H&R 45 Colt Classic

[Smallgroups]

Took my new rifle to the range for the 1st time this past weekend for a test drive.  Shooting my handloads in a stiff wind the best my less-than-perfect eyesight could manage was about 4-5" groups at 50 yds.  These were 250 gr RN bullets at 1000 fps plus some Cowboy loads with the same bullet at about 700 fps.

I was wondering if this level of accuracy is typical for the Classic?  I find with my eyesight telescopic sights help tremendously.  If the Classic will shoot better than 4-5 inches I might consider some kind of set up where I have a scope but with quick release rings.

What say you?

THX in advance for the advice.

S-

[jpshaw]

You said a scope helps but I didn't know if you were using one or not.  Were these groupings with a scope or iron sights?

I would like to know what other folks groups are with the .45 LC.  Also let us know if its with a scope or irons.

[Smallgroups]

I was using the irons as installed from the factory.  They aren't bad sights at all.  I just have a lot of trouble focusing.  This is an issue I run into with all my iron-sight equipped rifles.

BTW.  When I figured out how it was shooting I had no problem "disappearing" pieces of broken clay targets sitting around on the berm.

Couldn't shoot a group for p--p however.  Go figure.

Best

S-

[bishopgrandpa]

I use the Lee 300GC with a healthy dose of IMR4227 for a ragged hole at 25 yards and it opens to 2-3 inches at 50 yards using their sights and my tired and fuzzy 69 year old eyes. Good shooter.

[quickdtoo]

Using a Weaver V3 I got ~2" 100yd groups with the Speer 250gr GDHP and Hornady 250gr SST while mine was still a 45 Colt, it's a 460S&W now tho. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,118881.msg1098392036.html#msg1098392036

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,124487.msg1098436387.html#msg1098436387

[quickdtoo]

Grampa Mike did a bunch of shooting with several different 45LC loads, there's a link to it in the FAQs and Help sticky. 

Tim

[JamesIII]

I have shot 3 shot groups of 1 3/4", 2 1/4" and 2 3/4" at 50 yards with mine in the last month, all using win. cowboy ammo. Some days I can see pretty good, some days I can't. On the really bad days even the 4" center on a pistol target at 50 yards is hard for me to see clearly while aiming, we won't talk about those groups. My son can shoot 2" groups all day long. With my gun, IT IS NOT THE GUNS FAULT!! Since the boy proved that the gun shoots just fine all the time, I have a lot more fun, knowing I am just having a bad day. JamesIII

[Smallgroups]

James, quickdtoo, all,

Thanks for the feedback.

James
That's me.  The front sight covered the 3" target at 50 and it's blurry. When I started setting the target on top of the front sight bead things improved.  I love the simplicity of rifles without scopes and I keep a few rimfires scope-less for ranges I can still see clearly at. 

Based on my asperations that I might use this rifle as an occassional deer/pig and wood-lot-knock-about rifle I'm shopping for a scope for my Classic as of last night based on what scoping the 45-70 did to the groups.  Without glass it made it hard to determine which of my 45-70 reloads were winners and which were losers.  Whatever I put on the Classic will be quick release set-up.  Right now I'm torn between a Burris 2x7 Short Mag or a Weaver K4 or K6.

On a positive note the man in the Brown van showed up with my Natchez order of HTPs y'day afternoon and I picked up a can each of H110 and LIL' Gun at the shop last night on the way home from an  errand.

& so the experiment begins....

S-

[45carbine]

Have had some issues with mine. Initially shooting 5-8 inch groups at 50m. Am pretty sure it was a bedding issue and have rectified this but not been back to the range to see if it worked.

Shot with open sights, 255 cast and tite group powder.

Find the open sights good. If this changes I would go for a red dot scope (Prob Leupold prismatic 1x). The gun is so fast to point and compact i wouldn't want a scope on it.