMaker]

I am unfamiliar with his products.  (rick Morrill). Where can they be found?


Knife

[Habanero69er]

Rick Morrill has a store on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ricmor_hv3fazc3/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

[mackeral5]

More great info.  This thread is turning into an great Flex resource. 

I have shot a few rounds through the flex every day after work.  At 85 yards I have a 2" spinner.  The Flex nails it every time.  First shot of the day after sitting aired up overnight nails it.  A little over 50 shots of JSB 44's averaging 885fps isn't too shabby..

The current tune--home made Cobra chamber, 24 gram hammer, and  a 2250psi regulated 350cc bottle is doing so good that I will be hesitant to touch it next week when a couple of shipments arrive.  A WAR Cobra valve should be arriving from Jim and a Cobra regulator from Dillon.  I think i can go ahead and put the Cobra regulator and 500cc bottle on with very little risk in affecting (losing) the current tune.  The WAR Cobra valve will likely spend a while sitting next to the Cothran in the parts bin.

[KnifeMaker]

Rick Morrill has a store on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ricmor_hv3fazc3/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Thanks!


Knife

[Kinetic45^]

Rick Morrill has a store on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ricmor_hv3fazc3/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Hummm, link takes me to eBay but not a store, just the home page.
EBay Search for 'Rick Morrill' gives no results and suggests instead : Rick Morris? ? ?

[GSu]

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ricmor_hv3fazc3/m.html?item=163079217089&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

[frank320]

I am unfamiliar with his products.  (rick Morrill). Where can they be found?


Knife

This is the 97.5 gr Diabolo pellet I mentioned above that I use for longer range due to its much better BC of 0.070.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/357-AIR-RIFLE-PELLETS-9mm-97-5-GRAIN-JUMBO-HEAVY-BUY-3-GET-1-FREE-/163131634740?nav=SEARCH

Hits like a truck. The way it is shaped, it behaves almost like a hybrid pellet/slug. Exits my Flex's muzzle at 845fps/155fpe, retains a speed of 700fps at 105fpe downrange at 100 yards. Lethal...

[Habanero69er]

Rick Morrill has a store on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ricmor_hv3fazc3/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Hummm, link takes me to eBay but not a store, just the home page.
EBay Search for 'Rick Morrill' gives no results and suggests instead : Rick Morris? ? ?

Carl, link takes you to all the pellets/slugs he has for sale. I'm not sure what else you need to see?