Classic Benchmark Day at the Range

1193 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Airedale, Mar 19, 2003

BobD

Discussion Starter · Mar 18, 2003

I shot my new Classic Benchmark and my older standard Classic today. I put a Weaver T36X on the Benchmark and the standard Classic has a Tasco 6-24X. Both rifles are very accurate with Winchester Value Pack, Wolf Match Target, and Aguila Standard Velocty. I put about 300 rounds thru the Benchmark with only one round failing to chamber about half way thru the shoot. I put about 150 rounds thru the older Classic with no failures. I hate the new TC 10 round magazine. The 5 round magazine does work in the Benchmark. The Benchmark's trigger is very long, heavy and creepy. I had worked on my standard Classic's trigger and it is now much better than the one on the Benchmark. If I can duplicate on the Benchmark what I did to the older Classic's trigger, it will be awesome. Both rifles shot about equally, but the Benchmark would do better with a better trigger. I like the new laminated benchrest stock very much. Did I mention that I hate the 10 round magazine?

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larebow

· #2 · Mar 18, 2003

Glad to hear you like the rifle bob sorry about the magazine though.How hard would it be to fab two fives together?
You said it had a long follower? The dohicky that pushes the round up the mg? Could this be shortened up?
Anxious to hear how much your groups change after your trigger job kep us informed!
:t

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PlumberjimC

· #3 · Mar 18, 2003

BobD,
What did you do to the trigger. That's the only thing I don't like about mine, too much pre-travel.

The Benchmark sounds like a winner. Haven't seen any around here yet. In fact, I've not seen many Classics at all. Mine's the only one at my range, I think.

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BobD

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 18, 2003

The trigger is alot like an M1 Garand. I have stoned the mating surfaces of the sear, hammer and disconnector, and I lightened the trigger spring. You can go too light on the trigger spring and then the trigger will not reset forward from the disconnector when you release the trigger. Some of the pre-travel can be reduced by shortening the engagement lip on the trigger where it engages the hammer. You get to all the parts by removing the safety lever and the right side plate. Do it slow and pay attention as things are not very complicated. I took apart the Benchmark's trigger tonight, stoned surfaces, lubed with Tetra and replaced the trigger spring and had everything back together in alittle over an hour. I have less pre-travel, still a little, and about a 3 lb pull. It's easy, give it a try.

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BobD

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 18, 2003

larebow said:
Glad to hear you like the rifle bob sorry about the magazine though.How hard would it be to fab two fives together?
You said it had a long follower? The dohicky that pushes the round up the mg? Could this be shortened up?
Anxious to hear how much your groups change after your trigger job kep us informed!
:t

I do not think you could put two fives together very easily. Shortening the 10 round follower, I dunno?? That mag is so long, you might use it as a handle for aiming or carrying. Maybe a boomerang if you run out of ammo.

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larebow

· #6 · Mar 18, 2003

Bobd im just full of ?'s could you use molly fusion to lighten trigger pull? Sounds simillar to action magic(brownells) only better

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BobD

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 18, 2003

I've never used Moly Fusion but the Chief seems to like it. For triggers, I've used regular black Moly grease, Microlon, Lubriplate, and Tetra.

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techshooter

· #8 · Mar 19, 2003

larebow:

Yes, Ken has compared the micro-Moly-Fusion Kit with Brownell's Black Action Magic II, since he is also a gunsmith by trade, and finds Bownell's sadly wanting. The only thing the two have in common is the use "Moly" in the core ingredients, and have the same price.

Black Action contains 1/4 ounce of Moly-disulphide POWDER and a small bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol that is blackened with powder, a couple of gizmos, directions, and that's it.

Moly-Fusion kit gives you a larger amount of pure Moly-Fusion: the reacted product, which does NOT contain Moly-Disulphide. For a lighter product, instead of pure isopropyl alcohol, it has 1 ounce of treatment oil instead, which can be directly applied OR mixed with the pure paste. It has full color front page directional booklet that covers not only action treatment, but slides and rails - will require stronger spring - and barrel treatment: fix the barrel instead of treating the bullet. Better to make the barrel last longer than concentrate all you money on more expensive ammunition.

General Caution: You must be careful in action-work, as you are changing the timing as well as the friction. In other words you are changing the mechanical nature of the metal as it goes into the metal.

BobD: In one of CD's recent posts, he says he likes it because it works for what he has used it for.
1. As to the Teflon Products mentioned: Microlon, Tetra, etc: They measure Acid on the pH-mesuring device (acid is corrosive) combined with ground-up Teflon to act as replace the metal eaten away. Do a pH strip on them and see how low the pH is: don't use on soft metal.
2. Moly"anything else" = Moly-Disulphide, ground up ore from the ground. When heated up, results in corrosive when combined with water and oxygen.
3. Lubriplate is a mineral-oil (baby oil is mostly mineral oil) (grease from Animal Fats + Hydroxide(s)(?) for thickening the mineral oil) + Lithium as an additive, I believe. A standard grease, even with mineral oil as the oil portion is still not as modern. Effect is reduced with solvent.
None of the 4 "competing" items represent high-tech in any way, shape or form as defined by the following: None of them are self-reacting with metal, self-depositing, either. Moly-Fusion is an additive that can go a long way to treating metal through other liquids and greases. Products like Dry-Film, MolyDisulphide and Grease, you have to grind them in, or build up a layer, and any help can be temporary until someone uses oil or solvent.

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4805

· #9 · Mar 19, 2003

benchmark trigger

i cannot believe the lousy trigger on this 400 dollar gun. a friend of mine has a classic and his trigger is good out of the box pull is about 3-31/4 pounds. not much creep at all. probably not the same trigger used in the benchmark. did you ask t/c about the trigger, i won't buy one now that you are reporting a trigger that has to be worked on that should be better out of the box.

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BobD

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 19, 2003

Both Classic triggers are identically made. These rifles are not put together with alot of care to achieve great triggers out of the box. It's an adequate trigger, but not a great trigger. It is much better now that I have stoned out mass production non-perfections. Name me another $400 production semiauto rifle with a match grade barrel screwed into the receiver, target crown, laminated stock, and A GREAT TRIGGER ? If you know of one, let me know. If I saved you 400 bucks, great! Get a 10/22T and then fix that trigger too.

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Airedale

· #11 · Mar 19, 2003

Babe915, you have to understand that very few gunmakers are going to offer a light trigger pull out of the box. They are protecting themselves from the Hyena lawyers that are just looking for the excuse to sue. The Classic is a very fine rifle that is well made and shoots, and mine has a trigger that is also way to heavy for my taste. I like many others that have them hope that as they become more and more popular that someone will find it profitable enough to come out with a fix. Almost every gun I own has had some kind of trigger work done on them to get em to pull the way I like.

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