i finally had

to start using the chronograph for figuring out my AF Talon and how many shots and how much KE/fpe it's developing.

I've done most of the modifications I'm going to on this particular rifle, now it's time to see what it'll do in the real world.

i spent a part of the day figuring out the 'zero' on the open sight i decided to put back on. where i like a scoped rifle, this particular rifle, since it's such an 'unconventional' design, will place the scope up really high over the action; it make it 'top heavy' insofar as I'm concerned. it makes it awkward and hard to carry.

anyway, i broke out the chronograph, a tin of my favorite pellets and set up and shot a string of fifty shots on a fresh refill of 2900 psi...not bad...high was 898 fps, low was 845 fps. that's an average of 871 fps with an avg of 23 fpe...right in the ball park with a standard out-of-the-box AF Talon. I'm happy.

i have two very good

PCP air rifle at the moment and I'm working on another HPA conversion.

I'm converting a CO2 operated QB78 over to HPA; so far, so good.

I'm in the process of construction and installation of a pellet stabilizer for the barrel. it's brought more challenges, and been more time consuming than i expected, never the less, it's getting done.

probably, the biggest challenges have been my limitations with tooling to get the operations done. i have three metal working lathes (one of which is a 'combination' machine...drill press/mill/lathe) but where they lack is in size and tooling. as an example i haven't an indexing table or a GOOD xy vise; i have to improvise when i need one.

I'm now in the process of deciding how to secure the stabilizer to the barrel. do i use a set screw system? or simply epoxy/locktite the bushings to the barrel?

set screws will permanently mar the barrel with indentation...or...i can mill/drill slots/dimples for the screws to be set into.

since there is no combustion in PCP rifles, there's not the heat factor of the metal of the barrel to worry about and epoxy/locktite and modern glues is very stable, reliable and with strength very nearly like welding when properly applied, maybe that's the best way to go. after all, many of today's firearms incorporate thermoplastics and epoxies that will withstand anything thrown at them.

as an example: once set up, locktite "red" requires 350 ft lbs of torque to break it loose or 350 degrees of heat applied to it to soften it enough to loosen. that's pretty tough stuff by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm considering a combination of the two methods.

i am thinking of drilling a 'dimple' into the barrel for the set screws, AND filling the bushings with locktite "blue" through the set screw holes, installing the set screws and letting all set up.

anyway...aligning and drilling the dimples into a barrel is 'touch and go' without a good center indicator, so...i guess it's back to the drawing boards...sure makes things interesting...