Patrick L
05-04-2008, 01:32 PM
Had a nice day at the range yesterday. One of the guns I shot was my dad's old Marlin .30-30. He bought it off a relative for $25 back in the 50s or 60s. I guess the guy needed the money, because my dad never hunted anything other than rabbits a day in his life, so why he would buy a .30-30(or any rifle for that matter) is beyond me. No matter, its mine now so I'm glad he bought it.
It is an older gun, pre micro groove and not drilled & tapped for scope mounting. I put a Williams 5D on it and declared it good. I have shot it with both jacketed and cast bullets for years.
Here is a target I shot off the bench at 100 yds
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/30-30/Picture001.jpg
The seven shots centered measure just 2 inches The hole at 10 o'clock cutting the 10 ring is a double.) The three to the left open the total 10 shot group up to about 3 1/2 inches. I was astonished. Not that the rifle could shoot that well, but that I could see to hold that consistently with the sights. To be blunt, my eyes suck. I need a target black that big to reference the bead front sight on. I have no doubt those three shots to the left were simply me not seeing that my picture was off a tad.
Here is the same load shot from the bench at 50 yds about a week ago. There are two 5 shot groups
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/30-30/Picture004.jpg
At 50 yds my eyes at least stand a chance.
I love this old gun. I got my first deer with it, and even when I graduated to "my own" guns it remained my rainy weather backup. This was the gun and cartridge that started my metallic reloading career, and likewise when I started loading boolits in rifles this was the one that started the process. And although I don't deer hunt anymore, I like to think I and it will again, some day. At times I wish I could scope it, just to see how well it could shoot with the variable of my eyesight removed. But I will never modify it. Interestingly enough, my father in law has the same basic gun, but in the 24 inch rifle configuration. Maybe I'll borrow it and see how well it slings lead bullets.
It is an older gun, pre micro groove and not drilled & tapped for scope mounting. I put a Williams 5D on it and declared it good. I have shot it with both jacketed and cast bullets for years.
Here is a target I shot off the bench at 100 yds
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/30-30/Picture001.jpg
The seven shots centered measure just 2 inches The hole at 10 o'clock cutting the 10 ring is a double.) The three to the left open the total 10 shot group up to about 3 1/2 inches. I was astonished. Not that the rifle could shoot that well, but that I could see to hold that consistently with the sights. To be blunt, my eyes suck. I need a target black that big to reference the bead front sight on. I have no doubt those three shots to the left were simply me not seeing that my picture was off a tad.
Here is the same load shot from the bench at 50 yds about a week ago. There are two 5 shot groups
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/30-30/Picture004.jpg
At 50 yds my eyes at least stand a chance.
I love this old gun. I got my first deer with it, and even when I graduated to "my own" guns it remained my rainy weather backup. This was the gun and cartridge that started my metallic reloading career, and likewise when I started loading boolits in rifles this was the one that started the process. And although I don't deer hunt anymore, I like to think I and it will again, some day. At times I wish I could scope it, just to see how well it could shoot with the variable of my eyesight removed. But I will never modify it. Interestingly enough, my father in law has the same basic gun, but in the 24 inch rifle configuration. Maybe I'll borrow it and see how well it slings lead bullets.