What Did You Shoot Today?

[richhodg66]

One round of Trap and a round of Five Stand (never did that before, humbling experience), as part of a fund raiser even that the local PD and Sherriff's department are doing for a toy drive at Christmas they call "Shop with a Cop". Looks like it raised about two grand, pretty small, actually, compared to the golf fund raiser they did last weekend, but it's all to a good cause. Had fun.

 

[oscarflytyer]

Luger. It'll shoot. Need a magazine spring and cpl more parts. But all good in the end!

 

[JustJim]

Hey Oscarflytyer--need another magazine? Pretty sure I have a spare (aftermarket) mag and no Luger.

Got out to do some plinking and testing this morning. I've been accumulating some assorted factory ammo trying to pick new (and still in production and available) factory loads for my inventory.

I've pretty much settled on 38/44 loads as my pet loads for my 38s (which are actually all 357s). Of the 8 loads tested today, Remington's HTP load for the 357 (158 gr SJHP) seems to match the trajectory from both of my pistols. They also have a good reputation for expansion, at least in gelatin. I'll probably pick up a few boxes of these.

Shot some through my 44 special Blackhawk as well. Best load (for accuracy) of the loads I tested was Buffalo Bullets hard cast WC (14E) at about 1,000 fps, closely followed by their 190 gr soft cast HP (14C).

An acquaintance brought out his Charter Arms "Boomer" (DAO 44 Bulldog with a ported 2" barrel, with a guttersnipe* on the frame and no front sight). Buffalo says the WC load is OK for Charter Arms Bulldogs, but the HP load will significantly shorten the life of the revolver. I test-fired 10 rounds each of the Buffalo loads in the Boomer. The 14E WC load was controllable, but accuracy was nothing to write home about (roughly 6" at 25 yards). The 14C HP load was a bit harder to control and a bit less accurate.

I'm not sure how much of the accuracy problems from the Boomer were due to me, and how much to intrinsic factors of the gun (grips, sights, and rather coarse DA action). I suspect the gun was a bigger factor: the ammo was nicely accurate from my Blackhawk. With better grips and an action job, the Boomer would make a nice pocket pistol. If Buffalo ever brings out the 14E with soft-cast WC, I'll have one.

*The sight reminded me of the sight on a Devel Asp I used to have.

 

[462]

This morning's shoot was with the box-stock* .223 Ruger American.
Bullet: Sierra 77-grain HPBT Matchking
Powder: 24.0-grain IMR 4895
Primer: CCI small rifle
Brass:Winchester 5.56 twice fired
Scope: Mueller 8.5-25X44
Distance: 100-yards

This was the third five-shot group, and the best of the three. Didn't want to press my luck any further, called it good, packed up and left. If I never do it again, that's cool.

* I replaced the trigger spring with a shortened ball point pen spring that resulted in an excellent two-pound trigger.

 

[Bret4207]

Hey Oscarflytyer--need another magazine? Pretty sure I have a spare (aftermarket) mag and no Luger.

Got out to do some plinking and testing this morning. I've been accumulating some assorted factory ammo trying to pick new (and still in production and available) factory loads for my inventory.

I've pretty much settled on 38/44 loads as my pet loads for my 38s (which are actually all 357s). Of the 8 loads tested today, Remington's HTP load for the 357 (158 gr SJHP) seems to match the trajectory from both of my pistols. They also have a good reputation for expansion, at least in gelatin. I'll probably pick up a few boxes of these.

Shot some through my 44 special Blackhawk as well. Best load (for accuracy) of the loads I tested was Buffalo Bullets hard cast WC (14E) at about 1,000 fps, closely followed by their 190 gr soft cast HP (14C).

An acquaintance brought out his Charter Arms "Boomer" (DAO 44 Bulldog with a ported 2" barrel, with a guttersnipe* on the frame and no front sight). Buffalo says the WC load is OK for Charter Arms Bulldogs, but the HP load will significantly shorten the life of the revolver. I test-fired 10 rounds each of the Buffalo loads in the Boomer. The 14E WC load was controllable, but accuracy was nothing to write home about (roughly 6" at 25 yards). The 14C HP load was a bit harder to control and a bit less accurate.

I'm not sure how much of the accuracy problems from the Boomer were due to me, and how much to intrinsic factors of the gun (grips, sights, and rather coarse DA action). I suspect the gun was a bigger factor: the ammo was nicely accurate from my Blackhawk. With better grips and an action job, the Boomer would make a nice pocket pistol. If Buffalo ever brings out the 14E with soft-cast WC, I'll have one.

*The sight reminded me of the sight on a Devel Asp I used to have.

The Charters, everyone I've owned of shot anyway, all seem like they need a bit of finish work. For a carry gun they have a lot going for them, but some polish would make them better. Kind like a Rossi '92- get rid of the knife edges and deburr a bit and you have a nicer gun.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Shot three rifles on Monday, I was pleased with Husqvarna 8x57 and Remington 141 in 35 Remington caliber. Both these scoped old guns were near zeroed. These guns are lined up for cast bullets. I also shot a Ruger Number One H in 375 H&H, Need to do more work with this one with cast bullets.

 

[Rushcreek]

I checked the Krags zero with 220gr Hornady RN(for all those Moose in North Texas)- good to go. Then tried the Polish Mauser at 40 yards with 175gr Lee over 9.5grs of Unique- fun and accurate- but even the German in me detests those barlycorn sights

 

[JustJim]

The Charters, everyone I've owned of shot anyway, all seem like they need a bit of finish work. For a carry gun they have a lot going for them, but some polish would make them better. Kind like a Rossi '92- get rid of the knife edges and deburr a bit and you have a nicer gun.

I've had second thoughts about the Charter Arms "Boomer". The concussion from the dragoncall seems to have triggered another bout of headaches--a problem I've had since a TBI more than a decade ago. I'm going to have to try those loads again in a non-ported Bulldog, probably their DAO snubby. When the headaches stop. . . .

 

[Snakeoil]

Took the Browning High Wall and my fresh batch of 300 gr .38-55 rounds to Wilton to see how they'd do. I did not put a cardboard wad under the PB bullet just to keep things simple. They shot like crap at 200 yds. Recoil was not excessive, but still what you might call stout. Since I have that attached floater and doc says heavy recoil can tear my retina, I'd prefer to stay away from stout (Guinness notwithstanding). So, after 10 rounds that made a group that looked like they were launched with a catapult, I came to two conclusions. First, the rifle did not like that load so more load development would be required rather than the guess at a load and hope it works method and second, I don't like the recoil.

So, as pretty a rifle as it is, it is going down the road. If anyone is interested, let me know. It has been drilled and tapped for Unertl blocks. Blocks are not included. I will install filler screws in the holes. I removed the sling swivel and made two fire blue fillers to make it more appropriate for shooting off a rest. I have the original sights that came with the rifle which I will install back on gun. I need to take some pix and will list in the for-sale listing here.

I bought a custom Win High Wall made in 1891 in .218 Bee with an 8X Unertl scope included. When it arrives, I'll decide if I want to sleeve the existing barrel to .30-30 or buy a new barrel and rebarrel the rifle. May add a single set trigger to it. Need to talk to Buffalo Arms about the conversion. They sell the parts. I just want to know what's involved as I've never done this before. We also have a guy at the club that does a lot with High Walls so he should know as well. I'm sure it's not a simple matter of just swapping parts.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I think in the case of my High Wall's the serial number dates the bottom tang only.

 

[462]

Handguns, this morning -- Smith & Wesson 6 1/2" Model 624 and .45 ACP Randall.

That Randall will eat anything that comes out of its magazines. As usual, 5.0-grains of Unique and Lyman's 452374 cut a big circle out of a 4 7/8" 10-yard target. I've a goodly supply of SR 7625 so tried 5.2-grains, 5.7-grains, and 6.2-grains and Lyman's 45240, with the last load being the most accurate of the three. Still, as with the former bullet, it prefers on 5.0-grains of Unique.

The 624 was testing Lee's 429-214 with 13.0-grains of 2400 and 5.7 of Unique and 5.5 of Herco. Try as I might, with the Lee bullet, Lyman's 429421, and Arsenal's .432" version of the Lyman, it's been impossible to find a load that will outshine that of 13.0-grains of 2400.

I was introduced to a guy who is kind of a range regular and was shooting some sort of spiff looking auto-loading .22 RF. I saw him collecting brass and asked what he was looking for. He said he was collecting .45 ACP so his nephew can start reloading. We discussed primer and powder availability, etc., (ha, ha, ha), so I gave him the brass from the Randall's last shoot.

 

[Pressman]

Unseasonably warm weather here in the Gopher state and I had free time. So, gather up three rifles and head off to the range.
New to me K-31 fired a box of factory ammo, this rifle is a shooter. Just what I had hoped for.
10 rounds fired from the Swede 1917 CG. Fun.
Then trouble struck. 47 rounds through the Marlin 39A and the action locked up. I cannot close the bolt, it's jammed tight.
Pack up and go home as another person wanted to use the one bench.
Ken

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I got to the range last Monday!! Pop & I took my wife to a Eye Dr appointment. So as we had her loaded up, we decided a quick range trip was in order!!

Back in late July I purchased a couple used Remington 1875 revolvers in 45 Colt. We never got ta shoot them before my health issues. So that was what we shot. Docs dont want shoulder recoil yet but light 45 Colts in a hand gun was fine.

Guns shot great!



Also made a video!

 

[462]

Overnight rain meant the rifle side would be muddy, so it was the .357 New Vaquero, Lee's 358-158 RF and 13.5-grains of 2400.
A busy day was waiting so only had time to shot a box. Recoil made for a reminder of last Thursday's trigger thumb de-triggering. Left with the brick of small pistol primers the range regular promised he'd trade me for collection of test .45-70 cast bullets I gave him.

 

[L Ross]

Couple days ago two of the "deer camp" neighbors came over to sight in their deer howitzers. Oh well, waht's a little meat damage when you hack up a carcass so badly that I could get ten more meals off of one they worked on. Savages never heard of neck roast! If I left that much meat on a deer carcass my departed Father would come storming back from the afterlife and slap me up side the head with a shoulder blade.

But Holy Cow! only 12 days to deer gun season. When did that happen? I'm still fishin' walleyes from the boat! All of my fantasies about using a classic .38-40 and cast went right out of the window. I looked at what was laying around, again, and found an ammo pouch of .250 Savage, 6 rounds of 100 grain Ballistic Tips and 6 rounds of 117 gr. Hornady round nose oh and one loose round of the Ballistic Tips. Well that should certainly do it, but.....there was that lonely old box of Herter's 100 grain semi-spitzers. I'm thinking they might have been made by Norma, the shape and tip remind me of Norma Re 6.5x55 ammo I had a long time ago.

Prepped and primered 20 W-W cases and dispensed 34.0 grains of good old stick powder IMR-4064, blue and white metal can courtesy of an old feller with brain cancer in October of 2019. Walked out to the bench spray painted two 2" orange dots on a piece of butcher paper at 80 yards. Used that left over BT round first, bullseye, next a Herter's on the other bull, bullseye. Aimed at a 10" disc of AR-500 hanging on the end of the 160 yard rail, clang, swing, done!

Golly that went well, but I do have to say I have become spoiled by fine target triggers. I thought I forgot to disengage the safety from the little Ruger International. So, grabbed a Ruger International stainless and laminated 10-22 my Dad gave us years ago and went to hackin' at 80 yard prairie dogs off hand. I gotta say, that went so well I wonder why I don't shoot perfect scores with my target grade 22's. Set the scope at 4X to match the .250, adjusted the zero to match standard velocity ammo from the setting for Mini Mag HP's and I do believe I only missed three out of a dozen. Rifle balance all wrong, no muzzle weight, trigger has gritches in it and is fairly heavy and yet I did some creditable shooting. Came in the house and as usual Sue asks, "How'd ya shoot?" I told her I've done worse with better rifles and I was grinnin'.

 

[Snakeoil]

At the risk of blowing my own horn (which I am) today was the .22 silhouette match at Wilton. This is the match were iron sight guys shoot the standard animals and scope guys shoot 3 minute round targets. Yardages are 50, 100, 150 and 200 with 2 offhand buffalo shots at 300. Buffalo is about 12 inches wide.

Conditions were overcast so light was consistent. But wind came and went and at just about every direction possible. At one point the wind came over the roof of the shooting line and blew the woodstove smoke in front of us and almost obliterated the targets. By the time we got to the 200 yd targets, we had figured out just how to call today's wind and my partner did a great job.

I adjusted my hold just a bit for every wind call he made and shot this 10 shot group, well, actually 12 shots since there are two sighters in the middle as well. The hits on the top of the target were my first few sighters. Seems my standard settings were high for 100 thru 200 yd targets today and it took a bit to get on-target. Plate is 3 minutes or 6 inches. Put a big grin on my haggard old face.

 

[L Ross]

As ugly and uncool as an AR is compared to a nice sporting rifle, I gotta say there is a certain utilitarian appeal. The snow finally let up and I put up a target at 25 yards, got zeroed, moved to 80 yards. Tweaked the scope and hit very close to center.I started to put stuff away and had a niggling thought, "What if that shot was a fluke?"

Grabbed the rest and a bag, sat back down and fired another shot. Wow, 3/4" away or less from the last one. Go figure, an AR-Stoner upper from Midway in 7.62x39 with 123 grain Hornady .310" diameter bullets and 24.0 grains of 1680. The scope is only a 2.5X but clear as a glass of Bombay Sapphire. Ah, but the trigger. A Charlie Milazzo MKII two stage match trigger installed by Charlie himself, that is just a delight. So controllable, so predictable. Oh and a BCM lower. I have many cool guns, but I think that I'm just going to use this little carbine.

 

[462]

Based on the results of some forum members, the other day I bought three boxes of Norma TAC .22 LR. This morning's range session was with the 10/22 and an assortment of ammunition. Remington Gold bulk and Thunderbolt continue to scatter 2"-plus 50-yard patterns. No surprise, there. Winchester Wildcat left a nice 4 shot group till the fifth shot ruined it. Eley Sport shot a sub-1" group, then the next group was almost twice the size. Norma TAC was a major disappointment and I'll only offer a picture.

Winchester Wildcat

Norma TAC

 

[Ian]

My Kimber likes the TAC but it's the only one out of the stable that does. Even the Model 52 doesn't dig it. Eley and Green Tag are the consistent winners across the board for me, but I'm not a real serious .22 rimfire shooter.

 

[L Ross]

I bought a case of TAC after I bought and shot some GECO Semi Auto from RWS. Supposedly the GECO morphed into TAC and GECO is no more at least in the USA market. The GECO shot very well, good enough to be competitive in BPCR .22 silhouette. The lube is very greasy and leaves black smudges on your fingers. When I switch ammo brands I give the bore a light cleaning with Ed's Red and then shoot 10 to 20 rounds of the new stuff before I even try for groups.

I learned this one day when I was shooting Remington Eley Target followed by some Federal Auto Match. The Auto Match nearly equalled the Eley for the first 10 shot group when fired immediately after the Eley, then gradually worsened. The Auto Match was running on the Eley lube in the bore.

.22's are an exhausting study and even Pope was at the mercy of what the manufacturers put out. As shooters we have no control over the variations in lot numbers etc. So until I crack into the latest case of TAC I really won't know if I got a good lot or not.

I am glad I do not need the stringent accuracy requirements of 50 meter .22 bench rest shooters who are constantly battling the lot# game.