30-30 10gr unique 170gr gc boolit shoots way low

[roberts1]

How low you ask? Try 6" at 15 yards with the rear sight all the way up. Shoots factory just fine. Winchester model 94 10gr unique and a lee 170gc boolit. Im not exactly sure where to start looking for my problem here. I thought id have at least a usable load or a baseline or something. On the positive side im saving a fortune on targets.

[nagantguy]

That sounds a bit low, though a "gallery type" load like this will print low if the sights are regulated to factory fodder. If you want a light plinker load I'd had very good luck with many rifles in several calibers with h4895, it does well and is safe reduced and does very well in full power cast loads. Not sure what to tell you with your unique load, 10 grains of it is the sweet spot in my winny 94.

[rsrocket1]

How were the groups? How many shots did you shoot. Of course, this was on a rest and not offhand right?
Being that much off, you should move the target back to 30 yards and aim 13" high and hit the bullseye, accounting for 0.8" bullet drop at 30 yards with a 1400 fps C309-170-F bullet. If that happens, something is off kilter.

[Bird]

roberts1, is the 15 yards a typo? did you mean 150 yds?

[Hick]

The question would be how high do you set the rear sight for factory loads. Is is a ways up for them also? If so, check the height of your front sight. There are a variety of front sight heights available for the Model 94. I had a relatively tall front sight (0.5") and had to reduce to 0.35" when I started shooting cast loads down around 1000 fps. If you can find a front sight that lets you shoot factory at 100 yards or more with the rear sight all the way down, then you may have enough room to raise the rear sight and get the low velocity loads on the paper.

[newton]

I use 8 grains of unique with that boolit. It shoots lower than full power loads for sure, but not out of sight range low. Something is not right.

Could it still be climbing at that close of range? Maybe try 25-50 yards?

[roberts1]

not a typo fifteen yards and yes off a bench. started at 25 figured it was low brought it back and yep just hitting the bottom of the paper. This gun was given to my son by my father in law who bought it used. Someone adjusted the windage with im guessing a hammer because the dovetail on the front sight is a bit mangled however we had it out this fall and shot some factory loads at around 75 yards with no issues. Recoil was milder than the factory loads as i expected but things need to come wayyy up. I wouldnt really call what were able to get on paper a group but time was short and once i figured out is was so low i didnt continue. Maybe a 1" tall sight ramp... thanks for the replies everyone

[TCLouis]

Somehow at 15 yards I just can not imagine how this is happening.

It kind of defies anything I have ever had happen.

[marshall623]

Sounds familiar . My rem 700 in 308 150 Lee FN'S over 13 gr. Unique shoot real low . The same boolit over RL7 or SR 4759 shoots not far from factory . I would try a few with a slower powder and see what happens. Just my $.02

[edctexas]

It does sound strange. I just shot some 165gr ranch dog from 30-30 with 8 gr of Unique. at 25 yd it printed about 3" low. I'll try some with more Unique in a few days.

Ed C

[Bird]

The question would be how high do you set the rear sight for factory loads. Is is a ways up for them also? If so, check the height of your front sight. There are a variety of front sight heights available for the Model 94. I had a relatively tall front sight (0.5") and had to reduce to 0.35" when I started shooting cast loads down around 1000 fps. If you can find a front sight that lets you shoot factory at 100 yards or more with the rear sight all the way down, then you may have enough room to raise the rear sight and get the low velocity loads on the paper.

Thats the way to do it. At a guess if you set the rifle up as above, I would bet you will still need a lower front sight. I would try and get a front sight that would hit 3'' higher or more at 100yd target. The unique cast load has a rainbow trajectory compared to that of factory ammo. Set up as I have suggested, you would shoot over a 50 yard target by 5'' or more.
I have the same problem even using a tang sight at max elevation. Using the bullet and load combination as above, the only real way I know of getting good accuracy is to be good at judging distances, and having a tall rear tang sight for enough adjustment.

[roberts1]

Thanks for the suggestions. I knew they wouldnt be like factory loads i just didnt think theyd be that far off. I think ill find a slower powder to experiment with.

[roberts1]

Yeah i was a bit dumbfounded myself. Perhaps some rifle powder is in order here to get things closer to where they should be. Ill measure the front sight also and see what I can come up with. My first notion was to simply shim up the rear sight ramp or even make a new one that is taller.

[Bird]

roberts1,
I had the time to rethink your problem, and it is not your load. For you to be shooting that low at 15 yards something else is wrong. Front sight is way too high, maybe a ramp sight with too high insert in place? What length barrel do you have? Has it been replaced? Is the barrel bent?

[roberts1]

I didnt bring along any factory ammo to compare but i think maybe i should. The front sight is 3/8" tall and the barrel is 20". I guess it is possible the front sight was replaced. When we got it the spring and cup were missing from the ammo tube and looking at the screws somebody not very handy may have taken the gun apart at one time.

[roberts1]

I did a little looking my sight is .462 tall measured from the bottom of the dovetail to the top of the sight. I found one that is only .290 tall and i think for $8.00 it is definately worth trying.

[gwpercle]

I shoot that same boolit and same load out of my model 94 Winchester, I only had to move the rear sight one notch from factory ammo setting.
Don't understand what's going on .
Gary

[jimb16]

I use a 170gr gas checked in my .30-30 too. It shoots 6 inches low at 50 yards with that same load, but groups in just under 1 inch. Something else must be going on for it to be shooting that low at 15 yards.....

[gordie]

i've had good luck w/... "The Load".. C.E. Harris

[UBER7MM]

13 grains of Red Dot w/o filler. Unique tends to shoot a foot low in my experience.