CZ 600 Alpha .308 just getting started

[armoredman]

So, many of you saw this picture when I first laid eyes/hands on my CZ 600 Alpha in .308...



It left my hands less than two hours later, bound to have a scope installed. Little did we all know that supply chain issues AND a hunting season would interrupt this for some time...like 2 months plus. I dang near forgot I had one! But when she came back, it was worth it.



That is with a SIG WHISKEY 3 3-9x50mm scope mounted, and a LimbSaver True Track bipod attached. But, I wanted to break this one in right...hence, no pictures. Why? Because the guy helping me hates his picture taken, and he's killed almost as many people as I've met, so I'll honor that request...

The scope is really quite simple, which is the way I like it, no millirads to figure out, just a simple plain crosshair reticle and MOA adjustable knobs.



Long story short, it took longer than we figured to get the scope on paper, but the whole time I was doing the break in, and no, it wasn't shoot one, clean for an hour...it was shoot one, clean, shoot one, clean, for five rounds, then we moved to 3 rounds at a time. At the same time I was learning the good way to clean a rifle bore, and we got her on the steel.

Now the bad news...sort of. One, I have no idea how tight the group was when I got on the steel, due to the fact that it IS a steel target and we were shooting on a wildcat range, which meant going down range to paint the target was taking your life into your own hands. His choice, not mine. However, the splashes LOOKED small enough to make me think I was getting at ELAST MOA, if not tighter, with Ammo In factory loads. With good stuff, I anticipate MUCH better...which comes to my OTHER not so good news - she will NOT chamber my reloads. There is something juts a millimeter off, and it will not allow the bolt to rotate and lock in the round. Fully in, but that last millimeter of movement is a no go. I will be measuring everything on the good factory rounds and the reloads, (which work fine in at least one .308 rifle I know of) and see where the hangup is. It seems to leave a mark on the base of the round, which is bad - I already have small base dies. BUT, hope springs eternal!

Felt recoil was much lighter than I thought, with the generous recoil pad provided. Operations were, of course, intuitive to anyone raised on a bolt action as I was. The ONLY thing I was very careful about was putting the bolt back in the rifle after cleaning, and simply taking care to depress the bolt catch as soon as the bolt entered the back of the receiver, going slowly, and rotating the bolt at the 1/3 mark until it clicked into place, worked like a charm. No issues whatsoever. Now to get back out there and fine tune this scope to the target - I want some really tight groups to show off! But for tonight - we are off to the reloading room, to find out what i need to change!

[jwc007]

Congratulations on acquiring a very nice Rifle and hope you get your Reloads sorted out! 

[George16]

Beautiful rifle!

As for your reloads, they might be a bit long or your sizing die have to be adjusted down so the cases will pass the gauge. I don’t use small base dies in sizing my cases. I use Redding FL sizing die and also a neck sizing only if the reloads I’m using are for the same rifle only. Other than that, FL sizing and so far no problems whatsoever.

You can also try making dummy rounds if you don’t have a Hornady gauge comparator or COAL gage.

[armoredman]

So, last night I did some measuring and my 308 reloads were made for a milspec/generous chamber with a max case length of 2.015. The 600 does not like anything over 2.003, so the Forster was adjusted to the correct dimensions, and 20 testers loaded up, that chamber and lock in just fine. I had to laugh, though - as a reloader I have been dealing with CZ PISTOL short chambers for decades, but I had no idea the rifles could be as well!
If all goes well, back out this week some time! This time, with pictures!

[George16]

Yup, I found the same thing when reloading for my CZ 600 in 6.5CM. The chamber is shorter than the 6.5CM semi auto I have.

Looking forward to your range report  .

[armoredman]

After getting it roughly on target, I decided to kinda dial it in today at 100 yards. I cranked the scope up to 9, (because I can), and the glass was still crisp and clear as the day is long - I am liking this WHISKEY 3 scope. After getting where I wanted, I shot three, three shot groups for posterity. These were shot with Hornaday 150gr Interlock Whitetail series of factory ammo.

1st, 1 and 1/4", center to center.



2nd, 1 and 1/8, same.


3rd  1 and 9/16th.


Measurements roughly average 1.38". Pretty good for starters.

Then, I used the MidwayUSA logo on the target as an aiming point for my 150gr Interlock 47gr of TAC handload. 1 3/8", 3/4 right and high and 1/8 inch from POA, roughly.



I think I'm on to something...

[armoredman]

For the 4 guys actually reading this one, and update. She passed all Go/No Go gauges with flying colors. It was, as I was starting to suspect, the sloppy trim and resize on my brass, and it was - I had to bump the shoulder down a TINY bit, and all is well. I now have perfectly working testers trimmed to SAMMI specs, ready for the range, whenever I get out there!

[jwc007]

Sounds great!      Looking forward to the next Range Report! 

[George16]

Glad you got it all sorted out  .

[M1A4ME]

If you reload for .308 try some Sierra 180 grain match kings and IMR4350 powder.

My longer range experience is decades in the past but the best shooting .308 (M1A) and .30-06 (03A4) were using those bullets and that powder.  I tried the 168 grain Hornady and Sierra match bullets and a long list of powders from IMR, Winchester and Hodgden and got the best results from the above components at 300 and 600 yds.

The powder proved to be "not good" for the M1A and I broke the op rod twice before running across an article in The American Rifleman explaining why slow burning powders are good for the M1A (and M1 Garand).  Not an issue in a bolt action.

You won't get maximum velocity with IMR4350 (it was a compressed powder charge, too) and you won't get high chamber pressures either.  You get powder consistently placed (packed/compressed) into the case the same way for every cartridge and small groups.

That powder with a flat based Sierra 180 grain spitzer would shoot three shot groups at 100 yds. in a buddy's Win. M70 .30-06 that gave him two bullets tearing a single hole with the third bullet almost tearing the paper between it and the other two (almost forgot about that one).  His rifle didn't care for the boat tailed match bullets.

One of the guys on the M14 forum has a line he ends his posts with that goes something like, "What a hobby!"

[armoredman]

Nifty! I put the latest in the Range forum with pictures!