It finally happened. I've tried to do this for months, and the fourth or fifth time was the charm between weather, work conflicts and methodology problems.
First, huge thanks to Ben of Roaming Shot in Slaughter, LA. Ben runs the best 1,000 yard range in the region that I'm aware of - air conditioned with an expert and a work bench close at hand.
As is known, I'm a fan of the 6.5 Grendel, and I own a few examples of it - over the years, between builds and group buys and so forth, I apparently made enough of an impression on Mr. Craddock that he named a run of barrels after my likeness. I have no interest or commission from these, and it may have been a shrewd business decision on Craddock's part to get me and my friends to buy even more. It worked - then Murphy's law kicked in. The initial barrels that shipped had a problem from the factory. When they realized the issue, Paul proactively contacted customers, got them back, and replaced them.
So, getting mine built took a minute longer than I'd hoped, but the wait was more than worth it. Between me, my sons and our hunting buddies we ended up with three sets of twins - (2) 13.9" with a .625 thickness Pangris Mod 1's built on Thunder Ranch edition Aero matched sets, (2) 18" .750 fluted RTR's that are rebarreled SOLGW rifles, and (2) 14.5" .750 fluted Pangris Mod 2's, one built on a Battle Arms Ultralight matched set, one built on an Aero green anodized matched set, both with Smoke Composites furniture.
To make a long story short, my first couple trips to my home range were unsatisfying. I have an SWFA SS 20x I use as a reference scope, and I couldn't get the type of group I expected based on my prior experience with Craddock. I'd have a three shot clover and then I'd throw one or things would open up. One method problem was rushing - with one scope, once I dialed in "ish" at 50 and moved to 100, the barrels - particularly the skinny ones - were just not producing the results I hoped for.
So today, we used multiple reference scopes and shot others in between, i.e. they cooled down for at least 20 min between strings. The result, praise Thor, was excellent. Ben proved all 6 barrels were shooters. We started with Hornady 123 ELD and it provided 1" or less in the first 4 rifles. My BAD 14.5" eats ELD-V 100 gr and that also went MOA or better for 5 shots. I was very happy in general.
Naturally, number 6, one of the 13.9" .625s did not cooperate. As a matter of fact, with Ben behind the trigger, he was vocally surprised at the size of the groups, so we let it cool down again and shot some other stuff - and then printed about 10 shots that were the worst of the day, probably a 2.5" vertical string, and over an inch wide. We decided to let it cool again and then try another type of ammo. In the most significant display of ammo preference I've ever seen, 30 minutes later it put 5 rounds of Nosler 120 gr into about half an inch. Pictures labeled "Ammo matters" are the same gun back to back. I would not have taken that bet, but I watched Ben put Noslers through the same hole twice. I had been ready to throw that rifle in the river on previous trips. It further reinforced to me that it takes not only skill but time, equipment, various ammo and the physical resources to really determine what a rifle can do.
I'm happy to say we also ran my sons' Craddock bult AR-10s which I had about given up on - to the point I offered them for sale because we couldn't get them to run reliably with a can - but dual ejector bolts have turned them into boringly reliable hammers. To be clear, he built the uppers on my parts to my spec previously so I got what I asked for. The Shilen barrels he turned for those have always been laser beams.
Last but not least, we played with the Athlon Cronus CL35 640 and it continues to impress. This unit has a built in laser range finder, ballistic calculator, 10 profiles etc etc - but what had me baffled is it has yet to require zero'ing across multiple rifles to be minute of pigyote from the word go. I need to work up a precision protocol and determine reliability and so forth - but - in short, I'm sold. I put it in front of my 20" Noveske with a VX6 HD 3x18 50mm and a 12.5" Noveske with a VX6 HD 1-6 with a 30mm tube and it shot dead center with the 1-6, about 2" high with the 3-18, and then did it again cycling on and off. Very, very impressed.
Solid day at the range - thanks to Paul Craddock for building me some of my favorite guns, thanks to Ben of Roaming Shot for building a 1000 yard range and being so generous with his skill set, and thanks to my sons and hunting buddies for the loaners so we could put lead through paper. Oh, and to Athon for the T&E unit, although I don't think they are getting it back at this point.
Due to the nature of the range, target photos are with a cell phone through a spotting scope, apologies for the quality there - but - I'm satisfied that with a little more effort re: ammo selection and break in, they should all hang with the best of them.
First, huge thanks to Ben of Roaming Shot in Slaughter, LA. Ben runs the best 1,000 yard range in the region that I'm aware of - air conditioned with an expert and a work bench close at hand.
As is known, I'm a fan of the 6.5 Grendel, and I own a few examples of it - over the years, between builds and group buys and so forth, I apparently made enough of an impression on Mr. Craddock that he named a run of barrels after my likeness. I have no interest or commission from these, and it may have been a shrewd business decision on Craddock's part to get me and my friends to buy even more. It worked - then Murphy's law kicked in. The initial barrels that shipped had a problem from the factory. When they realized the issue, Paul proactively contacted customers, got them back, and replaced them.
So, getting mine built took a minute longer than I'd hoped, but the wait was more than worth it. Between me, my sons and our hunting buddies we ended up with three sets of twins - (2) 13.9" with a .625 thickness Pangris Mod 1's built on Thunder Ranch edition Aero matched sets, (2) 18" .750 fluted RTR's that are rebarreled SOLGW rifles, and (2) 14.5" .750 fluted Pangris Mod 2's, one built on a Battle Arms Ultralight matched set, one built on an Aero green anodized matched set, both with Smoke Composites furniture.
To make a long story short, my first couple trips to my home range were unsatisfying. I have an SWFA SS 20x I use as a reference scope, and I couldn't get the type of group I expected based on my prior experience with Craddock. I'd have a three shot clover and then I'd throw one or things would open up. One method problem was rushing - with one scope, once I dialed in "ish" at 50 and moved to 100, the barrels - particularly the skinny ones - were just not producing the results I hoped for.
So today, we used multiple reference scopes and shot others in between, i.e. they cooled down for at least 20 min between strings. The result, praise Thor, was excellent. Ben proved all 6 barrels were shooters. We started with Hornady 123 ELD and it provided 1" or less in the first 4 rifles. My BAD 14.5" eats ELD-V 100 gr and that also went MOA or better for 5 shots. I was very happy in general.
Naturally, number 6, one of the 13.9" .625s did not cooperate. As a matter of fact, with Ben behind the trigger, he was vocally surprised at the size of the groups, so we let it cool down again and shot some other stuff - and then printed about 10 shots that were the worst of the day, probably a 2.5" vertical string, and over an inch wide. We decided to let it cool again and then try another type of ammo. In the most significant display of ammo preference I've ever seen, 30 minutes later it put 5 rounds of Nosler 120 gr into about half an inch. Pictures labeled "Ammo matters" are the same gun back to back. I would not have taken that bet, but I watched Ben put Noslers through the same hole twice. I had been ready to throw that rifle in the river on previous trips. It further reinforced to me that it takes not only skill but time, equipment, various ammo and the physical resources to really determine what a rifle can do.
I'm happy to say we also ran my sons' Craddock bult AR-10s which I had about given up on - to the point I offered them for sale because we couldn't get them to run reliably with a can - but dual ejector bolts have turned them into boringly reliable hammers. To be clear, he built the uppers on my parts to my spec previously so I got what I asked for. The Shilen barrels he turned for those have always been laser beams.
Last but not least, we played with the Athlon Cronus CL35 640 and it continues to impress. This unit has a built in laser range finder, ballistic calculator, 10 profiles etc etc - but what had me baffled is it has yet to require zero'ing across multiple rifles to be minute of pigyote from the word go. I need to work up a precision protocol and determine reliability and so forth - but - in short, I'm sold. I put it in front of my 20" Noveske with a VX6 HD 3x18 50mm and a 12.5" Noveske with a VX6 HD 1-6 with a 30mm tube and it shot dead center with the 1-6, about 2" high with the 3-18, and then did it again cycling on and off. Very, very impressed.
Solid day at the range - thanks to Paul Craddock for building me some of my favorite guns, thanks to Ben of Roaming Shot for building a 1000 yard range and being so generous with his skill set, and thanks to my sons and hunting buddies for the loaners so we could put lead through paper. Oh, and to Athon for the T&E unit, although I don't think they are getting it back at this point.
Due to the nature of the range, target photos are with a cell phone through a spotting scope, apologies for the quality there - but - I'm satisfied that with a little more effort re: ammo selection and break in, they should all hang with the best of them.
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