So I started an earlier thread on Russian Military rifles a couple days ago, and it was suggested that a thread be started regarding our favorites, and why.
I got interested in these old rifles when I was a high school kid, but never bought my first one until the late 90's
My Dad was buying them in the late 70's and was trying to shoot lead in them. Accuracy wasn't real good, but it was fun, and the reduced loads made them into soft shooters.
Having renewed my interest in these about 12 years ago, I started buying them, and even though I missed most of the "golden age of Military surplus" I managed to collect quite a few of them.
So here is my top 5 for shooting cast in. I did not include anything that I am shooting Jacketed stuff in.
The below list is based on my love of history and US military rifles, and the ones that I have had the best accuracy from.
1 Remington 03A3 with two grove barrel. I have had excellent results with the RCBS 30-165 Sil, and 17 grains of 2400, or 12 grains of Unique. At 100 yards, I can almost always keep 5 shots inside of 2 inches, often with 2 or 3 interlocked or almost touching.
2 K-31 Swiss. The same 30-165 Sil bullet, with several different powders will usually get me under 2 inches or just a bit over, with open sights. I have shot a few times at just over an inch with a "Swiss Products" scope mount and a 3x9 scope.
Still getting a few flyers, that hurts the group size, but I think that is just cast shooting.
This rifle was not hard to get accuracy out of, but a pain in the butt to find a bullet with a nose diameter small enough to chamber.
3 Persian Mauser, this rifle has only been mine for a year or so, and I have recently scoped it with a "Bad Ace" no drill mount. I have several Mausers and really like them. It doesn't matter, what it is, I like all of them, but my eyes have a real problem with the original sights, so I chose one to scope.
This rifle probably the best shooter, that I have. It's in amazing condition, and they are really well made rifles.
My favorite bullet is the RCBS 08-170 FP, but I also have the NOE 323 - 471, but so far the lighter bullet works better for me.
Accuracy has been in the 1 inch range, (with scope) and more times than not. Its hard to count on it, always shooting this well, as I still get the occasional flyer. But even with the flyer it always shoots well.
4 Remington Pattern 17, shooting the Lyman 311-334 with 12 grains of Unique. This rifle seem to shoot this bullet better anything else i've tried. It shoots well and the sights work well with my eyes.
The lack of windage adjustment is the only thing I dont like.
5 My last pick is the 30-40 Krag. I picked this thing up 3 or 4 years ago, at all places a garage sale. I didn't even know I wanted one of these until I saw it and started shooting it. These things are just so cool.
This rifle has a remarkable barrel, and even though the sights are harder to see every year, I get 2 inch or less groups at 100 yards. This rifle shoots the 311- 334 the best, but also doesn't do bad with the 311-291.
Brass cost is the only draw back, at $1.00 each or a little more.
All of my bullets are sorted by appearance and then weighed, and grouped into groups with a plus of minus 2 / 10th grain. I am still shooting a wheel weights and 20 to 1 tin mix.
All my ammo is with carefully trimmed, and sorted cases, expanded with a Lyman M die, and lightly crimped with a Lee collet style crimper.
I am enjoying shooting these old guns, and have several others that I play with as well.
Some that I am trying to force accuracy out of are the type 99 Japanese, 303 British and the Russian rifles.
What are you guys shooting? What can I do to improve accuracy?
Lets have fun!
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-Bigslug
