03 springfield and Hex Reciever Mosin Nagant to the range

[cpt dan blodgett]

Took the newly minted parts gun 03 springfield to the range.  1905 sights were somewhat of a mystery to me when I went to the range.  Some rounds at 25 using the battlesight indicated I needed to crank in some right windage.  At 100 used the peep rear sight shot a 3 round triangle group all of which would have hit a quarter in the 8 ring at about 7:30 on a standard NRA highpower 100 yard bull.  I was shooting remanufactured service ball that was produced from pulled components.  Tried the Battle sight way high was way high just at the top of the Paper on the SR5 target at 200, which I have since learned is not surprising given the sight is set somewhere between 400 and 550 yards or so.  Rifle needed about 2 points right windage.  Have since learned sight is set in points, approx. 4.4 inches at 100 per line (Point) We are basically talking 9 min of right windage.  Not sure if I had the rifle completely vertical or if a bit of cant may have contributed to the correction needed.  Next trip to the range I will use the notch with the triangle opening the 'd' notch and see how that works.

On to the Mosin (thanks DD).  With the rear sight set at 3 taking a 6 O'clock hold on the SR1 target shot a 10 at 12 oclock edge of hole about 1/8 inside the 10 ring.  A 9 and 10 O'clock about the same distance inside the 10 ring.  I was very impressed using surplus Romanian ammo, this rifle will shoot.  Bolt is a little crunchy closing but could be poor technique on my part.  I had no idea the rifle would be this accurate.   Only previous commie rifles I have ever shot were an SKS and the AK both of which were lucky to shoot 5 or 6 inch groups at 100.  Not sure if those rifles are intrinsically that in accurate or if the much shorter sight radius just makes it really hard to get a good group.

What bothers me is I threw down better groups at 100 with both the 03 springfield and the Nagant using iron sights than I did with my DPMS 24 inch heavy barreled .223 using my old T-16 scope. which may not be that surprising given I shoot better groups with that rifle using iron sights than the scope.  Must be a stock weld problem using the scope or just cheap mounts, but the scope and mounts seem to be both solid and tight.  Cheap ammo may well be the problem here also.  Have been looking for 69 or 77 SMKs at the local vendors, have not found any, guess I will have to go online to shop.

As an aside, I have 2 bolts for the Springfield one circa 1912 that many claim may be brittle and a Brown and Sharp bolt from WWII era.  Both pass headspace on the rifle.  I was shooting the B & S bolt.  For dress purposes I will use the old bolt wit the fancy scalloped Safety lug vs the ugly rectangular one on the B & S bolt.  The lug on the old bolt bears on the receiver bridge, the newer bolt safety lug does not by about 1/16 of an inch

[Drydock]

03s we all know about, but Mosins will often surprise folks.  (FWIW, the Rifle is a Mosin, the Revolver is a Nagant  )