Dolphin Modular F/TR Rifle

[Parabuteo]

nice write up i enjoyed that sounds like you have a cracking bit of kit now that will last many years i have looked at there website a couple of times.
im not into target shooting but the other things they do on there are very good. and i like the look of there workshop all the mod cons

the guys certainly seam to know there stuff.

I hope so J.

Mik and John at HPS have suggested I should get quite a lot of millage out of the barrel as long as I stick to N140 ONO.

A lot of really competitive F/TR shots are using the N5** powders, but the double base powders do seem to burn out barrels quicker, although they see barrels as a consumeable...

If you are at that end of the sport I guess they are

Dolphin do all sorts, not just new builds. Mik was on abour re-barrelling his L1A1

[marky123]

Hello
Where did you test it?

[Parabuteo]

Hello
Where did you test it?

Mik goes down to Bisley quite regularly, so I got a trial there with 20 rounds of factory.

I then put 60 of factory and home load through it on receipt at Century, Bisley....in the horizontal rain!!

It has since been used at Stickledown this sunday just gone.

Deluge and windy in the morning (learned all about soggy bullets from that!!) got 56.3 at 900...early days and beat some open classers so not worried as a beginner. Some were obviously bad shots, wind change and wet ammo, so no worries about the rifle.

In the arvo the survivors went back to 1000. Again my lack of experience/consistency let me down, but the wind relented (guess who missed it...) and the sun came out...not for long but it happenned...honest.

The kit was that wet that it took a while to get an image at 1000.

I got a 60.4, which aint bad for a first attempt (I have only shot at 1000 before twice, once with an SSG...I think I scared it!!, and once with John Seagers Open class where I got a 63 something, but he made the wind calls so I cannot claim it really).

The nice thing is thus far there is no sign of water issues, a doddle to look after, and still got a daft grin

[Eagernoskill]

"Only time and tinkering about with COLs will show it's full potential, but given the nasty wind yesterday, and my lack of experience in the wind, I was pleased with the results. Far better than my earlier shooting in fair weather, particularly when I sorted my position out (cheers Tim..remember..Bren gun..right?).

One of the things that is telling is that I never expected to be able to shoot, both eyes open, with a .308, and see the target throughout, with the rifle falling nicely back onto aim. The only thing messing things up was my position, which I sorted...thanks to a South African boot"

Its a service I offer - size 12 up a%^se - to adjust body position and attitude!
But enough years on a bren / FAL does result in certain body positions!
We wont the mention the grumpy snarl I got for the "scope tip"

I went to test the Nesika action that MIK had started doing.

Based on that test I ordered a new Dolphin FTR with the Nesika - with which I won FTR section at the Europeans

But seriously to confirm - Mik sure knows his stuff and the product and service is second to none.

"EagerNoSkill"

[Parabuteo]

"Only time and tinkering about with COLs will show it's full potential, but given the nasty wind yesterday, and my lack of experience in the wind, I was pleased with the results. Far better than my earlier shooting in fair weather, particularly when I sorted my position out (cheers Tim..remember..Bren gun..right?).

One of the things that is telling is that I never expected to be able to shoot, both eyes open, with a .308, and see the target throughout, with the rifle falling nicely back onto aim. The only thing messing things up was my position, which I sorted...thanks to a South African boot"

Its a service I offer - size 12 up a%^se - to adjust body position and attitude!
But enough years on a bren / FAL does result in certain body positions!
We wont the mention the grumpy snarl I got for the "scope tip"

I went to test the Nesika action that MIK had started doing.

Based on that test I ordered a new Dolphin FTR with the Nesika - with which I won FTR section at the Europeans

But seriously to confirm - Mik sure knows his stuff and the product and service is second to none.

"EagerNoSkill"

Look monkey paws, The next time your brain hurts, try having some saffa arsing about behind you like widdow twankey in a bad pantomime muttering jibberish is Afrikaans!!!

Grumpy snarl is reserved for gobby saffas....you aint sene the last of it, but I also do appreciative smiles as well mate

Joking aside, the scope tip did not work for me Tim, I upset enough folk last week explaining why I know all my elevations form zero/flat rather than the 100yd zero. You just take 17moa off if it bothers you, but the point is I thought any notion of even considering bore sighting at 1000 (if you lose your zero) to be daft.

Why? If you have a sight setting that repeats the POI, then set it

This is how marksmen work, they know what their settings are. If you get really stuffed then you can wind up from zero.

As regards the readings, like I said (and I will show you next time we are out) Sightron really screwed their elevation turret up.

No body marks an elevation table 3-2-1-0-1-2-3....Wind yes, elevation no.

The vernier on the sightron works well and is very clear and repeatable, its just marked wrong.

Easilly sorted with some fine graphic tape either side of the vernier and a fine lumicolour.

It must have been meant to work this way, as out of teh box, the bottom of the EL turret bottoms out a couple of clicks past the zero on the base line.

Incidentally, its funny how the mob and civvy shooters disagree. The mob tend to want things to be intuitive, civvies seem to just get used to something that is wrong (or not ideal) and then accept it.

I start at zero and count up, it has been done for millenia, why change it?

The AAC HWI who was shooting with us was similarly mistified by the assertion by some that me seeing my 100yd zero, not as a base to work from (how can it be, it may move or be reset) but as a setting of 17moa as being wrong.

The base setting approach is fine, if you assume that everyone is shooting with a zero stop scope

That said, You have given me some very good tips Tim, I particularly like the one about the wind building and dropping at different rates, thus centering the MPI down wind allowing a sudden drop to potentially allow a round to drop in the 5.

Thanks again also for the loading info. I have located a suitable die and will speak to dave soon about a pointer.

Looking forward to trying some of the pointed hybrids, like you say, there is a match's worth there plus plenty for tests etc.

I wont use them for chronoing as at teh muzzle it wont make any difference, I will just have to adjust to get a final POI.

I have also found a set of reasonably good electronic scales (apparently a lot of the yanks are using them, Russell is also using them, they have a good write up on the 6BR website) which should improve consistency.

Not lab standard, but highly regarded.

Like you Say, Mik mak builds a superb rifle (surprisingly for someone lacking oposable thumbs), cheap really for what it is.....as long as you do the sodding bedding bolts up...right?

Cheers matey

[John MH]

I've seen this rifle and it certainly shoots well, so soon to be joined by another Dolphin offering.

[Parabuteo]

I've seen this rifle and it certainly shoots well, so soon to be joined by another Dolphin offering.

Good on you mate.

I am still chuckling about your comment re the calibres you were shooting and the Trident...Glad I asked before asking for an inert example...never get it on the bloody drive John

I learned a lot from that weekend, it's the little things as well that make big differences.

Got a GemPro 250 on order, I know some of my loads were a bit iffy, and Tim has done some quickload work which tied in with my own ladder tests and chrono work says I should be able to lose a grain and still be zipping along...jacket intactum..ideally

Good to meet you as well, great bunch of guys, I was all shot out by Sunday arvo though

Good luck

C