It didn't start OUT that way, no, got up, got ready to go spend some time at the range with a good friend, and decided since Optics Planet failed to make good, I was going to work with Larry to sight in that cheap $8 Chinese scope! Well, it sorta worked...
We got out there, and wow, the formerly empty range was jumping! Hmm, used to be me, a bee and two ground squirrels out there on a weekday morning. Guess the place is catching on. And...I forgot the camera. Got everything else, so most of this you're actually going to have to take me at my word.
On line on the 50 yard line, and I stuck a green silhouette target with two aiming blue squares added - Larrys tape.
Starting with the 55 grain reloads, I laid the forearm down in the front rest, (I want to see how the rifle does, not me), and squeezed off. Weirdly enough, the scope was almost dead on. A little adjustment, and I was happily making .75-1" groups there at the 50 yard line dead on.
Wait for the line to go cold, move the target out to 100 yards and...what the...I can't see through the scope. It's so blurry I get a better look through mud. What happened is the rear lens popped its seal, and is now flopping around loose. Scope ruined. Bummer. No other scope to use, (THANKS, Optics Planet!!!), oh well. Might as well shoot some rounds through the ProChrono I have set up next door. Note I did not hit the machine again...I think I may have the hang of it now.
Some interesting numbers there, check this out.
My new "standard load" in 62 grain FMJ-BT, Prvi Partisan bullets from Grafs, sitting on top of 24.5 grains of H-335 zipped out for me at 2724FPS with a nice SD of 19.3.
My other handload tested is what I tentatively call my coyote load, 60 grain Hornady soft point also sitting on 24.5 grains of H-335, 2717 FPS with an SD of 41.8.
Then I tested some factory stuff, just by way of comparison. First up, the "screamer", Winchester 45 grain Varmint load, listed as 3600 FPS on the box. Was it, out of a 16 inch tube? Nope. 3123.8FPS, very nice SD of 18.68.
Then came the whammy load...ZombieMax. 55 grain Hornady Z-Max bullet, box states 3240 FPS muzzle...was it? 2850.8, with a large SD of 62.42...but this was a statistically small sample - this stuff costs over $1 a round!!! What's left is for Zombies! Of course, if no zombies show up I might have to use it up on small game.
Line went cold, and I put a couple of coyote targets out at 100 yards. Once again, shooting from the front rest, iron sights. I shot the 62 grain handload, the 60 grain load, the ZombieMax and the Winchester 45 grain Varmint. The top target was factory ammo, bottom was handloads. I wish I'd had more ability to go change targets, but the line was jumping and bumping. The factory target got shredded, so bear with me - groups from the two factory rounds were about 4-5 inches, pretty much what I was told to expect.
Here's the only target to survive. Yes, I had to over write it on the 'puter...it was so bad I couldn't even read it!
The only group I am SURE of is the one marked with triangles, the 60 grain HP load. The others I am not sure which three goes with which three. I do know I need to crank down the front sight one half skosh, and I'll be right on. Interesting that the handloads were much better than the factory ammo.
Always said that was true.
I think I am 99% good to go with this one, found some decent loads, some more minor tweaking maybe...
The other odd thing was the GUNS on the line today! An original Mosin M-91, (NOT a 91/30), a Finn M-39, Finn Soumi subgun semi-auto clone, Mossberg "tactical" lever gun in 30-30, (ever seen a lever action rifle with a collapsible stock and rails?), and a Rossi Circuit Judge which evidently had troubles shooting parts of itself off. Also the gent with the Mossy and Rossi had himself one of the semi auto 16 " barreled Sterling rebuilds that seemed to work perfectly...work, yes, hit? No. Fun looking gun, but the owner couldn't tag some upright clay pigeons at 25 feet with it. Bummer. I did snort a bit when he proudly proclaimed his Circuit Judge was deadly lethal at 200 yards.
Nice guy, though.
Any day at the range is a good day, even if you do come home minus one 8$ scope!
Jeez I look fat...
