Found the loads my Rolling Block is happy with

[oldracer]

Well yesterday I pretty much found what loads, bullets and other accoutrements that my original Rolling Block with tang sights is happy with. These are shot with the rifle on a bench rest and the stock on my shoulder so I guess next is trying to do this off-hand?! Hopefully this can help some of the other newcomers as I have been and see by some of the posts?

At 100 yds I can make less that 1 inch spreads over 5 shots with 68gn of FFG, juice carton wads and a newspaper wad on top of that. Winchester large rifle primers are used, cases are tumbled with ceramic media and NOT sized after cleaning. I compress the powder with a home made compression die enough so the 500gn Lee flat nose bullet that weighs an average of 490gn with lube is touching the lands and is finger pressed into the case.

At 200 yds I shot 5 shots within 1 1/2 inches and actually had 3 right at the end of a string that were touching and I was surprised to note when looking at my dope book that the only difference was I had used a 500gn Lee pointed nose bullet that weighs 480gn with lube. Everything else was exactly the same as with the 100 yd loads such as powder compression, etc so that makes my loading up a bit easier.

I expected the pointed bullets to be better at longer range and this appears to be true. I was really lucky to have no wind yesterday so there was not much to affect the bullet flight path externally. I guess next is to work on the 300 yd distance, but hells bells, I can't see that far so I am not sure how I'll manage that......

[montana_charlie]

I guess next is to work on the 300 yd distance, but hells bells, I can't see that far so I am not sure how I'll manage that......
You said you are using a tang sight.
If you are also using a round aperture in the front sight, you just need to set up a target with a bigger bull.

If your 200 target is (say) 9 inches across the black, the 300 yard needs to be about 13.5 inches.

CM

[oldracer]

Thanks for the reply. That's what I did with moving from 100 to 200 yds and will do that when going to 300 yds which is as far as our range goes. We have one in northern San Diego county that goes further but it is a long drive so that will come later on. I also am using the insert with the smallest ring in the center which seemed to make the 200 yd targets easier to see.

[montana_charlie]

I also am using the insert with the smallest ring in the center which seemed to make the 200 yd targets easier to see.
Of course you should use the one which works best for you, but most shooters don't use 'the smallest'.

The general thinking is that you should be able to see a substantial ring of white...around the black bull...within the front aperture.
If a shooter was left only with two apertures, one of which was 'smallish' and the other was generously large...he would probably go with the large one.

CM

[kokomokid]

When everything is just perfect I can use my smallest rear baldwin which is aprox .028 but if conditions change any I start seeing the dreaded cobweb.

[oldracer]

Thanks again for the input. I have been experimenting with the front sight inserts and possibly the targets were too small as they were labeled as NRA 100 YD standard bullseye with 3 on each sheet. I think we have more of different sizes in the range office so I'll check next time.

I have noticed that I have about 3 to 4 seconds max to find the target and get both sights lined up with the front insert in focus and then all 3 parts of the sight picture get blurry and I have to stop and start over after moving my eyes and focusing around at closer things? I have had several of the old timers at the range tell me that is to be expected as I am getting older.......

[kokomokid]

I think my front aperture for 500 yds are .067-.088-or .100 and those are for good conditions.

[montana_charlie]

I think we have more of different sizes in the range office so I'll check next time.
The standard 1000-yard target for BPCR has a 44-inch bull. So, a target with a 4.4" bull will appear as the same size at 100 yards.

By staying with that ratio, you can use a single aperature for all yardages out to 1000...just multiply 4.4 by the yardage (in hundreds) to determine the appropriate bull diameter.

Using that for a target, an aperture with a 0.10" opening provides an easily discernable white ring without being a 'sloppy fit' around the black.

CM

[bigted]

The standard 1000-yard target for BPCR has a 44-inch bull. So, a target with a 4.4" bull will appear as the same size at 100 yards.

By staying with that ratio, you can use a single aperature for all yardages out to 1000...just multiply 4.4 by the yardage (in hundreds) to determine the appropriate bull diameter.

Using that for a target, an aperture with a 0.10" opening provides an easily discernable white ring without being a 'sloppy fit' around the black.

CM



Charlie,,

this is by far the most helpfull information on sighting ive ever read here. it has been a unasked question that has rumbled around in my mind for some time now. thankyou for this very helpfull post and im gratefull for the whole thread for its helpfull insights.

Ted

[montana_charlie]

Glad you like it, Ted, but I'm not the first to say it....just the most recent.
CM

[RMulhern]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b67/Sharps110/600px-Diopter_sight_picture.jpg

This is what you want...and a little larger front aperture than the one shown wouldn't hurt at all! If the front aperture is closed down tightly around the bull...the eye cannot perceive error as well as the brain can detect it if a larger aperture is utilized!