Working with a rifle, and it's owner

[pharmseller]

and load him up a butt load of 150ABs at 2750fps or so.

My dad turned 76 earlier this month. I started reloading for him 2 years ago when he realized that factory 180 grain .30-06 loads weren't fun anymore.

I loaded 150 grain Accubonds with 48 grains of Varget for 2675 ft/sec MV. Very mild to shoot. He shoots those little groups you speak of.

Two one-shot kills later (mulie bucks) he's a believer.



P

 

[muleman]

What about a muzzle brake? Just for kicks I tried a clamp on brake on my Kimber 308. It's a great light weight gun but it's a little whippy and I've struggled with accuracy with 165s. The brake gave it the feel of 22-250 and my groups dropped below an inch. I'm still on the fence about mounting one permanently. Just an idea........ Hard one to swallow.
Scott

 

[Oldtrader3]

Tom, in thinking about your situation some more, I would load up some starter loads with 165 gr bullets at about .308 velocity (2600+/-). It would kick less and they shells would look the same as the 180 grain, unless he pulled the bullet, plus it would kill deer just fine. Just a thought?

 

[cloverleaf]

I read with interest and empathy. My disability is forcing me to admit that I may be the problem. I haven't shot an honest cloverleaf group in years. Any trick you can use to keep him in the game is a good thing. Its a sad thing to see a rifle man put away his gun. Sounds like you are on the right track, just gently remind him that you NEED him involved any way you can. A deerrs heart is actually a big target but not nearly as important as letting/keeping our elders involved in our lives. Sorry,its obvious you know this. Keep up the good work! CL

 

[cloverleaf]

You know, I re read this thread and it occurs to me that the same thing happened w/ my Dad. He got a twist in his cinch because the old 7 Mag wouldn't shoot like it used to.... He claimed the barrel was burned out for a long time, even shot it too hot in frustration. I mean REALLY HOT... Not like him at all. Years later I think I realize he was having a hard time with my sister's illness and the passing of his father.in law and favorite hunting partner. Life can ask to make some hard changes. Hang in there. If some one more dad's same point in life had made him continue, brought hi along a few time he might have stayed with the shooting longer. Sorry for the ramble... CL

 

[tddeangelo]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

A friend of his and I have both convinced him that if the rifle repeats what I got from it last time, 3" at 200 yards, that he's never going to miss a deer because of the rifle. He grudgingly agreed to that. He's been suggesting this bullet and that powder, talking to this person and that person. I keep telling him, "Let me work with it, it's getting closer." I was talking to him last night and he kept saying, "I really want to see better from it." I agreed that I would, too, but again--- "You CAN hunt with it this fall. It's shooting well enough to kill deer. It's just not quite at the point where we're 'finished' with it yet. That's all."

If I get it shooting MOA or better and he can't reproduce those groups, but I can keep the rifle shooting them, then he and I will have to talk about what he'll be ok with as far as precision from it....meaning, get off the bench and shoot like you hunt, and will you hit vitals....that's really what we're after anyway.

And if he NEEDS to see MOA or better groups that he shoots, then I may need to redevelop a load that kicks less. I think he can do it, though. I am hoping to get myself into a Bulls Bag by the time I have him shoot it, and that should help him out some, too.

 

[OU812]

I don't have much to add as the guys have given some pretty good advice. Like others have said maybe load some very light loads, charge and bullet weight to get him to shoot MOA and renew his confidence in the rifle.

This merely a suggestion but once he is confident in the rifle with lighter loads could you hand him the original rounds you're working with when hunting comes around and not say anything different?

 

[tddeangelo]

He actually feels up to shooting the full snort stuff I'm working on. First things first, I need to see it shoot and repeat on a load.

Then I have him shoot it. If it comes apart then, it ain't the rifle. Then he either has to accept bigger than MOA groups, or he has to accept reduced loads, lol. The choice will be his at that point.

 

[OU812]

Maybe his strung out groups are caused by the way he is holding the rifle? I've been down that road as I once changed the way I was holding the rifle and got 45 degree string.

 

[SJB358]

I went throung the same thing with my grandfather(76). He refused to admit that he couldnt handle the recoil on his '06 anymore. I bought a nice recoil pad and came up with a mild but effective load for it. Really helped out.

That's what I was sorta thinking. 125 ABs or BTs around 2800 would be very effective on deer and likely soften the recoil quite a lot. I don't think a deer would hold either one broadside.

 

[tddeangelo]

The only "issue" with going light is that he wants the '06 to use for foul weather and/or as a "step up" from his current go-to rifles, which are a somewhat matched pair.... an FN M70 Featherweight in 7mm08 and a Classic Featherweight in 6.5x55.

In the 7-08, he's got a 140BT doing, I think (from memory) around 2600-2650. He found accuracy he liked and decided he didn't care about velocity.

In the 6.5, he's got a 130AB doing about 2700.

So....to give him more capability, so to speak, than those rounds, to my mind at least, he's gotta move out the 165's to at least similar velocities, although the better BC/SD on the slimmer bullets sort of nullifies the heavier weighted 30's, I know.

Where I'd REALLY like him to be at is a 165PT knocking down about 2700-2800fps and shooting close to or under MOA. I need to get a huntable load with the BT's first, then I'll worry about the PT's.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Tom, just drop the 165 load about 2 grains to a starting load of 55 grs of IMR 4350 and you should have both.