Range day 4-11-2015 pics

[wisconsinteacher]

Well I joined a new club today and shot there for the first time. It is 5.7 miles from the house and has a 300 yard range with a nice shooting house. $35 for a year plus 8 hours of time. I plan on helping out with Hunter's Safety or trap league.

Today it was 48 degrees with no wind. It took a little to get use to my new environment but all in all, it was a good morning with a few of the rifles.

I will start with the bad.

444 Marlin. I put a 1-4 scope on it and after a few rounds to get on paper at 25 yards, I tried to shoot a 3 shot group at 100 yards. I didn't measure it but it was around 4" I am guessing. I think I am going to shoot it again at 50 yards to see what is happening. I will never shoot past 50 while using it so I'm not too worried about how it shoots at 100 yards.

Up next was the 35 Whelen. I wanted to reshoot a load that shot .585 last time. Today, it did not go so well. It shot 3.5, 2.6 and 2.8" I really don't know what the reason is but last time the rifle shot great and today, it was horrible!!!! I don't know what to do at this point. Try it again or shoot at 50 yards.

.243 with 70 B-Tips and IMR4350. Last time out I tried Varget and it shot about the same. Maybe a little better than today

45.0gr-.897"
46.0gr-.962"
47.0gr-.975"

I think I am going to go back to Varget because I have more of it.


7mmRM with 150 Partitions and IMR4350 .010" off the lands.
61.0gr-1.680"
62.0gr-1.633"
63.0gr-1.075"

I have noticed that this rifle will shoot the first two rounds very close then the 3rd goes high. I shot the 63.0gr group with a timed 3:30 minutes between shots. I think I can get this one ready for deer season. I plan on using it this fall as much as possible. It shoots the Combined Tech 150 very similar so I can practice with those.



Ruger 30-06 with 165 Partitions and IMR4350. This is the first time out with IMR4350 and I think I am off to a good start.

56.0gr-1.339"
56.5gr-1.040"
57.0gr-1.209"



338WM with 73.0gr RL19 and the 225 AccuBond at different depths measured off ogive.
2.655 ogive-1.292"
2.645 ogive-2.036"
2.635 ogive-2.020"
(all 3 groups were 2 close with 1 out???) Barrel heating issues???

I have now shot this rifle two times in a row with a 1.25" or better group with 63.0gr of RL19. I know that is not great but for all the issues I have had with this rifle, I am okay with it.



So here is my plan of attack with these rifles:

Shoot them slower and really let the 7mm and 338wm cool down between shots.

.243-Go back to Varget
30-06-Try the 57.0gr group with different seating depths
7mmRM-Try the 63.0gr group and play with the seating depth
.338wm-?????
444-shoot at 50 yards to see if I can get a nice group
35 Whelen-?????

 

[Guy Miner]

Fun range day. I don't usually take that many different cartridges & rifles to the range with me on any given trip.

I really like your practical assessment of the .444:

"444 Marlin. I put a 1-4 scope on it and after a few rounds to get on paper at 25 yards, I tried to shoot a 3 shot group at 100 yards. I didn't measure it but it was around 4" I am guessing. I think I am going to shoot it again at 50 yards to see what is happening. I will never shoot past 50 while using it so I'm not too worried about how it shoots at 100 yards."

This is one of those circumstances in which you know the rifle doesn't have to deliver pin-point accuracy and benchrest competition style groups, yet can still be useful, very useful, for its intended purpose.

BTW - I've found my lever actions react well to the sandbag support being brought back, way back, towards or touching the receiver while firing for accuracy. The big bore Marlins are capable of some really nice accuracy, and I suspect you can get that one down to MOA or close with a little work. Still the factory trigger?

Also - I'm very jealous of all you guys right now! Had neck surgery and just got the okay from my doc to shoot .22 and .38 handguns, but NO rifles at all, yet. Dang. Frustrating to leave the rifles alone for now. Sigh...

Regards, Guy

 

[SJB358]

WT, did you mean 63 grains of RL19 in your 338? 73 would be about right but 63 would be danged light.

Either way, start going in a 1/4 turn at a time on your seating stem. Your not far off.

I would do the same thing for your 57.0 grain load for your 30-06. It's not far off excellent.

Same goes for your 7mm. Run the bullets in a little at a time.

 

[SJB358]

And guy is right. Sometimes holding a little pressure over the scope doesn't hurt the rifles that jump a little more. The 444 will shoot fine with a little time developing it.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

73.0 of RL19 in the .338wm.

Looking at the last time out the load that shot 1.292" today shot .975" last time. So it is consistent. I understand what you are saying about turning the seating stem down, but why didn't the shorter ones bring the other round in today for the .338? Last time and today, the rifle shot 6 groups that had 2 in and 1 out.

I know I had a lot of rifles at the range, (too many maybe) but I really wanted to shoot and had the time today with good weather so I went for it. Now that I am a member and it is so close, I can take a few guns and go after work.

 

[SJB358]

You might need to shorten them up further in order to consistently get it to pull in consistently. Even that is still pretty good shooting. .9-1.2 will be hard to notice once you start practicing with the rifles.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Two times out with the .338wm and it shot the same both times is a first for me and this rifle. I will shorten the .338, 30-06 and 7mm and try again. The nice thing is I could take all 3 and hunt right now and be confident.

 

[6mm Remington]

You could bump that 30-06 load up a bit too if you aren't showing any pressure signs. Try 57.5 and 58.0 in addition to the 57.0. Sometimes 1/2 a grain makes a real difference.

 

[Vince]

You could bump that 30-06 load up a bit too if you aren't showing any pressure signs. Try 57.5 and 58.0 in addition to the 57.0. Sometimes 1/2 a grain makes a real difference.

I concur here.

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