The Saga of the 1-14 twist mausers

[Beekeeper]

The one that has a good barrel was the second rifle I shot today at the range.
Have been trying to figure out why it would not shoot worth a hoot.
May have stumbled and I mean stumbled on to the solution.

I have always thrown my powder charges with a Lee perfect powder measure.
Not any more, altho I will still use it I intend to weigh each charge from now on.
Was testing some new rounds that I had , half thrown and half weighed.
The weighed ones are on target at 675 yards and the thrown ones will make a 6 foot circle at 675 yards and not hit the target.
I have anywhere from 1/2 grain to 3/4 grain deviation in the PP measure.
It makes a whale of a lot of diference when they all weigh the exact same.
From now on even plinker rounds will be weighed.

One of my shooting buddies said maybe even weigh completerd rounds for a comparision.
Might give it a try.


beekeeper

[Multigunner]

1:14 twist 7.62 NATO bores are optimized for the 150 gr FMJ bullets with minimum bearing surface. You normally need 1:10 or tighter for longer and/or heavier bullets.

You might want to examine bullet styles that are known to work well in the 1:16 twist bore of the .32 Special. If a similar bullet mold can be found for nominal .308 bores that might improve accuracy a tad.

J word loads at near max velocity generally aren't as affected by slight differences in weight of measured vs weighed charges.
The lighter in weight or lower in volume a charge is the greater the percentage of error with measured charges, with much depending on granule configuration.

[357maximum]

I read through the opening post and I heard this: I NEED A BETTER POWDER MEASURE

[Beekeeper]

Yep, need a good one.
Was already looking on a couple of sights.
Most are out of stock.
Think I will just keep this one and weigh charges until the smoke clears on this panic and then get a good one!!


beekeeper

[Mk42gunner]

Set the measure to throw a bit llight and then use a dry coffee cup and a small spoon. Beats the heck out of trying to use a powder trickler.

Robert

[Larry Gibson]

I found the same thing Beekeeper found with the Lee powder thrower. I developed the habit of tapping the right side of the drum 3 or 4 times (either one but don't vary, must be the same number of taps for consistency) with the handle in the up position. This settles the powder and it then throws quite consistently. If the scrap catches at all when rotating the handle down I throw that charge back into the hopper.

As mentioned with J bullets some variation in powder charge weight is acceptable. However, when shooting at long range Beekeeper also has found that weighing those charges for maximum consistency is needed with cast bullets. As small an extreme spread is needed for the cast bull rifle ammunition to shoot well at longer range. Also at 675 yards the larger fps variation of the inconsistent charges may be allowing some rounds to come down through the sonic barrier if they all don't anyway. If some are and some aren't things probably won't be too accurate out there.

Good to see someone working hard at long range.

Larry Gibson

[swheeler]

With large grained extruded powders(you didn't say what powder you're using) I think most powder measures need set up to throw just light, then trickle to balance. I've used RCBS uniflow for long time GI and I still trickle all extruded powders to exact weights, ball powders are a different story. Guess I don't get one of these 308 barrels:)

[Beekeeper]

Anyone want to try and answer this question.

Took the mauser to the range yesterday.
Shot Lee C309 150 F boolits that refused to shoot on several previous sessions and was able to hold on target at 465 yards by only changing elevation one click over previous session.
Same powder as above and all other conditions being the same.

Still can not understand why on all previous sessions the rifle refused to shoot with any kind of accuracy and not does quite well.


beekeeper

[Larry Gibson]

Some days are diamonds, some days are stones.

Larry Gibson

[blastit37]

Not trying to be a smart *** but what mauser has a 1:14 twist?

[felix]

Powder speed is wrong for the load/gun combo when slight volume/weight powder variations can be detected at the target. Usually, one notch faster in speed works well. ... felix

14 twist is optimum for 200 yard BR when using the 168. ... felix

[Beekeeper]

Blastit37,
I researched it to some extent before I even touched the rifles I have to see if I could find their history.
The Israeli's bought just about any rifle they could find back when they were fighting for their Independance and part of their purchace was 2500 M98 Chech Mausers. They wanted them to be in a caliber they were sure they could get ammo for so had them rebarreled to .308/7.62 Nato in England before they were shipped to Israel.
The only barrels available at the time were 1-14 twist so they were rebarreled with 1-14 twist barrels.
That is why there are 1-14 twist Mausers and I wound up with 2 of them.
One has a sewer pipe barrel and is out for rebarreling now and the other is the one I am playing/working with.
It is a completely new learning curve for me to learn how to shoot a 1-14 twist barrel.

Other than several people here on the forum I have not found anyone that beleived they even existed.


beekeeper

[swheeler]

Anyone want to try and answer this question.

Took the mauser to the range yesterday.
Shot Lee C309 150 F boolits that refused to shoot on several previous sessions and was able to hold on target at 465 yards by only changing elevation one click over previous session.
Same powder as above and all other conditions being the same.

Still can not understand why on all previous sessions the rifle refused to shoot with any kind of accuracy and not does quite well.


beekeeper

bk no idea what to tell you, but you don't list a load, velocity, alloy or much of anything else, IE barrel dimensions and bullet dimension. Go back to the basics, nobee stuff cause sometin' aint right and it sure isn't the 1;14 twist with a 150 gr cast projo. If you would give any specifics of your load we may be able to help;) bullets aging up can make a HUGE difference in on target performance., You can't just dwell on the 1;14 twist, comon man you startin down that starmental road, give the whole truth and nothing but the truth, the answers will come.