Tang's CQB Mini

[TangSafetyM77]

Here is my first mini, bought from an individual several years back. It's an older pre-ban 182 series. I always liked the gun, but never could get it to shoot. Mike Knifong gave it the works:

Lapped barrel
Bedded stock
3.5 lb "combat" trigger job
Gas Port and shock buffer

The rifle also has a Choate hanguard (original was wood, I believe), and a sweet long flash-hider with the winged front sight and the bayo lug. These came with the rifle as did a b-square side mounted scope rail with set screws. Mike and I never could get that mount to hold zero, so I went back to open sights only. It's fast on the target, fast to shoot, and will hold 1.5-2 moa with Q3131A when benchrested. Pretty good for that thick front sight.

[TangSafetyM77]

My other mini, a longer-range rifle with the following mods:

Shilen barrel
Weigand scope rail
Bedded in Hogue stock
Burris 3X9 scope
Trigger job 2lbs
Gas Port, shok buff
Rifle refinished black

[cajungeo]

Nice to have 2 mini's with different purposes.

How long is the shielen barrel, and how does it shoot?

BTW, I merged your mini's, as in the Galley each member owns 1 thread, you can post all your mini's in this thread.

[TangSafetyM77]

Cajun,

Not sure on the length on the Shilen barrel, I think it is 18"? I will measure it when I have her out this weekend. The rifle was about a 2moa rifle when I got it. I just got it back from Mike Knifong last week, and haven't had a chance to shoot it since. The rifle came in a factory stock (no bedding), and he put it in the Hogue and bedded it up. Mike also double-checked, tightened, and loc-tited all my scope screws and the mounts, so I guess we'll see how she does this weekend. Range report and test targets forthcoming...

[nellybell]

Me likes!! Nice to see someone else with a Shilen heavy barrel..
Both are nice pc's. The only thing I would add, and this is just me,
are ck-pc's. BlawkHawk makes a couple different ones. I use their lace
up. Works well with the Millett Hi-Rings I have on mine. Lines my eye
right up to the scope.

[davey]

bg is right on with the cheek pad. BlackHawk makes three styles, one is a lace up which is higher, and the other two are their IVS cheek pads which is lower but can have a pouch on the far side, and and adjustable height version with a non-slip pad. Depending on how much you want to raise your line of site, you might want to try each of them if you are going to purchase one. From my experience BlackHawk products are high quality and well designed. I have the lace up style for my mini (see gallery ;)), the IVS style for a Remington 700 and a non slip for a Benelli. (different tools for different jobs)

-davey

[TangSafetyM77]

Well, finally got the Shilen-barreled mini out this weekend. First time out after getting her back from M. Knifong. He bedded the rifle in a Hogue stock for me, put in a gas port, worked the trigger over, etc. I didn't have much time at the range, so I shot one 5 round group at 50 yards, and another at 100 yards. These groups are from sandbags using the Winchester 45 grn HP Varmint that come in the 40 round packs. This was my first group at 50 yards, I was encouraged:

P.S. Cajun, measured my Shilen, it's 20"

[TangSafetyM77]

Still scratching my head after this one. Not sure why the group has shifted to the right when moving from 50 to 100? Cheek weld? (cheek piece was reccommended to get my weld higher and more consistent). I will admit my cheek weld is more of a "chin-weld" at this point. I am not sure about the flyer, don't know if it was the first round, as I could not see the holes at that distance. Any ideas?

[TangSafetyM77]

Posting 100 yd target:

[Coyote]

Still not bad for 100 yards first time.
The flyer may of came from anticipating the recoil of the rifle, the rest were in a pretty well uniformed area, but pulling to the right may of came from thumbing or from too much trigger finger. The thumbing would be squeezing thumb as the trigger was pulled causing to weapon to shoot to the right, and too much trigger finger always pulls a weapon to the right. You may think about this as you shoot. Just my .02 cents worth.
:confused:

[Pdaddy]

Hey Tangsafety...
On youre secound setup, what scope mount are you using ?
Your gun isn't a a Ranch Rifle haa.
Is that mount drilled and tapped to the reciver?..


MArcus

[cajungeo]

Groups should tighten up a bit more after you do the new barrel break in. If there is a slight mount to bore alignment error, this will be amplified at longer distances.
But more than likely shooting off the bipods can introduce canting of the rifle which will introduce the elevation into unwanted windage. My money is on canting.

The first round flyer on a semi-auto can be eleminated or reduced by, burning first round (manually loaded) then reloading mag so all subsequent rounds are recoil loaded. Or you can try letting bolt fly home hard, and hitting back of slide rod with your palm to insure better seating of the cartridge.