5 replies to this topic

[A17Shooter]

All,This report is in an acrobat pdf file and it contains data from five different brands of M2 ammo shot in two different Contender barrel lengths. The report is complete with chrono data, groups, ammo lot numbers, etc. You will have to use the magnifier function in your Acrobat reader unless you have 10X Zoom eyeballs.17M2 ReportHope this is useful.

[ShooterJohn]

Nice report there Gary. That's nice record keeping. Overall were you surprised by any of the results?

[A17Shooter]

Nice report there Gary. That's nice record keeping. Overall were you surprised by any of the results?

A few things were surprising.1. On average 9" of barrel length only made 23 fps difference.2. The mediocre performance of the Eley ammo. The way it shot sure doesn't justify the astronomical $14 price that Eley lists it at. Same for the Remington which is made by Eley since Remington owns or controls Eley.3. Federal ammo was a pleasant surprise. Shot a seven shot group with it and the five shot cluster was 0.33". Chronograph numbers on it were very good. Of course, now it doesn't seem to be in stock anywhere.4. Resighted after the first session with Eley, then there was no change when I changed brands of ammo. They all shot to the same point of aim. It appears that I can pick up a different brand of ammo and continue shooting squirrels with no sight change. That might not work out in practice but, it did work shooting these groups.5. The 14" and 23" barrels shooting equally well wasn't a surprise. I have three sets of pistol/carbine in the same caliber and see the same kind of performance.6. Break-in went very well for the new 23" barrel. Shot 40 rounds getting it sighted in and playing with it the first session. Second session was between 190 & 200 rds. Haven't cleaned it yet. May do that this week.

[clampdaddy]

Have either of you noticed any difference in the powder fouling characteristics between the various types of ammo. I got a good deal on some rem ammo when I got my R-55 but if I don't scrub the chamber after 50 or so rounds it doesn't cycle as reliably. The powder smells alot like the stuff Aguila uses and that stuff always seemed to burn dirtier than american made shells.

[A17Shooter]

Eley and Remington use the same powder. The smoke hangs in the barrel for awhile. I would notice it when the barrel was open and if I wanted to see the bottom of the bore, had to blow the smoke out. My impression was they all burned dirty. Had to clean the chamber once. The Eley seemed to have thin metal at the cartridge head and would leak where the firing pin hit.

[clampdaddy]

The Eley seemed to have thin metal at the cartridge head and would leak where the firing pin hit.

Yikes! Glad to get that info before I bought some of their stuff. Scince my gun is a blow back action and the mach II runs on a pretty good head of pressure, the faces of the empties that come from my gun are always a little bulged. Those Eleys might rupture in my gun. Thanks for the heads up.