Well, a gravel pit report.
Installed the Weaver K4 on the BC last night. The scope just barely cleared the hammer. Got up to the gravel pits. I was using Remington 405gr green box. My rest is a 2500 pound steel and aluminum model with four round rubber mounts to isolate it from the ground( I shoot off my car).
The first two shots weren't on the paper. They were 2.5 feet low and one foot to the right. Got things straightened out pretty quick. I got two really good one inch groups at 75 yards and a pretty good 1.5-2" group at 100 or so yards. I've got it shooting about 2" high at 100 yards. Should work just fine for hunting.
Shooting groups is painfully boring. Out came the reactive targets. Reactive targets being cans of club soda shook all to heck. Plinking with a 45/70 is a blast.
Out came the handloads. I put together a load that is in the netherworld between trapdoor and Marlin loads. The load is 50grains of AA2015 and the Remington 405gr bullet. I don't have a Lee crimp die, I set the RCBS die to put a very mild crimp. The one and only group I shot had two shots touching and the next shot about 1/2" off the the right at 100 yards. Blew up some more club soda cans. I extrapolated the data from the Speer manual and added 150 fps from the results of their 22" test rifle. Got a guess of 1946fps. Smokin' for a 405gr slug. Good enough accuracy to justify dragging out the chronograph next weekend. Where are the prairie dogs when you need them.
The handloads are pretty stout, but they only got to a bright red on the right shoulder bruise-o-meter.
Comments;
The prehistoric Weaver K4 isn't very bright. The Tupperware Special and it's Trashco scope is much brighter when shooting from the sun into the shadows. The Weaver will come off when the Nikon 4x40 buckmaster is off layaway.
The trigger needs a little work.
I knew the thing would kick with the handloads, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. I was only wearing a t-shirt. No pads on me or the rifle.
I used the o-ring mod on the barrel stud and also placed a small o-ring about 3/4" inside the barrel channel to do a quick and dirty forearm float. No issues with wandering zeros at all.
I'll need to order some more Remington bulk 405's. The one's I have won't last long.
ZM
