Doing too much

[Sourdough]

I often hear guys complaining about not being able to get the small groups out of a Handi that they want.  They do this then they do that.  None of it works, they get frustrated and get rid of the gun. 

Three things I do to my Handi's:  1. I put an O-ring under the forearm.  2. I work up a load the rifle likes.  3. I shoot it, seems the more I shoot it the better it gets.

A lot of the time the reason the gun is not shooting good is either the load is wrong for that gun, or it's the shooter.  I will say this, some people can not shoot worth beans, but will not admit it.  They have to have something to blame, so they blame the gun.

I have never gone through a period of break-in for the barrel.  Polished a barrel.  Polished the chamber.  None of that.  I just shoot them.  While I don't shoot for tight groups at 100 yards.  During sighting in, or working up loads, often times many of the holes are touching.

These are not target rifles, they are hunting guns.  Don't get so wrapped up in trying to make all the holes touch that you forget to go out and enjoy the gun as a hunting tool.  Get into the woods, smell the earth, see the insects, sunbeams, dust floating in the air.  Enjoy life.  Use the Handi for what it was designed for. 

Rog

[bigdaddyd]

Well spoken!

[myarmor]

Shhh...... then we won't get as good a deals on the "non shooters"
 
 
-Aaron

[Old Fart]

There's been occassion in my life where shooting was secondary to just enjoying the time.

[quasne.inc]

Hi, my name is Jonah and despite my love for guns...  I am not a very good shooter.  I dont take the time to get moa accuracy out of my guns.  As long as I can cover the holes on my target with my hand I am extremely happy.  I just love to shoot.  And thats my happy story.

[Fred M]

Well everyone has their own idea how accurate a hunting rifle should be. Me unless I can shoot a deer in the ear  at 100 yards a rifle that can't do that is not in my rack. I like very much eating deer meat and hate spoiling good deer meat by shooting deer in the body. Some times you have to. By the way both my Handi's have ejectors, which work well and give no trouble.
So I do every thing that I can to mke that rifle shoot tiny groups. Both my two Handi's will shoot tiny groups not that I ever use my 6x47 for deer but that is besides the point.
 

[ratdog]

sour dough you need to go to the range with me you will get a good laugh its crazy a lot are old guys like me they have there crony's all set up shoot one then check this check that sit for 30 min or more shoot 3 or 4 times this goes on for about two hours im there. i go  there to shoot i shoot till; i start shaking to much or i have got my gun sighted in at least 75 or more rounds pistol and rifle when i get ready to leave the same guys are still there the only thing i do to my guns is keep them clean  no break in or polishing bore. all my handi's shot good right out of the box except my 357 i was using the wrong dia bullet i cast would not shoot the 357's but liked the 38's i solved that problem when quick told me to slug the bore then it was right there.do your own thing i do have fun shooting.

[thejanitor]

My 7-08 shoots (1.5 inch) the worst groups on paper of any handi I own and it has put more meat on the table than any gun I own or have owned..... It doesn't have to be a tack driver to be an excellent hunting rifle......  Just my .02 - thejanitor

[Graybeard]

see the insects

I think that's feel the insects biting you. Not exactly one of the more fun things to do in the outdoors. If they'd be content to watch me and me them we'd get along a lot better.

I've gone thru the barrel break in process phase and while I admit at the end of it the barrels did feel smoother and easier to clean but still need occasional cleaning and I can't prove it ever improved accuracy as there is no before and after with same rifle to prove break in helped it versu just shooting it. Since I am basically a lazy old fart I gave it up.

I only own two handi rifles and both wear only factory iron sights. They shoot as good as I see. I've done nothing to either not even trigger work. Neither trigger rivals my Remingto bolt guns but then I'm not trying to wring the last bit of accuracy from them.

I definitely don't shoot as well now as I once did. That is prolly at least partly cuz I don't shoot as much as I used to but I also don't see the sights like I used to and I have the shakes something terrible these days.

My shooting partner and best friend Billy Doss up and died on me what is now a very long time ago and since that shooting just isn't the fun it once was. My little grandson Wyatt who lives across from the 25 yard line of my range in what used to be my barn is becoming my new shooting partner. As soon as he hears the first shot fired he's on a dead run to reach the firing line. He does good tho and doesn't cross the line of fire. He'll go way around me behind me and come in safely. He is quite well schooled on gun safety and loves all aspects of it. Perhaps he'll have me out shooting more.

[thejanitor]

It is always funner with a buddy!   thejanitor

[Goatwhiskers]

Bill, a fellar asked me the other day if it was better to have Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.  I told him Parkinson's, 'cause I'd rather spill half my beer than to sit around wondering where I'd left it.  Goatwhiskers

[mechanic]

Teach that boy to shoot Bill, and when he outshoots you, it will make you proud.  My 11 yr. old grand daughter is going to be better than I was as a young man, she is already better than I am now.  I'd rather see her do good than do it myself.
 
The grandson, 9, is not far behind, and it's killing him his sister outshoots him.
 
It costs me about 2 bricks of 22 a week to keep them shooting, a small price.
 
 
Sourdough,  so far everything I've shot at with a Handi has come home with me except one, and that was not the rifle's fault.  I don't need a better rifle, it wouldn't help me one bit......
 
Ben
Ben

[Catshooter45]

Nice post Sourdough, and too, too true.
 
About barrel break-in.  I read an article by Lynn McMillian (Mcmillian barrels) once.  He said breaking in a barrel was hooey. 
 
I have to agree.  Lapping and fire lapping works from my experience though.
 
 
Cat

[Austin from NC]

Just as long as I can hit the target i'm pretty happy whether that target is a 1 inch bullseye or the side of a mountain. I'm gonna hit the target if I miss the bullseye and hit the box it was attached to. I wasn't aimin' at the bullseye I was aimin' at the box. If I miss the box I was aimin' at the birm behind it. If I miss the berm then I go to the house and forget the whole thing and start over the next time. Keep shootin' folks if for no other reason than to keep our rights alive and kickin'. By the way I have never missed the ground when I shot except for the shots that never exited the animal I was aimin' at.

       Austin

[Austin from NC]

And about the break in. The only think i've ever broken in is a pair of boots and i'm so lazy it took me 10 years.

       Austin

[gcrank1]

You lapp it in, then you wear it out; you get X number of rounds out of it before the accuracy goes.
You shoot it, learn it, break it in by shooting, it settles down, and you wear it out. You get X number of rounds before the accuracy goes.

[Graybeard]

Bill, a fellar asked me the other day if it was better to have Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.  I told him Parkinson's, 'cause I'd rather spill half my beer than to sit around wondering where I'd left it.  Goatwhiskers

My problem/concern is that mom had Parkinson's and dad had Alzheimer's. That's two strikes against me.

Teach that boy to shoot Bill, and when he outshoots you, it will make you proud.  My 11 yr. old grand daughter is going to be better than I was as a young man, she is already better than I am now.  I'd rather see her do good than do it myself.

Yup he may very well lean to outshoot me as my shooting skills are in decline and he's just now learning but has a great interest. Neither of my boys ever learned to outshoot me even tho they did try. They just never put in the time I did at it tho.

[Sourdough]

My oldest (37) always tried to best me at shooting before he left home.  After five years in the Navy, he came home very sure of himself.  We went to the range one day and he did outshoot me at 100 yards.  then again at 200 yards.  So I moved the targets out to 500 yards, he could not even hit the stand the jugs were sitting on.  I busted my jugs every shot.  I asked if he wanted to move on out to 700 yards, he said no he had shot enough for that day.  That's been 8 years ago, he has not brought up shooting since. 

My youngest (22) was started by his Mother at the age of five.  She taught him all the basics.  Then at 10 he started shooting in the 4-H program.  At the end of the first year they had a parent child competition.  I was hard pressed just to match his scores.  .22RF at 20 yards indoor.  Sky readily out shot his Mother.  That's when I went back to teaching.  Mom bought him an Anschutz, and he has been out shooting me since, 20 to 100 yards.  He is now pressing me out at 600 and 700 yards.  I use trajectory tables taped to my stock, on where to dial the scope.  Sky does the math in his head and uses the mil dots on his scope.  We are both shooting 30-06s.  me a Handi, him a modified Savage 110.