Up and Running Again

[Wildgoose]

Been out of circulation for a while due to knee replacement. Just made it out to the range to do some shooting again this last two weeks. Walking back and forth the to the target lines as exercise for the new knee gets me a pass for more range time with the wife. Silver lining and all that. Back on the motorcycle too. Life is good.
Any way I finally got to shoot some cast bullet test loads I worked up during my down time. I also went ahead while down to mount a scope on the Henry 44 Big Boy Steel. I expected to improve on my old iron sight groups but was a bit disappointed to find that the improvement was only around an inch or so on average. No matter its sure nice to be able to clearly see what I am shooting at now.
The best loads were the following.
Ranch Dog 265 grain NOE mold gas checked with 19.0 grains of 2400 at 3 1/4 inches ( 100 yards)-see comments on fliers.
Missouri Cast Bullet coated 300 grain with 14.0 grains of 2400 at 3 inches (100 yards)-see comments on fliers.
I shot several other loads with different bullets and powders that all were in the 4.5 inch range. The most interesting thing I experienced is that in just about every case out of fifteen shot strings testing I had one to three fliers that opened the groups out to as much as seven inches. In all cases the fliers were with in the first five or six shots and were not called and the rest grouping nicely. Not sure what the cause is. Me, gun heating up or something in my loading process that is not uniform? The rifle does tend to loosen up the front hand grip screws and I did try to keep them tight for each string. I could locktite them in place but am not to crazy about that as getting them out down the line could be an issue.
At any rate I am going to try and tighten up my loading parameters for the next set of loads and see if I can get a handle on what is causing the fliers. Darn just going to have to shoot some more.

[Pete44ru]

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Great therapy- I'm glad the knee replacement came out alright.


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[earlmck]

It sounds like you took good advantage of the down time before the knee got ready for steady use. One thing they don't tell you about the new knee that would be good to know is that it keeps getting better and stronger for at least a year or year and a half. Which also means that it takes that year and a half to get to full strength. At least for me it did -- I was kinda' disappointed in mine for the first hunting season but was going good by the next one.

[M. M. Wright]

Thanks for the info an your experience Earl. I'm really looking forward to getting mine replaced but first is by-pass surgery next week. Go in for my pre-op today. Heart surgeon says 6 weeks 'till I can get the knee replaced.

[Wildgoose]

It sounds like you took good advantage of the down time before the knee got ready for steady use. One thing they don't tell you about the new knee that would be good to know is that it keeps getting better and stronger for at least a year or year and a half. Which also means that it takes that year and a half to get to full strength. At least for me it did -- I was kinda' disappointed in mine for the first hunting season but was going good by the next one.

Good to hear Earl. Mine is doing ok but its going to be awhile before its pain free and fully functional. I am going to keep up with the daily exercises as well as walking so things will continue to improve as fast as possible. I want to be able to be back on the road next summer for some long distance motorcycle tours and deer season is coming up in just a few more months.

[GunnyMack]

Wild goose, get yourself BLUE LOCKTITE, just a half a drop will hold those forend screws just fine and you'll be able to turn them out with very little effort! Just be sure to degrease the screws and the holes.

When I got my Henry 41 mag I had fouling problems, DO SHOOT PLATED BULLETS, after I got the bore back to being clean and fouling free I was getting 1 hole groups at 50 yards. Never got back to trying it at 100... Haven't tried any cast yet as I don't have a 41 mould yet.

When I had mine apart, I took the slightest amount of wood off the forearm where it was touching the front of the receiver. I also opened up the forend cap so it wasn't touching the barrel. Whether or not this made 1 hole groups possible I can't say but I bet it helped a lot!

[Wildgoose]

Wild goose, get yourself BLUE LOCKTITE, just a half a drop will hold those forend screws just fine and you'll be able to turn them out with very little effort! Just be sure to degrease the screws and the holes.

When I got my Henry 41 mag I had fouling problems, DO SHOOT PLATED BULLETS, after I got the bore back to being clean and fouling free I was getting 1 hole groups at 50 yards. Never got back to trying it at 100... Haven't tried any cast yet as I don't have a 41 mould yet.

When I had mine apart, I took the slightest amount of wood off the forearm where it was touching the front of the receiver. I also opened up the forend cap so it wasn't touching the barrel. Whether or not this made 1 hole groups possible I can't say but I bet it helped a lot!

Thanks Gunny, I will give it a go.

[earlmck]

I took the old bike on a favorite jaunt of mine that I make once or twice a year. About 100 miles, part of it on washboardy gravel road but you are rewarded by some real fine twisty stuff on paved (sort of paved?) Forest Service roads. Last year when I did it I remember the knees ached a little bit, but not nearly as much as they had the year before when the knees were newly replaced. And this year the knees don't hurt at all! I believe that is about the first time in my biking life that I took a ride of that duration (about 3 hours) and didn't have ouchy knees. So hey -- if these things keep getting better maybe I'll be able to leap tall buildings. Or maybe just short buildings, but that would be quite fine. Anyway, just wanted to pass this along to you fellows with new knees or about to get new knees. Full recovery may take quite a lot longer than the medical profession will admit to you, but it is worth it!

[piller]

Following orders and doing rehab on knee replacements gives the best results. Keep moving.