NRA Sillywet

[DragoonDrake]

Is there anybody here shooting a 30-06 for fullsize NRA Rifle Sil. I am curious what load you are using. My bullets available to me are Lee: 120, 150, 170, 200; and RCBS 165 and 180.

I am going to a match this Sunday so any advise is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

[Doc Highwall]

You are going to need accuracy and momentum so I would choose the heaviest bullet your 200 grain LEE. I would try for 1800 fps or faster but bullet drop will be a factor at the longer ranges of 500 meters/547yards and your sights may not have enough elevation.

[DragoonDrake]

Thanks Doc,

I have set up the rifle for long range drop. I am using a barska 10-40 scope and the burris insert rings. I have the scope set all the way down and the rings for the highest elevation. I was figuring I would need 2200 with the 200 grainer and I have not been able to do that accurately. I can and have done 1800 though, thank you.

Adam

[DragoonDrake]

Well a few things. One RCBS 309-180-SP sized to .310 lubed with saeco green and pushed by 32grs of H4198 will knock over the ram. I had issues with inconsistent point of impact. I have not pushed bullets in this gun until today. It seems that I have leading issues, so time to slug and see what it is. I did have enough elevation though, so I was happy for that.

[Doc Highwall]

Inconsistent point of impact can be caused by the scope, the mounts being loose or the rifles bedding. How are you shooting the rifle that you are determining a change in point of impact?

[DragoonDrake]

We were shooting at the chickens off of a rest then went to the range and shot at 50 yards. All over the place. I check the scope settings and they were loose. I tightened them down and we still had problems. After cleaning my rifle I slugged it and it came out .311. I opened my sizing die to match. I will load some more with the new size and see what happens. I don't think it is the scope but I have the same set up on a 223 so I will flop them and check that too. Today was fun but very fustrating. I have never had problems like this before. Well that is not true, my 45-70 pistol kept moving the scope in the rings until I used double sided tape.

[DragoonDrake]

Hey Doc, I missed this the first time, how do I check the bedding of my rifle, that is new to me?

[Doc Highwall]

What kind of rifle is it and what is the stock made of? If it slugs .311" I would open the die to .312" or larger. My 308 Win slugs .308" and I shoot .310" bullets or .002" larger.

I would check to make sure that the action screws are tight first, make sure you use a screwdriver that fits the screw slots before tightening them.

If the action screws are tight hold the stock in one hand up by the tip of the forend and apply side to side pressure on the barrel while the other hand is at the back of the receiver to see if you can feel any movement, there should be none.

I am assuming you have a wood stock.
The next part is hard to explain and a picture would say a thousand words. Take the action out of the stock and look for shiny spots where is has contacted the stock and made marks. The marks should be not only where the screws come through the stock but also on both sides of the stock. Think of the letter U as your stock looking at it from the end, at the bottom is where the screws come through and the top of the U is where the top of the stock is. The higher up you see marks the more stable it is.

[DragoonDrake]

I did open the die to .312. Also the rifle is a savage 111BTH with the laminate stock.
Thank you for the advice Doc. I will check the bedding tonight or tomorrow.

[Doc Highwall]

Now that you have opened the sizing die to .312" make sure that you have a neck expander that measures at least .310" to .311" max.

[DragoonDrake]

Ok. Thank you. Also I did not use the 200 gr bullets because I did not have any cast. I had plenty of 180's.

[DragoonDrake]

I checked the fit of the action and the bedding. Everything seemed nice and snug. I pulled on the barrel, pushed on the action, nothing happened. I took the action off of the stock and saw the marks on the stock you were trying to explain. I think you did a fine job explaining what to look for, much better than I would have. The 'shiny' spots were only about half way up the stock though, not a full U that you were describing.

I lock-tited my scope bases down, so I do not expect them to move anymore. When I get a chance I will shoot it again with the few rounds I have left that are already loaded, and I will load some others up with bullets sized to .312. I still need to check my neck expander though.
Adam

[tomme boy]

Get rid of that scope. They are not very good. That might be your whole problem you are having.

[DragoonDrake]

Tomme,
I have that scope on a varmint rifle, same scope, and have had no problems. Though to be honest that thought crossed my mind and I was thinking of trying the other scope and see how it does. I was looking at scopes today on midway just in case and found one I like. It would envoke the great scope migration because that scope would end up on my bench rifle, the scope of the bench gun on my varmint gun and the varmint gun to my silly gun.

[Doc Highwall]

DragoonDrake, some times the scopes will hold their zero with a lighter recoiling gun but when you put them on a gun that has more recoil they move all over the place. Scopes that are variable power are more prone to this because they have more internal parts that move.

[DragoonDrake]

I was hoping for better news from you doc. Yeah the other gun is a 223.

[Doc Highwall]

Check single-shot gun section for New scope for 1885 by rbertalotto he just found out he had a bad scope. Went from 12" groups down to something more reasonable for load development.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=117464

[DragoonDrake]

Thank you Doc. I now have to talk my significant other into allowing me to buy another scope.