'03 Range trip

[dk17hmr]

Today pulled my Springfield 1903, dated 1909 low serial numbered, out of the cabinet and head to the range with my dad.

The load was 15gr of Unique with a Ideal 308329 weighin in at 193grs lubed and checked with some filler. The lube is a homemade job I am callin it "Pink Magic" just something I threw together with no amounts measured, mostly Beeswax, transmission oil, Lee Liquid Alox, Candle wax, and a Red Crayola...which worked very well.

Anyways, I was firing 50 yards, prone and standing with good results. My prone group 10 shots was abour 4" my standing group was a touch bigger for 10 shots, this was with no development last night dad told me he figured we would be going to the new range tomorrow, so I threw some plinkin 30-06 togther.

My dad needed to use a few of my cast bullets because he forgot to bring 30-06 rounds for his 1917, he was testing to see if a chip in the stock would hold or not, I told him that the loads were pretty hot so he should expect to have a black and blue shoulder, after the first shot he realized I as pulling his leg. The chip didnt hold even with these light rounds.

Also had a fellow member at the range today, we are ussally the only ones at the range, when he saw my 03 he had to come over and check it out, so I loaded it up and let him try it as well. He was pretty impressed for some reason, then he realized I was shooting cast, that just floored him, couldnt believe it or something but became very interested.

Then when we were packin up he was at the same time, my dad and I took a shove and a sifter to the pistol and 50 yard berm and got about 50 pounds of lead. Would have gotten more but only had a small bucket.

[Char-Gar]

dk..In all of my trips to all of the ranges over the past 50 years, I have never "run into" another cast bullet shooter. I have gone to the range with some, but never just bumpted into another.

The response of the average guy I run into at ranges vary from distain to interest when they find out I am shooting cast bullets. None seem to have any real knowledge about the subject.

When I was your age, every other guy had a Springfield or a Krag. These days, they are somewhat scare at rangs. I have guys come from way down the line just to handle a real "Krag". Many of them are well into middle age.

In my salad days, I would walk down the line just to see and handle a real Sharps. Times have changed.

I have not fired my Sharps since 1968. When I retire next year, I am going to work with it again. It will be interesting to see how the folks at the range react to a real Sharps. Most have at least hear of Sharps rifle. Many are familiar with the current crop of reproductions.

[dk17hmr]

My dad has a Pedersoili (spelling) 45-70, it turns alot of heads when he pulls it out of the Truck and walks to the line. He named it "Big Smile" because after he lets a new to the rifle shooter fire it they always have a grin from ear to ear.

Same thing with my Garand, alot of people are interested in it mostly because of movies but when they see me shooting prone or standing shooting a group that they couldnt do with their deer rifles from a bench they become really interested in it.

Another eye catcher is my 25-06 "built bench gun", shoots .4 on a bad day. That one is kinda pretty though thats why it gets attention.

[TAWILDCATT]

dk17hmr:I have an/03 made1913.I'v never fired full loads.my load is 311291 with 13 gr red dot.at 100yds it should get 1in groups.try it