First cast rifle boolits downrange!

[armoredman]

I had to sight in the new scope, with it's funky double mount.



And then I decided to try my very first home cast rifle boolits. I was on the 75 yard range, so I decided to stay at 50 yards. Pretty close range for a rifle, but I had no idea what these would do - I wanted to hit the target!

I did.



I forgot how smokey they can be. But recoil was of course, very mild, and seeing that they made it there intact was nice. Low, but this is a 160 grain boolit, compared to the 123 grain bullet I sight in with. I started working on them and closed it up with this last group.



I'll take that as a good beginning! It IS only 50 yards, so looking forward to casting up a bunch more, and seeing what they'll do at 100 and 200 yards.



Edit to add cleanup was a breeze, no leading I could see from 20 cast boolits down range.

[303Guy]

That's a good start. What loading did you use? Pics of the casting and loaded case?

[goofyoldfart]

Good shooting Armoredman: Looks like a cz in 7.62X39? if it is, that is a combo that I have been wanting to get. Just have to save $$$ so to do so.

[Shiloh]

Good feeling isn't it??

Shiloh

[JeffinNZ]

Oh dear. Another one is hooked.

[44man]

Darn, that's real good!

[armoredman]

Thanks for all the nice comments!
I want to see how well they do at 100 and 200 yards. Much farther than that is really pushing the cartridge. i have gotten 2 3/4-3" groups with this carbine at 200 yards with 123gr SP, but it's sooo much cheaper to cast.
Yes, that is a CZ-527 in 7.62x39, incredibly light and FUN to shoot! It's a nice crystal clear Bushnell Sportsman AO 4-12x40, a bit big for the rifle, but it was donated, so I am happy with it. The rings that come with the rifle aren't QUITE high enough to allow that big rear bell to clear, so I got the Picatinny adapter, a set of low mount Weaver rings, and voila!
That's the THIRD scope I've had in three months, hoping it holds together.
I had this boolit mould for 3 years before using it; it dropped perfect boolits, probably in disgust at waiting so long...
I have been casting for 38Spl and 9mm for a while, this was my first home brewed rifle rounds and my first use of gas checks.

[HangFireW8]

It's a nice crystal clear Bushnell Sportsman AO 4-12x40, a bit big for the rifle, but it was donated, so I am happy with it. ...
That's the THIRD scope I've had in three months, hoping it holds together.

armoredman,

I have (or HAD) a long sorry history with Bushnell Sportsman scopes. They were so cheap it was always tempting to get another one, when I didn't buy them someone would give one to me or I'd get it mounted on a new purchase as a throw-in.

Finally I realized they were costing me much more than their cheap price.

They may do fine on a rifle of very low recoil (like 17 or 22 rimfire), as long as you don't adjust them too much. I'm afraid of what even the moderate recoil of those 160's will do to that large objective over time.

Remember, the larger the scope, the more recoil affects it, and not in a good way.

Also remember, the lighter the rifle, the harder recoil is on the scope.

It's all about acceleration.

If you ever have doubts, shoot the square with one using a known accurate load.

-HF

[armoredman]

The "square"? I want a Redfield 2-7, actually, but finances say I take what I can get. :/ The gunsmith who mounted it said that particular Bushnell has a good rep, so we'll see. Next range trip will be to sight in at 100 yards.

[HangFireW8]

The "square"?

Once zero'd, shoot 2 or 3 shots in the target center at 50 or 100 yards.

Then, counting and remembering the number of clicks, adjust enough clicks to shoot 3 or 4 inches or more, but within the scope's range of adjustment, to the upper right. Shoot a group. Then lower right, then lower left, then upper left, then repeat the center group.

You'll learn several things:
1. If your scope adjustments are more-or-less centered. If they are not, you will bottom out on one or more of the corners.
2. If the scope adjustments lag until recoil.
3. If your scope adjusts the same increments in up versus down, left versus right.
4. If your scope can return to zero.

If 1.) is a problem, remount the scope centered. If 2.) is a problem, see if tapping helps, or learn how many shots it takes to settle on a new position. If 3 or 4 is a problem, you have a very cheap scope.

If you ever wondered what the difference was, between the eBay special $150 tactical anti-counter-counter-sniper scope and the Leupold Mark IV, this test will explain it to you.

I want a Redfield 2-7

Probably a good choice, I have not tested one yet but I doubt Leupold would make anything problematic.

-HF