Setting up 617 for Steel Challenge

[AzShooter]

Today I spent the morning at the range with my 617 and a variety of ammo to see what would work without having a misfire. I used CCI Mini Mags, CCI SV, Blazer, Eley Match and Wolf MT.

All of the CCIs gave me at least 2 FTF in a box of ammo. The Mini Mags gave me only 1 FTF per box and the Wolf worked perfectly. Guess I know which brand I'll be shooting for matches.

After shooting 300 rounds the cylinders were still clean enough and I had easy extraction till the end of my session.

Wolf showed the best accuracy and had the lightest recoil. But I think I'm going to have to warn the Range Officer of how light the report is so they stand close to me. It sounded like I had a suppressor.

 

[Wise_A]

Sounds like there's a headspacing problem with the CCI. It could be they're not seating fully--pin strikes rim, cartridge jumps forward instead of firing--which can give you failures both with apparent light strikes and without. Same thing happens when I use too light a recoil spring in my match pistol; the slide doesn't close fully, and when the hammer drops, the slide nudges into place and leaves a firing pin impression and an FTF. It could also be the rim isn't headspacing right.

Either way, I average about a failure a brick with CCI. Lately, a lot less than that, now that I got my stuff sorted.

But anyways, the gun told you what it wanted, and you actually listened to it. Bravo, you don't suck.

 

[Protocall_Design]

AzShooter is one of the upper level players. He has a pretty good idea of what's what.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Nice set-up, AZ. Don't ever think I've seen a bobbed hammer on a 617. Makes me want to put big butt grips on my 6" 617 too.
Out of curiosity, have you done any action/ mainspring mods?

FWIW, I've had intermittent bullet diameter variance/tolerance issues with all CCI rimfire ammo but green tag. (Which is way too expensive for steel.) I have a couple of match/bentz chambered semi autos that just won't digest much of it at all. I've had much better results with Wolf MT and Federal HV match.

 

[Pizza Bob]

This 617 belongs to a friend of mine. He is a GM in USPSA, but this is his rimfire steel gun.

Strange looking, but it works for him.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[AzShooter]

Nice set-up, AZ. Out of curiosity, have you done any action/ mainspring mods?

Dave:

Yes I've done a lot of work to the interior. Lots of stoning and changed the rebound spring to an 11 pounder. I kept the mainspring stock. I've also minimized the head spacing for better ignitions.

I did the tune up as per Jerry Michulek's video. It's a great source of informations.

 

[S&WIowegan]

This 617 belongs to a friend of mine. He is a GM in USPSA, but this is his rimfire steel gun.

Strange looking, but it works for him.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

Is that barrel a part of Frank Glenn's work?

 

[Pizza Bob]

Is that barrel a part of Frank Glenn's work?

I honestly don't know. I think it was all done locally (PA/NJ) but never really asked.

PB