bootsnthejeep
10-02-2020, 08:24 AM
I've had the same deer rifle since I was 13. A hand me down, pre-64 Winchester 94 in 30-30. 16" barrel, with the chopped chort stock to fit my kids frame. At the age of 40 I've still never got around to adding the chunk of stock back on, I rather like it the way it is.
It shoots very well, carries even better, and is a dandy handy size for toting around in a truck or on a wheeler or just lugging through the woods. It's one of my favorite guns.
But, to its diet: It's a finicky eater.
Its not that it doesn't shoot well, it shoots everything ADEQUATELY well, but for SOME REASON... what it loves the most, what it sits up and begs for, what it shoots plum center every time and will almost touch all the holes together with if I do my part is Winchester 170 gr Silvertips.
I have tubs and tubs of once fired 30-30 brass. I've never reloaded a round for this in my life. For most of my life, with factory ammo being so cheap, why would I? I'd pick up a couple of boxes before hunting season, or anytime I saw it on sale. It was ubiquitous in any sporting goods store or hardware store, so supply was never a problem. Hell, WalMart would have it on sale for less than $9 a box! And as a younger man, I just picked up whatever. 150s, 170s, whatever. They all went bang.
I was in my late 20s or early 30s when I discovered this thing's affection for Silvertips. I couldn't explain it, and it wasn't like it scattered CoreLokts all over the target or anything, they just didn't shoot like the Silvertips. I had a few boxes, so no matter. I'd plink with the Remingtons and hunt with the Winchesters.
Until I started to run low, and went looking for some more... well, ain't that a fine how-do-you-do. Don't know why they did it, but they did it, and the well dried up.
Over the years as I go through my assorted reloading and gun cultch, I find another one here and there. From when I dumped my pockets out coming back from hunting, the extra round I dropped at the range, the one I found in the gun bag. I have a little ammo pouch I horde them in now. I'm down to about a dozen. I shoot a couple at the range to confirm that the receiver sight that hasn't moved in 30 years still, has not, in fact, moved and then if I'm lucky I put one into a deer.
Here's what I don't get: What could POSSIBLY be different about them? It just does not shoot the 170 grain CoreLokt bullet as well. Again, adequate, minute of deer all day long well out past 100 yards. But those Silvertips... its just the perfect combination with this gun.
I'm not in a panic. I've bought dies. I've got plenty of brass. I'll get one of the Ranch Dog clones off of Al one of these days and start working up a load, but... What kind of magic ju-ju did Winchester put on these things that Remington can't figure out?
Or maybe they shoot center just because I think they're going to shoot center. Stranger things have happened.
Figures. Every time it seems like I like something they stop making it. Heard that before.
-Boots
It shoots very well, carries even better, and is a dandy handy size for toting around in a truck or on a wheeler or just lugging through the woods. It's one of my favorite guns.
But, to its diet: It's a finicky eater.
Its not that it doesn't shoot well, it shoots everything ADEQUATELY well, but for SOME REASON... what it loves the most, what it sits up and begs for, what it shoots plum center every time and will almost touch all the holes together with if I do my part is Winchester 170 gr Silvertips.
I have tubs and tubs of once fired 30-30 brass. I've never reloaded a round for this in my life. For most of my life, with factory ammo being so cheap, why would I? I'd pick up a couple of boxes before hunting season, or anytime I saw it on sale. It was ubiquitous in any sporting goods store or hardware store, so supply was never a problem. Hell, WalMart would have it on sale for less than $9 a box! And as a younger man, I just picked up whatever. 150s, 170s, whatever. They all went bang.
I was in my late 20s or early 30s when I discovered this thing's affection for Silvertips. I couldn't explain it, and it wasn't like it scattered CoreLokts all over the target or anything, they just didn't shoot like the Silvertips. I had a few boxes, so no matter. I'd plink with the Remingtons and hunt with the Winchesters.
Until I started to run low, and went looking for some more... well, ain't that a fine how-do-you-do. Don't know why they did it, but they did it, and the well dried up.
Over the years as I go through my assorted reloading and gun cultch, I find another one here and there. From when I dumped my pockets out coming back from hunting, the extra round I dropped at the range, the one I found in the gun bag. I have a little ammo pouch I horde them in now. I'm down to about a dozen. I shoot a couple at the range to confirm that the receiver sight that hasn't moved in 30 years still, has not, in fact, moved and then if I'm lucky I put one into a deer.
Here's what I don't get: What could POSSIBLY be different about them? It just does not shoot the 170 grain CoreLokt bullet as well. Again, adequate, minute of deer all day long well out past 100 yards. But those Silvertips... its just the perfect combination with this gun.
I'm not in a panic. I've bought dies. I've got plenty of brass. I'll get one of the Ranch Dog clones off of Al one of these days and start working up a load, but... What kind of magic ju-ju did Winchester put on these things that Remington can't figure out?
Or maybe they shoot center just because I think they're going to shoot center. Stranger things have happened.
Figures. Every time it seems like I like something they stop making it. Heard that before.
-Boots