Getting to know a 54

[HectorMedina]

Sorry about the missing pictures in my earlier post.  I can't go back and edit that post, so here they are again.  Front stock fastener cap and the washer I have placed under it to help prevent the binding:



And this is how it sits when together 



And the wear marks on the side of the guard that sits around the trigger assembly:



And the sleds after cleaning them up (note, I did add the oring at the rear of the front sled based on one of the "guides" I found):

Forgive me, but I have to say that I hate it when people do such things.
CLEARLY that plastic piece is crooked. Is it sane to expect the gun to shoot straight?

Anyway, I am glad you are getting the hang of it. Those are great groups.

I have begun shooting 10 shot groups, there is a strong statistical methodology to that, we'll discuss that in a future blog entry.

My worry now is that you do not have the OEM washers:


I usually use Allen headed screws because my guns get broken down and reassembled often:



But that is just me.

M6X10 work with the OEM setup. M6X12 are required for the self-levelling washers, unless you recess the concave ones by 2 mm's into the stock. Front and rear screws are identical.

I would feel better if you let me send you the washers and the screws along with your scope. Otherwise, you are setting the gun up for failure.

AEON's are notorious for needing a few shots to settle in, even in the ZR mounts.

Keep well and shoot straight!






HM

[mcoulter]

In this interest of statistics (wink, wink) I did some more shooting which later included some 10-shot groups.     Until the very end of my shooting session it was a windless evening.  This 54 is beginning to show its potential but we're not there yet. 

In fact I can't get the word "occult" out of my head regarding this particular rifle.  I'm not using this word to describe the rifle in any sort of evil manner, but using the word to describe the way it shoots as still being "hidden" or "secret" to me.   It's there, but I'm just beginning to uncover it.  This ONE group on this target has convinced me that the work I'm putting into this rifle is not wasted time, energy, or pellets:



That group is 10-shots at 50 yards. WITH A LOOSE HOLD.  Yup, this gun keeps me guessing because earlier in the day I had convinced myself that the gun wanted/needed a firm hold with a firm cheeck (jaw?) weld.   

And here are the targets leading up to this point.  This one was MEH again.  Note: I had left the gun in my shed on a warm day so I did re-torque the stock screws prior to shooting group #4 below.  I'm still wondering how environmental conditions affect the behavior and accuracy of the rifle.  Often I "sneek" out to my backyard for some shooting.  I am fortunate enough to have central air and we keep our house pretty cold (and dry).  I do try to bring my rifles outside and let them sit (when possible), but this isn't always the case.  I suspect that the 54 may need more time to acclimate when moving from inside to outdoors...



The next target was better.  I decided to make the center target a 10-shot group:



And in this last set of 50-shots is that humdinger of a group I posted as a close-up above.  Groups 4 and 5 is where the wind picked up. And the 1st group here is where my frustration set in and I reverted back to using a loose hold:



Anyway, sorry for what is probably boring detail here.  But if I don't write down what I'm doing, I am 100% certain I'll be chasing my tail and truly wasting pellets repeating the same stuff again in the future!   

[Fate]

Never boring or irrelevant Matt. It's posts like this that people like me, working to improve their rifles and skills, go by.

Keep trying. Keep shooting. Keep tinkering. It's the road we all have to travel.

I save my good groups, too, and show off my best ones to a buddy.  Haven't the guts yet to post anything on GTA.

But I throw the bad ones away.

[dtdtdtdt]

 Matt:  at 50 yds in questionable wind those groups aren't bad at all.  My suggestion now is to get a series of different pellets and test them with 10 shot groups at your preferred distance.  The long trigger pull in a standard 54 gave me fits when I first started.  I put a screw in the trigger to shorten that long-first stage and found improvement. 

I think I suggested earlier that you get the straightshooters pellet sampler that will give you 18 different pellets of varying weight and style (mostly round-nose though) in one kit.  It gives you 25 of each to try. 

I did tests several years ago of nearly 100 different pellets in my .177 54 and found markedly different results between very similar pellets.  I tested lead, non-lead, composite, and plated pellets.  Group sizes at 50' indoor ranged from less than .3" to 7". Yes, 7"!!!!!!  Typically, the best accuracy came with velocities around 850f/s and snug fit in the chamber.  A few non-lead pellets did quite well while only 1 composite pellet did well.  The plated pellets were questionable at best.  Wad-cutters did well at shorter distances.  The round-nose pellets carry their weight further forward and have slightly higher ballistic coefficients.  Higher weight pellets generally do better in windy environments.

There are so many posts in this string I have forgotten which pellet you are currently using.  I strongly urge you to test a broader range of pellets soon. I think you will learn something new!
 

[mcoulter]

Never boring or irrelevant Matt. It's posts like this that people like me, working to improve their rifles and skills, go by.

Keep trying. Keep shooting. Keep tinkering. It's the road we all have to travel.

I save my good groups, too, and show off my best ones to a buddy.  Haven't the guts yet to post anything on GTA.

But I throw the bad ones away.

Thanks for the kind words.  Between posts I make here and the log I keep of pics in Google photo albums I have a decent record of what I have done and tested. 

BTW, I use those targets when lighting bonfires.  It DOES give a certain satisfaction lighting them up  :-)

Dave, thanks for the reminder about straightshooter's pellet sampler.  I may give them a try. 

I have been shooting jsb 15.9 and 18.1 pellets pretty much exclusively.  In fact most JSB (14.3 included) group fairly similarly (with different points of impact however).    I do have a small amount of H&N FTT which seem to do pretty well.  I have not shot more than a few groups with them though.  It does not like polymags or superdomes at all.   I have not tested crosman pellets yet. 

I have had enough posts regarding this gun I'm starting to forget what I have or have not done yet! 

Here's my chrony and pellet testing post:

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=173554.msg155956209#msg155956209