I was out zeroing today with 6.5g(18) for up coming hog hunting trip ... using 123 SST ...
... the new Spec-Rest tripod is a great zeroing tripod almost as good as prone ... previous group was inside a 3/4 inch circle an inch high and right. After making adjustments starting firing next 5rd group and got a fail to feed. First I thought maybe I need to adjust the gas to open up a little more due to cooler weather, but nope, this was a different problem. Eventually I figured out the bolt broke and part of it was jammed up in the chamber.
Eventually, using a dental pic, I got out the piece and here is what is all looks like ...
So, certainly I need a new bolt, but do I need a new barrel? I can see some shiny silver scratches in the "chamber" but this is in the part behind where the brass seats. The part where the bolt seats.
Either way, I don't assume I can fix it before the trip, so having to substitute 5.56(18) ... using TSX 62 gr ... but I will loose half my energy ... which is not good for hogs ... the 123 SST will go right thru them ... almost too much penetration. The 62gr TSX knocks them down at close range out of my carbine, but we were going to try using the 6.5G(18) to reach out farther and pick off the runners at ~300yds ... so can the 5.56(18) do that with half the energy?
Will call Dustin at Prairie Tactical tomorrow to figure out what to do with the barrel/bolt situation. In the mean time, I went ahead and set up the 5.56(18). Only other option is .300WM(24) ... But I don't like hog hunting with a bolt run in case they run in on us. I'll still be taking my carbine, but we wanted to try the LR option for one night ... worst case, we scratch that and just go with tried and true point blank range (out to 200yds) stuff.
... the new Spec-Rest tripod is a great zeroing tripod almost as good as prone ... previous group was inside a 3/4 inch circle an inch high and right. After making adjustments starting firing next 5rd group and got a fail to feed. First I thought maybe I need to adjust the gas to open up a little more due to cooler weather, but nope, this was a different problem. Eventually I figured out the bolt broke and part of it was jammed up in the chamber.
Eventually, using a dental pic, I got out the piece and here is what is all looks like ...
So, certainly I need a new bolt, but do I need a new barrel? I can see some shiny silver scratches in the "chamber" but this is in the part behind where the brass seats. The part where the bolt seats.
Either way, I don't assume I can fix it before the trip, so having to substitute 5.56(18) ... using TSX 62 gr ... but I will loose half my energy ... which is not good for hogs ... the 123 SST will go right thru them ... almost too much penetration. The 62gr TSX knocks them down at close range out of my carbine, but we were going to try using the 6.5G(18) to reach out farther and pick off the runners at ~300yds ... so can the 5.56(18) do that with half the energy?
Will call Dustin at Prairie Tactical tomorrow to figure out what to do with the barrel/bolt situation. In the mean time, I went ahead and set up the 5.56(18). Only other option is .300WM(24) ... But I don't like hog hunting with a bolt run in case they run in on us. I'll still be taking my carbine, but we wanted to try the LR option for one night ... worst case, we scratch that and just go with tried and true point blank range (out to 200yds) stuff.
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