Range report. (stupid Diogenes)

Well when I came too this morning it was not to a coffee maker or an alarm clock. It was to the crack of thunder. Lovely. NO range trip for now.

Well of course I checked email and read my daily's and surfed the job sites and Craigslist. That took about an hour or so and still RAIN Grrr.

Back to bed. (the only advantage to being unemployed.)

Awoke a couple of hours later to


CLEAR SKIES WOOT!

On to the range.

Cold range not a person in sight on any of them. Range master is taking a nap in the office. DOUBLE WOOT!

Set up my targets and fire off 20 of the wolf black box to warm up the barrel and get her a little fouled. I have found that this rifle likes to be dirty and won't shoot for squat without carbon in the barrel.
First 20 are kinda scattered about but all about 6 inches above center. I expected that and I am trying to get the POI 3.5" above POA at 100m. Thats my Zero for 250m
Ok. Now its time to see if things tighten up.
10 rounds with the Czech ammo.

WTF! 8" target and only 3 on paper and nothing showing a problem (like breathing or trigger jerk.) Now is when I realize that I was stupid. I only brought 10 rounds of each and nothing more. Now I have to move on no matter what.

10 rounds Hungarian.

better. But now everything is to the Right of center and sitting about a 6" pattern.
Grr. Make no changes and move on.

10 rounds of Wolf.
WTF! now I am back on center and high. at least that much is being consistent.

10 rounds Winchester SP

first three rounds. Look down range and don't see anything on the target.

Luckily I am still the only one on the range so I just put a clip in the carrier and walk down to see what the heck is going on.

The target is centered on a 2'X 3' backboard. The three rounds I shot are right on the upper edge of the board and within 1/4" of each other. That's 16" high on center. Seeing the placement I know that this is not me but a setting somewhere on the rifle. Just for giggles I return and shoot dead center bottom of Board. Three rounds.

Dead center of target.

I start to look over the rifle to make sure that nothing is loose or came out of adjustment. Nothing out of whack. Since I mainly shoot the cheap stuff I leave the settings alone and fire off the last 4 rounds.(still kicking myself over that one) By this time there are a couple of guys unloading gear and setting up so I just pull my targets.

I didn't take pics this time since I not only failed to take spare ammo to recheck myself; I also forgot the camera. The targets tear to much removing them from the back board so no pics there either.

Looking on the net it seems that there is a difference of only 2 grains in bullet weight between the milsurp stuff and the Winchester 122v124 but there is also a difference of 2 grains in powder. The Winchester is most definitely hotter. AND newer. the milsurp stuff I have is about 30 years old. It still shoots but it definitely has lost some 'ummph'

After seeing the difference that newer ammo makes to the equation I am seriously considering reloading in the future. Even though I had to give it some Tennessee windage to get on center with the new ammo the pattern was amazing. 7 rounds in the red center and not touching the edges. If I had more of it I would have been able to shoot the center out of that target. Sadly this is not a good time to be considering reloading as a hobby since it has become so much harder to find the components. While I was packing up one of the guys there asked if I had seen any large rifle primers in the stores.

The other aspect of that is I would rather reload something with a more standard case. Like .30-06 or .308 the 7.62X39 case is a bear for primers and bullets.(.310) I do like the way it shoots but I think if I am going to reload I want something that has a little more Range to it.

NOTE: Having seen what the New ammo can do I am perfectly happy with this rifle for hunting. Especially in the midwest were I Highly doubt that I will be making 100+yard shots. Maybe out west there would be a need to upgrade but not here.