Range day

[cpt dan blodgett]

Took O3, Krag and 88 Trapdoor to the range today. Loaded up some trapdoor rounds using 55 grains of Shuetzen ffg and .460 415 Grain despardo bullets needed 5 .60 fiber wads to get them to compress powder just barely and crimp in crimp groove.  I also tried some montana bullet compuany 405 Grain .460 hollow base again with 55 grains shuetzen ffg and was able to just seat deep enough to have good contact with powder.   My eyes have a hard time seeing the sights on the 88 Trapdoor but   shot either bullet well enough to hit the targets on skirmish course.  Had a tendency to shoot about 4 inches left at 50 yards so may have to kick a little right into the sights next outing.  The rifle seems to like the 405 grain hollow bases a bit better but my groups are still nothing to write home about but much better than the rifle shot before I used up nearly 300 patches trying to get the lead out.   Next outing think I will try olde eyensford and also see if I can get a decent 500 grain approximately 70 grains of ffg load to shoot.  It would be cool to get the sights to work out to 300 to 500 yards.

Using battle sight The Krag and 03 shot approx 2.5 inch group about 2 to 3 inches below point of Aim at 25 and 50 yarda and maybe an inch of two right of center again should be able to hit skirmish tgts with either rifle, 

I loaded some 220 grain sierra for the Krag  the Lyman 47th has a max load of 45 grains of 45 grains IMR 4350 for the 220 sierra and my Sierra 50th Anniversary maxes out at 47 grains so I figured 42 42.5 and 43 grains of AA4350 might be in the ball park.  Was surprised by the velocities Mid 2000s for the 42 grains, 2100s for the 42.5 and 2200 for the 43 grains.  I think I will try 42.2 next outing as I am looking for 2100 fps.  I have a new criterion barrel on the krag don't know if that would make it run faster than expected velocities or not.   They shot about 4 inches high at 50 yards.  Next outing will try to get a decent 200 yard zero on the krag.  If I can get it near the X ring of a standard 200 yard high power target using a 6 O'clock hold that should get it to where an upper 1/3 hold on the 300 yard target should hit

I also loaded some 30-06 with 155 palmas sitting on top of AA 4350 ran 54 54.5 and 55 grains Max loads 59 grains knocked of 2 grains for GI case and then looked for a load  2700 to 2900 fps  All loads shot about 4 inches high at 50 yards which should make center of mass holds using battle sight hit at 100 200 and 300 yards.  I need to find a good accurate load flying about 2850 to 2900 fps. 

This game was so much easier with 20 year old eyes

[Sagebrush Burns]

Sounds like you're in the ball park on all of them.  May your path to enlightenment be smooth.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Phase 2 In the morning will test the 03 springfield at 100 and 200 yards.  Get velocity figures then use the Hornady ballistic calculator to determine impact at 300 yards based on Trajectory at 100 and 200.

If I like my groups will use the same load data and make 50 or so rounds for the muster.  If not will go back to drawing board in search of best group then verify 100 and 200 point of impact vs point of aim to get the 300 yard impact.  suspect bottom 1/3 aim at all targets will produce hits if I shoot a good shot.

Once I am satisfied with the 03 will work up Krag accuracy loads at approx 2100 fps with 220 round nose and also determine 100 200 and 300 points of impact with hornady calculator and velocity figures.

I can now load all the skirmish ammo for the 03 and the 98 krag as well as the trapdoor

As part of muster prep ordered in a WWI cartidge belt and a bunch of stripper clips  Hard to believe I start the Journey in 31 days.  Time flies when one is having fun

[Dave T]

I'm curious as to why you used the carbine load (55g w/415g) instead of the rifle load of 70g? Admittedly I was never able to get a full 70g of FFg in a modern 45-70 case (about 61-63g was it for me) but I certainly loaded them heavier than the 55g level.

Not starting a fight, just wondering about the reasoning. And I agree, for the '88 Trapdoor the 500g over as much FFg as you can get in there would be the ticket for long range shooting. (smile)

Dave

[Drydock]

The Skirmish runs are made on knock down steel targets at 25-75 yards,  also for the skirmish runs the 45 calibers have a 405 grain bullet weight limit to limit target damage. (10% fudge factor here for different alloys and such)  The Carbine load works great for this.  Save the full power rounds and 500 grainers for the Long Range match on AR-500 targets.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Today's session pretty much a bust.  Groups were horrible about 12 inches wide and 6 inches high at 200.  Think I am giving up on AA4350 and going back to 2520.  It shot well from my  M-1 garrand, M1A and Rem 40XBR 7.62 back in my high power days.  Will load up about 5 round each starting 3 grains below max and ending .5 grain below max at .5 grain increments.  Looking for something that will group tight at 100 then figure out the longer range stuff.  If I can't get 2520 to work my go to powder in high power days was Varget.

Looked at the sights today with my left eye, the one the cataract was removed from.  Can see front sight very clearly, maybe I should try shooting left handed.  I used to until went in army and learned I was right eyed.  Still have cataract in right eye it is not bad enough to fix yet, think medicare is betting I die before they have to fix it.

[cpt dan blodgett]

On Thursday tried the AA2520 managed to shoot a 2.5 inch group at 100 with 48.5 grains.  1.2 grains below max for the 06 using 155 palmas.  the Group was 11 inches high at 100 and 13 inches high at 200.  A bottom 1/3 hold should work for 1,2 and 3 hundred yards.  Got a pleasant surprise in the mail today My World War Supply WWI ammo belt arrived.  Got 60 stripper clips yesterday so I should be set for the muster using the 03 on expansion era match day.  Probably will use the Krag for the regular match but may run a stage with the trap door.  I know that will bust any category thing but fun is fun.