Tuesday at the range 6-20-06

[Buckshot]

................We had a glorious day for shooting. It was only in the low 90's and we had a mild breeze which just made it pleasant. Well there were some 22RF benchrest guys at the other end of the line who'd probably wished they were in a warehouse, but tough beans, read your wind flags (they had a freaking forest of'em out).

Speaking of twice two's I bought a new one today from another Burrito-isto and board member. I've had a Rem 582 since the day before I got married in 1975 and now I have a Rem 581 to go with it. It looks brand new and I was told that it had had maybe a box of ammo through it, if that. I'm familiar with the wear points in the action and they're all still blued. Even the locking lugs. Stock is new, without scratch, mar or compression. The action is tighter then a pair of starched denims.

So anyway, I won the match :-). We shot the regular which is centerfire rifle, cast lead, offhand over iron sights. Shooting is for score, 10 rounds at 50 yards. A couple weeks ago I'd lube sized up (first time for these) a bunch of the group buy 6 cavity Lee 8mm modifieds (FP instead of a RN). I'd sized them to .325" to try in the new Yugo M24/47. This things turns out to have one of those monster throats and a .325" groove.

So I ran 50 of'em up through a Lee .323" die for the Turk. This was one of the $69 Big 5 Turks from some years back, and turns out to have a Czech action. Best of all the barrel is in excellent condition. It has a tight throat and slugs sized .325" require a mallet to close the bolt. Doesn't do the slugs any good, lemme tell ya so they're sized .323". With the Lee's loaded to and crimped in the bottom lube groove, the turn of the ogive is 'just' touched by the lands.

I loaded them over 23.0grs + Dacron of Nobel Tubal 2000 (I call it T2K) which is a surplus number Graf's had, and it's just like some H4198 I have. Good thing I got 32 lbs of it. How nice :-).

The rifle has a darn nice trigger once you get used to it. The first stage is the pits and the sear drags and rattles along then comes to a definative stop. All you need then is just a weensy more pressure and it breaks clean. The first part up to that stop is just BAD, but I'm scared to touch it.

El Pistolero finished up first and shot a 89-1X which is a darn good score. He was shooting a like new 03-A3. A Wincester Hi-Wall in 38-55 was also being shot and he was using 20.0grs of Lightening and the 264gr Lyman. That Lightening powder he was using had been produced in 1932. Deputy Al shot a Savage M99 in 250 Savage and the other shooter used a M98/08 Brazilian.

I ended up with a 91-2X which I was VERY happy about. Two 8's, five 9's and three 10's. I'd loaded up 50 rounds so I have enough left for 3 more matches. Next week we're shooting the same. I haven't excersized either of the M91 Argentines in quite some time, so I suppose I'll have to load some up for one of those.

..................Buckshot

[9.3X62AL]

I hadn't fired the 250 Savage/99 Lever Critter since NCBS, and the rifle was whining and moaning about being neglected, so I did battle with the Burrito Co-Conspirators using that implement. It shot VERY well, but I didn't. I can see where some garage work with an air rifle and pellet trap is called for--I can't hit the broad side of a flock of barns lately--VERY rusty.

Two other rifles got dragged along for recreation and enjoyment, the Ruger #1 in 45-70 and the CZ-550 in 9.3 x 62.

First was the 45-70. Glen had given me a big flask of 535 grain RN plain base boolits in this caliber, and they were sized big enough to not rattle side-to-side in the Ruger's tube (.460"), so I gave them a check-ride atop 6.0 x 4198 and 44.0 x WC-860. Let's just call the recoil "exhilarating" from benchrest, as Col. Askins once code-worded the experience. Standing up, I could keep the 200 meter dinger plate ringing and REALLY jumping around by blotting out the plate with the front sight's bead. 535 grains, moving however fast that powder concoction prompted--gave some real life to the impact plate. Zero leading, and very clean burning of that slow-as-Kingsford-Charcoal 50 BMG-intended powder.

The scoped CZ x 9.3mm had only been fired with cast boolits at NCBS during the team match, and my impression was that the scope and barrel were looking pretty much in the same time zone using the j-word Partition sight setting. They were. I had some odd lots of ammo left over from NCBS, consisting of Lyman #366408 and the MM 270 FNGC atop 18.0 grains of 2400 and dacron, as well as the rifle's go-to cast load of the MM 270 atop 23.0 x 2400/dacron. All these loads shot acceptably at 50 yards, and further work is definitely indicated with the MM 270 at increased velocity. It has been my belief that the 9.3's lead-friendly bore environment (twist rate, gentle leade, tall lands) might be able to produce velocities near caliber design limits with cast boolits, so I'm going to venture in that direction as long as accuracy holds. The 23.0 x 2400/dacron load produces strong 38-55 performance (1675 FPS) and good accuracy, so that lily is bloomed--I'll push the boolit faster and try gilding it.

The 23.0 x 2400 load is pleasant from the bench and an all-day offhand load. It is through this rifle and load that I have discerned just how good and user-friendly the Marlin & Ballard 38-55 load really was--accurate, pleasant to fire in light, handy carbines, and good for most North American game animals at modest ranges. At some point either mechanical accuracy will degrade, or recoil dynamics will prompt a stop point for load building. I'm not one to push envelopes past useful hunting accuracy or power very often, but this package prompts it.

[StarMetal]

Al,

Still not 30 cal pistol tests?

Joe

[9.3X62AL]

Not a one, Joe. Gotta empty loaded cases first. Fitting shooting time into all that goes on around here is a little tough at present--Tuesdays at Inland are about all I'm able to do.