Author Topic: Gun Show M38 Range Report Mixed reviews  (Read 356 times)

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Offline kjeff50cal

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Gun Show M38 Range Report Mixed reviews
« on: August 24, 2004, 05:56:13 PM »
My gunshow special M38 1944 Izzy and I went to the hardware store today. On the way (about a 10 mile detour) we stopped at the shooting range. I stuffed my shooting bag with Hungarian Yellow Tip, Czech Silver Tip, (& light practice) and Yugo 180 grn SPs. As always with a firearm that I have not shot before I started on the 25 yard range. I loaded a yellow tip and because of my past experience with my M44 I held a six O'clock sight picture. Bang, I looked at the target, the bullet went where I aimed  :shock: . The next shots after I corrected went in to the X and 10 ring, stringing low to the right (about 4 O'clock) into the 9. Needless to say I was encouraged. I tried the Silver Tip & they shot 6" high but still center. The hunting 180 grn SPs shot three inches to the right of the FMJs  :eek:  :eek:  :eek:. I moved the front sight to the right to compensate but no joy they still printed 2 1/2" to 3" to the right. Before moving to the 100 yard range I could not resist shooting a left over .22 target (someone was using those icepick .17 HMRs). At 25 yards I plunked 3, 180 grn yellow tips into a group no more that 3/4" in dia.  :grin: . Then it went down hill. I went to the 100 yard range. The Hungarian shot in to what was 3" groups. The Silver tips shot as usual 6" high, but the 180 grain SPs were off paper  :shock:  :shock:  :eek: . I switched back to Yellow Tip Hungarian and they seemed to follow the hunting ammo's groups :eek:  :eek: . I usually let the barrel cool for a couple minutes between shots so this time I waited (got a soda from the machine and drank it) about ten minutes. I tried the Yellow Tips again and they were back on paper but 4" to the right. I checked the stock screws to see if they came loose and they weren't. The only thing I can think of is that I might have a bedding prob. Ideas???
Ignorance leads us into the darkness, Knowlege leads us out.

Offline Mikey

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Gun Show M38 Range Report Mixed reviews
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2004, 02:53:07 AM »
kjeff50cal:  yep, she needs to be bedded.  It's an easy job with those rifles and it pays off.  You also need to assure that the barrel channel does not in any way impact against the barrel.  Some of those stocks are pretty good looking but are of wartime production and the barrel channel need to be relieved considerably.  This includes the metal tip at the end of the stock, if I remember correctly (I may not).

Also, you need to remove any extraneous hardware on the barrel, especially the bayonet and lug if it has one.  We did that with my brother's M44 and once we bedded it, removed that hardware and lubricated the trigger she turned out to be one sweet shooter.  Ten rounds into a nice group at 50 and then 100 yds.  We found the Sellier and Bellot 200 gn soft points to shoot the best groups.  HTH.  Mikey.

Offline 1911crazy

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Gun Show M38 Range Report Mixed reviews
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2004, 01:46:13 PM »
Since there is no bayonet lug on the M38 Mikey's right :eek:  its the stock pushing on the barrel I'm sure checking the bedding you should see a lump or bump somewhere inside the barrel channel. :D     BigBill :roll: