I am going to fess up on this one, it is about distraction and loading. I was working on the TC overhaul, really mulling over how to install the bushings to turn the tang screws into tang bolts and getting everything to line up. I took a break and decided unload my rifle that has been loaded since Nov 14th. I went to my shooting bench and shot the rifle, my shot was way off the mark.
I decided to shoot again to to see if it was the rifle or me. I went back to the shop with the bushing installation consuming my mind and loaded my rifle. I missed the entire target with that load so I went back to the shop to load again, I missed the whole target again so back to reload I went, this time I started the ball down the bore and realized I had only short started the two shots that missed, dang, never daydream when you are loading.
The third ball went about 2ft down the barrel and hung up, I couldn't drive the ball home with a sledge hammer on the range rod. I pulled the barrel, unbreeched it and tried to drive the ball out from the breech, it wasn't moving so I squirted some motor oil down the bore and gave it another try, this time the ball came out after I got it to move into the oily bore just a fraction. The fowling from those two squib shots was so bad that it blocked the bore.
I had short started and fired this same rifle about 10 years ago with 90gr of 2F and had no barrel bulging or damage. This time I was shooting 80gr with a loose ball/patch fit, a close inspection showed there was no damage or loose spots, again I got lucky.
I tore the entire gun down and found a few issues that needed to be corrected. The rear lock bolt that had always been loose in the hole and was now way too tight, looking into the hole toward lock plate with a light I could see the barrel had moved back a fraction over time and lot of shooting just enough to impinge the lock bolt, I corrected this by drilling a larger clearance hole through the tang lug.
I always install barrel pins so they are a loose fit that I can push out with my fingers, when I disassembled the rifle I had to drive the front pin out, it was VERY tight. It is my understanding that a tight front pin will have an adverse affect on accuracy, this is from a top B/P competitor friend of mine. I got out my Dremel and the appropriate sized diamond bit and slotted the lug hole much more than I had done the first time, I could slide the pin in with my fingers after the adjustment.
A good cleaning and the rifle went to my gun safe to be shot when I am not working on any other project that may cause those all to frequent "senior moments" that crop up more and more lately.
Happy early birthday.
