What causes "Droppers"

B

bigh

Member
I have a factory rifle that shoots pretty decent, averages in the 3's but 2 or 3 in 25 shots it will drop a low flier, like 3/4 to 1" low. I have heard them called "droppers" The rifle is bedded, firing pin profiled, have shot 3 different lots of Center X, all do the same, one group will be going great and all of a sudden one will drop low, this is in a no wind situation to. Your thoughts appreciated
 
Profiling a factory pin is still largely a factory based fire control system.
Spring.....friction somewhere......trigger......drag on striker......any or all are more than likely causes.
Still a possibility is priming especially with improperly stored and/or badly handled ammo, even top shelf stuff.
Condition is a possibility, mostly if you have a head or tail wind.
I assume you shoot over flags ? Should have a minimum of 4.
 
tim said:
Profiling a factory pin is still largely a factory based fire control system.
Spring.....friction somewhere......trigger......drag on striker......any or all are more than likely causes.
Still a possibility is priming especially with improperly stored and/or badly handled ammo, even top shelf stuff.
Condition is a possibility, mostly if you have a head or tail wind.
I assume you shoot over flags ? Should have a minimum of 4.
Click to expand...


I will look for that Tim, thanks,,,,I use 2 flags, whats your thoughts on the FP
spring being to strong ?
 
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Sometimes someone asks the question I've been thinking. My backyard range snakes between trees and seems to cause some peculiar wind effects. Shooting a 2500X with Muller barrel or a Trident with Benchmark 3 groove, I get those shots that just fall out the bottom, almost always when the flags are hanging dead. Both rifles seem to shoot quite flat if the wind is steady. I plan to watch myself closely for shoulder position next time I practice. It had occurred to me that I may have been touching the stock inconsistently with my shoulder.
 
I'd say, it's most likely ignition. Clean the bolt real well, and do not put any lube on the Firing Pin.
 
I am thinking low velocity. Maybe weight sorting would help. One time I had an unopened box of Eley10X that when opened had two weights exactly .3 grains apart. I took one of each and pulled the bullets - they weighed the same - I weighed the powder they weighed the same - I fired the empty cases and found the .3 grain differences. IT WAS THE CARTRIDGE CASE.

Our next BR match is this Thursday and I will try to chronograph non-sorted ammo and see what it sows for an unexplained high or low.
 
bigh said:
no i have not, i will see if i can do that sometime. Thanks
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testing long time ago pulled bullets found ecnitre fluid along sides level of powder changed I HAQD DESIGNED NEW JACKETED 22 RIMFIRE BULLETS AND WAS TESTINGTHE SPLATTEROF ECNITER FLUID WAS GREAT AND CHANGED LEVEL OF POWDER THIS IN FEDERAL RIM FIRE AMMO AT THAT TIME FICCHO AND ELY WAS BEST OF THE AMMO I PULLED AND RELOADED I CHAMBERED 22 CENTIFIRE BARREL I ALSO CHAMBERED 22 CENTER FIRE UNL BEST BARREL I HAD WITH LEAD BULLETS
 
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