tucker301

The 3.5" loads simply carry a larger payload than do the 3". Same velocities, but more pellets delivered to the pattern. This equates to more pellets delivered on the target, presuming the aim is good

Seek help. Soon.

I'd drop back to 2's or 3's for ducks.

I've already discounted your so called expertise in another thread. Do you really want to get trashed here too? Go away. Don't be a wasp. [ 09-02-2005, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

I think you'll be pleased with your choice. One more shot can't hurt a thing....except maybe an otherwise crippled and lost bird.

Apparently, he's seen you shoot before

Yep, I sure wish he'd bought a Mossberg. Then he'd be standing somewhere else. sprigsss, GTF over it already! [ 09-02-2005, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

Indeed they will, but the R1 Picatinny rail is slightly tapered. Perhaps CS can tell the exact MOA of the taper. When I tried STD mounts on mine, I ran out of vertical adjustment. Just a heads-up, you may need shims. Leupold aslo has QR rings to fit the slotted factory rail.

I have read here about two or three that don't group well. I wouldn't call categorize that as "many". In the whole scheme of things, I'd say that the satisfaction level is near 99% among R1 owners. Many, many people don't come to this site, or even know about it, until they think they have a problem and they come here seeking soultions.

Here's a tip: When posting about an improperly functioning gun, it would be helpful to provide as many details as possible. That would include any information regarding cleaning, since many cycling problems are directly attributable to a dirty weapon. Good luck with the problem. You might want to call customer service and ask them about it. [ 09-02-2005, 05:43 AM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

"Training ammunition"? Please, please, PLEASE tell me you don't mean military surplus Have you cleanded the rifle, or are you going to try to push 100 or better through her before that? Assuming you mean Sellier & Bellot... Are trying to destroy this weapon as quickly as possible? Thoroughly clean the weapon, or whatever's left of it. Buy and use quality ammunition, and see where you stand from there. [ 09-01-2005, 11:53 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

DreamHuntz and ringo, Have the dealer measure the pull weight, then call Benelli CS and ask them what the pull weight should be. If you're more than a pound above spec., tell them you want to ship the rifle in to have it corrected. Mine is in excess of 72 ounces, but I can still shoot 1-1/2" to 2" Groups with it at 100 yards. As soon as the weather cools a bit more, I plan on trying to improve on that by experimenting with different loads. I'm really interested in trying the Barnes TripleX's. Also review information I posted in another thread here. http://www.benelliusa.com/forums/ultimatebb.php/topic/5/16.html#000001 Doctor Phil, When someone says, "Shipped to my FFL", it means that the gun will be shipped to the FFL dealer of their choice for legal transfer of ownership and registration. At least that's the way it's been in the interstate deals I've been a part of. I'm not even going to get into your personal opinions about me. Review my posts and you'll see that I try to help those who seriously seek it and seem to be intelligent enough to help in the first place. I'm not a Benelli employee, and I have sided with dissatisfied customers whenever I've felt that they have not been given a fair shake by CS. I've had a couple of issues with Benelli CS and they have always left me pleased, even though I had to give them a couple of tries to get it right. I DO have an R1, so I guess that makes me at least somewhat more qualified than yourself on this issue. I don't like the heavy trigger pull, but I fully support Benelli's decision to manufacture a semi-auto hunting rifle with an overly safe trigger weight. They have no control over who purchases their products. It could be knowledgeable and experienced shootists, such as you and I, or it could be a good old boy who likes to ride his loaded Benelli around on the seat of his truck as he jumps stumps on a logging road. Given the way the courts hand out ridiculous awards to morons who take no personal responsibility for their own actions these days, I'm surprised ANY company tries to make a living in firearms. Given your ill-informed bias against the R1, it would be best that you don't ever buy one. As for me, I have one, I shoot it, I hunt with it, and I am pleased with it's performance. It does everything I expect of it, and more. It's not that my standards are lower than anyone else's. It's simply a matter of knowing what you're doing, and having realistic expectations of an autoloading medium to big game hunting rifle. I have fulfilled several of my lifelong dreams, but I still have a trophy elk hunt on the todo list. Should that opportunity arise in the near future, my R1 will be my weapon of choice, because I have confidence in its abilities and mine. Another item on the list is to spend a day or two popping PD's at 400-1000 yds. While the .308 is an excellent long-range selection, the R1 is not the tool for that particualr job, anymore than my 22-250 is up to the challenge of a cornered cougar or a charging boar. ///phenom, where the He11 are you?!! [ 09-01-2005, 11:33 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

Howdy, doc! 1. The angry post was a troll from the start. Maybe it's loosely based on some semblance of fact, or more likely a skewed perception of fact, but a troll nonetheless. Therefore, my arrogance was not only warranted, but more than likely expected by the OP. 2. I do not now, nor have I ever held an FFL. Never said I did. 3. Simply stated, if I can get decent groups from my R1's overly heavy trigger, then - all other factors being equal, ringo should be able to do the same. Yet, he places all of the blame on the trigger pull. Now that all that's out of the way, let me review your little 1,2,3 of accuarcy. Assuming you assign an equal measure of importance to each item on the list, I will agree that all three are parts of a very complex accuracy formula. But you've left out so much that it calls into question your own credentials. Are you really a doctor, or do you just play one on the forums? Consistency on the parts behind the buttplate (grey matter, nerves, skin, blood, and bones) is essential. On the mechanical end of things.... Barrel harmonics can play a huge role in sporter weight barrels. Having the bullet exit the barrel at the same point in the barrel's movement on each shot is critical. Having the bullet exit the barrel when it's in the center of it's ramge of movement each time is bliss. Sporter weight barrels can be tricky. Some do best with a free-floating barrel, while others perform with slight, consistent presssure applied just forward of the recoil lug. Most semi-auto hunting rifles do not have barrels that can be floated, so it's important that the physical connections which fasten the barrel, action, and stock together are of good quality and minimize their succeptibility to variances due to temperature changes, vibrations, etc. Selecting the proper bullet length and weight for the given barrel length and rate of twist is a big step towards accuracy. I could go on and on about primers, bc's, rifling, head space, handloading, optics, humidity, crosswinds, thermals, burn rates, case capacities, canting, etc, etc., but I'd be boring a man of your vast lnowledge. The simple fact is that ringo has placed 100% of the blame for his large groups on trigger pull, but that is not an accurate whole picture of what's going on. Yeah, he could have a lemon, but with moronic statements such as the one he made above, it's easy to assume that he doesn't know a lemon from a peach. [ 09-01-2005, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

In the first place, if you believed that the cost of the rilfe is directly attributable to its accuracy, regardless of design, build, and intended pupose, then you are severely ignorant of rifle design and function. I have a Savage bolt action that will shoot 1/2" groups and outperfom any Remington factory gun at 60% of the cost. My R1 cost me nearly three times what the Savage did, but it won't shoot 1/2" groups, nor did I expect it to. Secondly, if you are unable to sight in the R1 because of the trigger pull, then you are completely incompetent and should not own a rifle of any make. Thirdly, the R1 is a semi-automatic hunting rifle. It is not a finely tuned target weapon. It's designed to compete with the BAR, and it does so very well. It's not designed to go head-to-head with the likes of Cooper, Savage, Kimber, and the lowly Remington on paper. There are things that can be done to the R1 to improve its accuracy, but you seem to have your mind made up. Finally, I'll give you $600 plus actual shipping to my FFL tomorrow. PM me if you're serious about getting rid of that piece of junk [ 08-31-2005, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

I've been thinking about this one for a couple of days. Not constantly, the way crazyhair ponders barrel lengths, but on and off anyway. Two thoughts - 1. I know you love to play with those wonderful toys of yours, so in that respect I know how itchy you're getting to do it. 2. Since you have all those other wonderful toys, and since this one is "special" to say the least, I'm going to recommend leaving her a virgin. Here's the logic - When you fire this gun, you're going to realize that it goes boom and makes holes just like your others. The big difference is going to be that as soon as you pull that trigger, you're going to realize that there's no going back. She's no longer a cherry. There's going to be an instant feeling of regret. Looking at it the other way around, you can hold on to her, as she is, for years and still fire her any time you want. Tough call, but that's my .02. peace [ 08-31-2005, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

I'm trying to behave myself here, but he's not making it easy

I'd bet on it.

Commando, I'm just saying.....

That's easy! 1. Hunted where? 2. Flushed how many? 3. Killed (multiply line 2 x .10)

Tom, Welcome to the R1 club! First and foremost, ANY rifle barrel should be properly broken in to insure accuracy and longevity. Break In Procedures I don't know your level of knowledge or experience, so please don't be insulted if any of the following seems rudimentary to you. Best Practices: Scopes - Do your R1 justice by using quality optics. Make sure the scope is mounted properly. Most shooters like to apply a thin coat of blue loctite to the base screws. Clear nail polish also works well. If using STD single or dual dovetail rings, use an alignment tool and NEVER turn in rings using the scope! On slotted Weaver style rings or QD rings, use quality materials. I like Leupold rings, and they offer a great one for the R1's Picatinny rail. Select a ring height that will keep the bell of the scope close to, but not touching the barrel. Lapping the rings is something every professional should do when mounting fine optics, but few do. Believe me, it's worth the effort. When mounting the scope, always check to make sure the rings are aligned and that there are no stress points or pinch points. The scope should lie snugly in the bottom rings and should freely rotate by hand. Make sure the scope is level and the eye relief is set correctly before tightening the ring screws. Tighten the screws by evenly alternating side to side and front to back. Don't tighten one ring set completely, and then the other! Keeping even pressure as you go insures a proper mount. Tighten the rings securely, but do not stress the fit by overtightening and forcing them to crimp the scope's tube. Ammunition: All R1's come with a 1-11 twist rate. That's one revolution per 11 inches of barrel length. By comparison, a quality bolt action rifle may have the higher rate of 1-10. The rule of thumb is that the slower rates like the shorter bullets. It takes more spin to stabilize a longer projectile - less spin for shorter ones. Since your barrel's diameter is unchanging, the difference in bullet weights has to come from the shape and length of the bullets themselves. Long story made short, you may benefit from a lighter .308 round as opposed the heavier ones. You're already on track with this, but I'm just letting you know that moving up to 165's or 180's will not be likely to improve things. My R1 is a 22" 30-06, and it likes the Remington Premier Accutip 150's better than anything I've fed it to date. Shooting Shoot from a steady rest, preferably from front and rear bags. The barrel should never contact the front rest, or anything else for that matter. Mkae sure you are comforatable and have a firm, but not deathly tight grip on the rifle. Try to be conscious of your position and grip and repeat them as best you can from shot to shot. Make sure you're not flinching. It's much easier to flinch with a heavier trigger, so the R1 isn't cutting you any slack in that department. Even though the R1 is a semi-automatic weapon, the barrel is quite lightweight. This and the fact that it's mechanically tied to parts forward of the action tend to work against accuracy. It's also very succeptible to heat variations, so expect groups to open up if the barrel isn't allowed ample time to cool between shots. Tweaking the R1: The R1 is a semi-automatic hunting rifle. Don't expect it to shoot 1/2" groups like a quality bolt action varminter. However, you should expect and strive for the best the rifle is capable of doing. I can tell you that the R1 is capable shooting 1" - 2" groups, so there's room for improvement. If you've disassembled your R1, you've seen the barrel locking cap, and you've probably noticed the red indexing marks on it and its matching mated part. What the manual doesn't tell you is that after just a few rounds of firing, the tolerances seem to settle in and further tightening may be needed. Mine has had about 60 rounds through it, and I'm at two clicks past the factory setting. This has improved accuracy considerably on my R1, and I would expect similar results on yours. NOTE: edited 11/25/05 - The newer R1's now come with a new spring-loaded barrel cap which has eliminated the indexing system. If your gun has the indexed cap, you can request a new style cap from Benelli. They sent mine at no charge, but I can't promise the same for you. I know the trigger pull is annoyingly heavy, but when you consider today's courts being flooded with lawsuits by morons who assume no personal responsibilities for their own actions, and being rewarded for it, I can see why gunmakers err on the side of caution. DO NOT atttempt to adjust the trigger pull! If you want it to better, take it to a skilled gunsmith and ask him to polish the mating surfaces. Additional tweaks include placing an oiled o ring under the forearm retaining nut/sling mount to prevent it from loosening during use, and applying a light one or two coats of finish to the inside of the forearm to make clean-ups easier and faster. [ 11-25-2005, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

Thanks! If I get a few minutes, I'll convert it into a fillable pdf form.

Make it 70.

If I could get it on video, I'd pitch in 1/3 of the cost of the plane ticket to send him to MD and ask her in person!

If the holes go through, use a bent paper clip to push them out from the underside. If not, carefully slip the sharp tip of a knife blade under the edge and pry it up.

Yes, it does, but the Savage is fairly modular in design. Any user with a just a bit of knowledge can easily change out the barrels on them. All that's needed is a $15 tool for the locking nut and sized case of the desired caliber. There are several makers of aftermarket barrels whose products fit with no modifications whatsoever. As long as you stay within the action length and bolt face size, the possibilities are endless. The bolt faces can also be easily swapped, so my current 22-250 can be made into just about any SA caliber. The WSSM's might be the only limits. I shot a Remington 700 for years. Never again.