My pants just got shorter!

[docone31]

Yeah!!!
Back from the range. I gotta tell someone.
I had been chaseing the paper patched boolitt hitting at least the berm for months.
Today, today, I got a five shot, 3" group at 100yds!
C312/185R Lee Mold, sized .308.
Starting load for 4895.
THREE wraps of Meade Traceing paper.
Large rifle primers.
I had gotten so shy of my loads, that I only made 20 this time. I had on hand 20 other sized .312 with paper. These I smeared lightly 400 grit lapping compound. I originally figuired, I would fire the lapped ones, fire the thicker ones not expecting much.
The lapped ones were not on the paper, however, they were real close. I fired those off. The barrel is showing less tool chatter marks inside it now.
I chambered a paper patched one at .3135. Set it off. First shot, within inches of a random bowling pin on the berm! Dang. The next one hit the same spot! That hadn't happened before.
I had put three pie plates on the stand. I fired at the center one. One on the edge. I was not even able to hit the berm before!
I fired the last 20. I got some serious groups. As the barrel heated up, the group changed. I had not bed the barrel yet. Cold, they are dead on as sighted with the scope for milsurp.
Firing the paper jacketeds, it is like firing a .22. You can feel the difference between the jacketeds and paper. The jacketed is sized at .311. It does not feel right. The paper feels solid when fired. Very little recoil, relaxed point of aim.
Once the barrel got hot, and it did indeed get hot, groups went out the door.
Untill that point, at least as good as the milsurp I had fired before.
I am going to try, two wraps of notebook paper. That gives with the casting sized at .311, .314 dry. Also the three wraps of meade making .3135. I will be also doing some serious bedding before the next session.
So, what did I learn?
Lapping compound, smeared on loose fitting paper patches makes the barrel shine. Worked real well.
Tight patches to bore work real well.
Today, jacketeds did not fire as well as paper patched. I loaded both the same amount of powder.
I had my wife look for confetti.
None. No evidence of paper patching aside from seeing the loaded shells.
I use water quenched wheel weights.
I do plan on trying paper patched zinc one of these days.
Last time at the range, people were watching me. This time, people were gathered around me.
Last time, they offered advice, this time they asked questions.
Dang, I feel ok about this.
I will say, if it hadn't been for this forum, and the folks here, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. I am glad I did not. I would have missed something really special.
Thanks to all of us.
We hung in there, and it worked.
Yeah.

[docone31]

I have no reason to explain it, but I love this piece of crap! Oversize bore, unbedded stock, stiff action.
To me though, it is a piece of history. That it will shoot paper patches, wow. I got the groups that indicate it needs bedding. There is a great site on the Enfield that I go to quite a bit.
Never have I fired a more forgiving rifle! The .303 dies can crumple the case neck. I just take some pliers and make it fit. It fireforms the next round. I have one round I have done this to twice in five reloads. Still kicking.
This 2 X 4 is in actually a great shooting rifle. It feels good in the hands, is easy to carry. I love all wood furniture.
I plan on bedding the forestock, getting an Huber trigger, jeweling the bolt, and just treasure it. Now that it shoots well with paper patch, in actuality, better than with jacketed with the same load, it has moved from my Palma being my favourite, to the Smelly. Even the magazine makes a good palm rest for offhand long distance!
I have chased the ultimate Mauser for so long, I can put them together with my eyes closed. I had listened to people, especially gunsmiths pooh, pooh the Enfield. Sorry Charlie, this is one comfortable rifle to shoot. I got my wife an Ishy. She loves it. I am going to put a rear reciever sight on hers. The Ishy reciever, and Smelly have the same dimensions, the Smelly reciever sight drops right in place on the Ishy. Not the #4 though, you have to use the Parker Hale for that one.
Mine came with the bayonette lugs removed. All the numbers are on the nosecap where the bayonette lug went.
The #1 wood fits the Ishy also.
She gets a coat of almond oil once a month also. Nice dull patina.
It has been frustrating though. The wrong size boolitt can make someone look like a real bad shot.

[unclebill]

:drinks:I have no reason to explain it, but I love this piece of crap! : UNQUOTE
there is no rhyme or reason to it.

against all logic
i love my pair of pietta's

[bcp477]

It's always the old, less than perfect, *** rifles that have always been my favorites, as well. Just something about them. Congrats on the success. I know it feels good.

[docone31]

bcp, I do believe you do. A lot of advice came from your posts.
Something tells me you been there also.
I am on a cloud today. I couldn't have done it without all you guys.

[compass will]

bcp, I do believe you do. A lot of advice came from your posts.
Something tells me you been there also.
I am on a cloud today. I couldn't have done it without all you guys.

People listen to you also decone.
I bought that same mold to start with for my 308 :smile:

[docone31]

Will, that mold likes to be hot when casting. Not just set in the pot, then pour. Set it untill it gets hot. I like to get that one too hot and let it cool to temp. I smoke it with candle smoke untill quite black. It takes .30 cal gas checks.
Today, down range, nice holes, no key holes.
If you gonna paper patch, size to .308, then wrap with two wraps of meade tracing paper, then alox and size down to .311. I twist my tails so they point straight down.
To load the paper patched castings, get a drill bit that will just fit into the case and open up the neck just a little. I kinda wobble it around. I have not lost a patch yet doing it that way. Get one that is a tight/good fit. Just wobble it. It will be tight, but it works. I use the Lee Die sheet starting load.
With the two wraps of meade, you will get .3125. It sizes down nicely to .311. If it will chamber, it will fire. If plain lead, I would size to .311, or .310. .309 is too loose.

[leftiye]

Doc. I'm glad you've experienced this sucess. Must feel real good after those scattergun groups. I'd probly have $h!# canned the idea or the gun long ago. I'm gonna keep your barrel lapping technique in mind, I like it, and it seems to maybe have helped.

I've been following this, and I've been wondering why you haven't gone to a .308 boolit, (maybe a loverin design to size easily - might have problems with seating length and wrapping the short nose though) and sizing to .304.?. I would guess that some over bore diameter might be better, or still work, but seven or eight thou. bigger than bore diameter seems like it should cause problems.

[docone31]

Leftiye,
I have considered going to .304. Beemer reccomended sizing to .308, and I have gotten really good results.
I figuire,
If a .312 jacketed goes through, a .308 with paper should also. I have watched primer signs, and case stretching. I have five reloads with a 32gn charge of 4895 and no signs of case head seperation either.
A .304 can be driven down the barrel with little effort after the initial push. The rifleing marks are mere shadows. That is how I found my actuall bore.
I wish I knew more of the "whys" I got the results I got.
In sizing the .312 down to .308, the patched boolitts show some lube lands, not much, but some. Almost all casting imperfections are not visible doing it this way. It seems to grip the paper. Loading, I do not get any patch movement into the case.
The gas check step that is left makes case entry easier than square base boolitts. It seems.
I did not feel like putting the rifle on the mantle piece. It just got me determined. My wife also was part of the whole thing. She knows what I know now.
I have so little primer flattening, I am going to try two wraps of notebook paper instead of three wraps of Meade. Two wraps of notebook gives .314. Three of Meade gives .3135.
Not haveing yet bed the barrel is showing up. My point of aim really moves after 20 fast rounds.
I cleaned the bore. All the chatter marks are gone! The rifleing is sharp with no feathers. I fired three jacketed loads yesterday also. I saw some copper streaks on top of the rifleing.
From seeing chatter the entire length of the bore, to smooth shiney the same length with that little effort. It is amazing. I also saved a great deal over getting firelapped bullets.
I feel pretty good about it.
I am never satisfied with anything when a rifle does not fire like I presume it should.
What I believe, going 2 thous. over bore is probably the ticket with paper, going slightly under bore with lapping compound really works. Does not put that much pressure on the wiping. Maybe also, I was just plain lucky. Who knows?
Heavy definately works better with paper.

[eka]

I had my wife look for confetti.
None. No evidence of paper patching aside from seeing the loaded shells.

I haven't been paper patching very long, but my experiences so far are much different. It looks like the boolit throws a parachute out when it exits the muzzle. I routinely recover half to three quarters of the patch in one piece. Hey, as long as the boolit goes where it is supposed to go, who cares where the paper goes. Anyway, keep at it and congrats of your success.

Keith

[bcp477]

I routinely find almost whole patches, as well as just bits and pieces, ahead of the firing line. No rhyme or reason - and no pattern to it all. As eka said, as long as the bullet flies true....it doesn't matter how the patch ends up.

[docone31]

I just wanted to see one.
I had several shooters helping my wife look. Nothing. Could be the Meade is real thin paper.
I just swabbed my bore again tonight.
Good rifleing, no chatter marks. No lead, copper traces came right off.
I love it. I can even feel the difference with the swab and brush between two weeks ago, and tonight. That little bit of grit made a big difference.
I feel GOOD. I actually made one work! Even my wife is still talking about it.
Thanks to all of us.