Digital Dan
10-30-2015, 08:26 PM
Spur of the moment this morning I decided to take the day off and head down to the range. Lovely calm, clear morning, bit of chill in the air. I took my Mod 54 to fireform some cases and the old Marlin '94 that is somewhere in the range of a century young and still charging.
I was bold today and set up on the 100 yard line. It just felt like one of those days...
First up was the near abouts century young Marlin 94 with the tang sight. Purchased the piece from the heirs of the original owner about 5 years back. Chambered in .25-20 Marlin with a rotted bore, I admired the rest of its fine condition and knew some folks well versed in the art of barrel liners. Went with the Winchester version though, just for peace of mind and practicality. Picked up some really bad production Lyman 257412 bullets, relubed them and on the second batch of loads (6.0 gr 2400, rest to spec) shot a 1.2" group of 10 on the 50 yard line. A single word comes to mind. Boring.
It doesn't care much for flat point bullets though and proper cycling of the lever must be brisk if proper function is desired, so it's not totally boring. Anyway, there I was, at the bench, target up and a hot line. Spied a clod of dirt on the berm, took aim just to check POI. It disintegrated at the shot.
Damn, that bull looked awful small thru that tang sight. Really small. Nonetheless, with hope in my heart, I took a 6 o'clock hold and the shot came before I anticipated it. They built some fine triggers back then don't ya know. The target had been stapled to a backer with some chewed up plastic and what you see here isn't two holes, just one with collateral damage from proud plastic.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/1st%20shot%20front_zpsfyf9o5qv.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/1st%20shot%20front_zpsfyf9o5qv.jpg.html)
It's a little more obvious on the reverse side:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/1st%20shot%20reverse_zps8hy7qyhf.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/1st%20shot%20reverse_zps8hy7qyhf.jpg.html)
That was my stunt shot of the day. :D
Figured that load was good, loaded up some with an Ideal 257283 bullet(plain base 30:1 alloy) and 5.5 gr 2400. It met expectations, though it shot about 6" lower. Thanks be unto Zeus, I get to fiddle with that load a bit more.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/Ideal%20257483%20100%20yds_zpsfw4sjvpv.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/Ideal%20257483%20100%20yds_zpsfw4sjvpv.jpg.html)
Lastly, there was the fireform endeavor for the 54.
Temp. ~70*
Wind L-R, R-L, full value, quarter value, dime value, 0-10 mph
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/FF100yds_zpsgc0yitbd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/FF100yds_zpsgc0yitbd.jpg.html)
I like 2 stage triggers. The barrel hardly got warm. R-P brass, 3.5 gr WW231, Lyman 225438 w/GC 50/50 wheel weights/linotype.
Fella that signed the target was shooting a late production 1917 Springfield with a bolt rear mount aperture. He ran 17 out of 20 in a 3" bull at 100 yards. He told me my .25-20 was obsolete. I told him he was obsolete. We might get drunk together sometime.
I was bold today and set up on the 100 yard line. It just felt like one of those days...
First up was the near abouts century young Marlin 94 with the tang sight. Purchased the piece from the heirs of the original owner about 5 years back. Chambered in .25-20 Marlin with a rotted bore, I admired the rest of its fine condition and knew some folks well versed in the art of barrel liners. Went with the Winchester version though, just for peace of mind and practicality. Picked up some really bad production Lyman 257412 bullets, relubed them and on the second batch of loads (6.0 gr 2400, rest to spec) shot a 1.2" group of 10 on the 50 yard line. A single word comes to mind. Boring.
It doesn't care much for flat point bullets though and proper cycling of the lever must be brisk if proper function is desired, so it's not totally boring. Anyway, there I was, at the bench, target up and a hot line. Spied a clod of dirt on the berm, took aim just to check POI. It disintegrated at the shot.
Damn, that bull looked awful small thru that tang sight. Really small. Nonetheless, with hope in my heart, I took a 6 o'clock hold and the shot came before I anticipated it. They built some fine triggers back then don't ya know. The target had been stapled to a backer with some chewed up plastic and what you see here isn't two holes, just one with collateral damage from proud plastic.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/1st%20shot%20front_zpsfyf9o5qv.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/1st%20shot%20front_zpsfyf9o5qv.jpg.html)
It's a little more obvious on the reverse side:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/1st%20shot%20reverse_zps8hy7qyhf.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/1st%20shot%20reverse_zps8hy7qyhf.jpg.html)
That was my stunt shot of the day. :D
Figured that load was good, loaded up some with an Ideal 257283 bullet(plain base 30:1 alloy) and 5.5 gr 2400. It met expectations, though it shot about 6" lower. Thanks be unto Zeus, I get to fiddle with that load a bit more.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/Ideal%20257483%20100%20yds_zpsfw4sjvpv.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/Ideal%20257483%20100%20yds_zpsfw4sjvpv.jpg.html)
Lastly, there was the fireform endeavor for the 54.
Temp. ~70*
Wind L-R, R-L, full value, quarter value, dime value, 0-10 mph
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/Guns/FF100yds_zpsgc0yitbd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/Guns/FF100yds_zpsgc0yitbd.jpg.html)
I like 2 stage triggers. The barrel hardly got warm. R-P brass, 3.5 gr WW231, Lyman 225438 w/GC 50/50 wheel weights/linotype.
Fella that signed the target was shooting a late production 1917 Springfield with a bolt rear mount aperture. He ran 17 out of 20 in a 3" bull at 100 yards. He told me my .25-20 was obsolete. I told him he was obsolete. We might get drunk together sometime.