Shootin' 'n bikin' weather

[earlmck]

Most years January is not a month where we enjoy much shooting. And almost never a month for bike ridin'. But last Saturday got up to 60 degreees here and I met a batch of fellers and we did a fair amount of shooting at paper and steel. One of my friends has his granddad's Rem 14 in 30 Remington which he had never shot. I brought one of mine

StithMount8626.jpg

and a box of ammo and he got to shoot his rifle for the first time ever. It has a nasty rasty bore and didn't seem to shoot real well which was a bummer, but at least he got to try it.

I had recently acquired a Lee 22 cal "bator" mould and wanted to see if this bullet would get me a cast bullet load for the K-hornet which has never liked any cast load I have tried. So I had a whole ladder of loads with two different primers. Nope -- the K-hornet (low-wall winny)

KHornet.jpg

doesn't like this bullet either. The little K shoots 45 grain jacketed bullets fine but I still don't have a cast load for it.

I was hoping for another of those 60 degree days so I could break out the old bike that hasn't turned a wheel since November. Or heck, maybe even October -- can't really remember the last time I rode. But Sunday was cold/windy (back to more normal) and I figured I'd missed my one chance. Then yesterday the fog burned off early and things heated up. When the thermometer hit 55 degrees I said "whoopee!" and bundled up in my motorcycle clothes and threw the carharts over the top and hit the road. I might have been a little cool but it felt good to get a little wind across the bow (which I surely do on this little dual-sport, whose windshield is purely for decorative purposes and has no detectable wind-shielding effect, that is my only ride anymore)

EarlNbike1026.jpg

Back above 50 again today but wind whipping pretty good. Not a real great day for shooting so I may do another bike ride. I don't think I've been able to enjoy a bike ride in January since I moved back to Oregon from Nevada 20 years ago. This global warming may make Oregon a decent place to live!

[OldWin]

Wow, cool! Wouldn't be doing and bike riding here! Even shooting is kind of unpleasant.
Good for you, my friend.

[Pitchy]

Cool, supposed to be 40 here Friday I may have to fire up the old Hog and spin some donuts.

[Sixgun]

Yea Earl....Jan. sucks .......it never used to, I used to shoot in blinding snowstorms but there is just something good to be said of "fair weather shooting" nowadays after reaching 60.

As for .22 cast, I've found ...in the 218 bee that bullets have to be Linotype, a gas check, and medium burning powders, like 4227 and size to .225. Velocities did not seem to matter as I was pushing them 2200 and they shot as (almost) good as jkt.

Cool, supposed to be 40 here Friday I may have to fire up the old Hog and spin some donuts.

There's a reason why the Good Lord put Pitchy and myself 2,000 miles apart. I can see it now....me and Pitchy would have a dirt bike track, complete with 50' jumps.....just for Harley's and beer. My wife has always made it clear, "I don't care WHAT you buy but you better not come down the driveway with a motorcycle or you'll be living with it."

[3leggedturtle]

Sixgun, I guess in your case loud pipes wouldn't save your life! Todd/3leg

[jeepnik]

Heck, I can beat that. It's shootin' and bikini weather here in the southland.

[Pitchy]

Heck, I can beat that. It's shootin' and bikini weather here in the southland.

We need pictures.

[ollogger]

Been that way here also, 53 today & truck was in the shop so got some shooting in today
45 colt revolver & trapper & 32-40 in a old 1893 Marlin, don't ride bikes no more



Brad

[earlmck]

As for .22 cast, I've found ...in the 218 bee that bullets have to be Linotype, a gas check, and medium burning powders, like 4227 and size to .225. Velocities did not seem to matter as I was pushing them 2200 and they shot as (almost) good as jkt.

Yeah, that's perzactly what these were, with the powder being Lil' gun. My hornet shoots cast just fine -- I've never put a jacketed bullet through it. But this K has never liked anything I have cooked up of the cast variety. Haven't given up -- I have a few more things to try. Though I'm not sure why I am worrying about a cast load -- when Widener's was closing out reloading stuff I bought all their hornet bullets cheaper than I can make cast/gas checked bullets, and probably have a lifetime supply for the little K. But this new bullet just looked like it might get me the cast bullet success that has eluded me with the K-hornet. But I've only had it for 40 years -- plenty of time yet to find a load it likes.

[guido4198]

Earl, (or anyone who knows)...
I'd like to know more about the scope mount on that Remington in your picture. My father put the same set-up on his Rem. 760, 30/06. I still have that rifle and enjoy shooting it from time to time. The scope is a low power Lyman, 2x if I remember correctly, might even be 1.5. That mount might not meet today's standards for 500 yd m.o.a. precision shooting but it has proven itself for DECADES to be all ya need for "minute-of-Whitetail".
Dad was a machinist and for most of my life I just assumed it was something he created himself. I never asked Dad about it. After he passed, I eventually learned that it was a commercially available product, but can't remember much more than that.
Thanks.

[earlmck]

Earl, (or anyone who knows)...
I'd like to know more about the scope mount on that Remington in your picture.

It's a Stith mount -- they were popular in the 30's and 40's because you would use the dovetail for the rear sight as the front mount and just have to drill and tap for a rear mount. Has to be a scope with straight tube for the front mount sleeve to slide over, so they are always low-power scopes. And that's the sum total of what I think I know about the mount at this point. My 30 Rem came with that setup, elderly 2x Weaver scope. Very heavy "cool" factor. I've seen them on the Rem 14's and 141's and Savage 99's of that era.

[guido4198]

"Stith Mount"....Thank You Earl.
Remington started offering the 760 in 1952 so Dad would have had other options. I wish I had known enough to ask him about that unique choice. After seeing this thread, I checked my 760. The scope is a 1.5 Lyman with a VERY small "Dot" reticle. Back in those days, Dad did his hunting in Maine and New Brunswick, Canada. He told me he used the 760 when he was going to be "sitting". Later...I remember when he brought home the Remington 740. He put a Lyman target rear sight on that one and told me he used it when "walking the woods". I still have both of those rifles. Even hunt with them once in a while...more for the nostalgic value than anything else. I might dig them out this weekend and carry'em to my gun club for some paper punching..."just because".
I know this got off topic...but thanks for letting me reminisce a bit.

[marlinman93]

Earl, we had 3 days of gorgeous weather on the wet side of the Cascades also! Was able to take my hotrods out of mothballs and do a long drive in each of them! Haven't ridden my street bike in many years, so it still sat idle during the 3 wonderful warm days!

[jeepnik]

Heck, I can beat that. It's shootin' and bikini weather here in the southland.

We need pictures.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks Jeep. Nice to shake off the winter chill, eh?
Earl, we have had quite a few days at or above 60 here in the past couple of months, although it has been closer to "normal" -- 55 -- lately. Down here, the guys seem to ride their bikes the year around, and this is not a helmet state. I am still a little shocked when I see a bunch of bare-headed motorcyclists wing past. Have a couple of Air Force guys in my neighborhood who ride their scoots to work at Holloman AFB.

[Griff]

Heck, I can beat that. It's shootin' and bikini weather here in the southland.

We need pictures.

Without pics it didn't happen. Warning, may be offensive to uptight folks - Bikini Season

[earlmck]

Yes , being an old Arizona boy I know about living in places that are much nicer in the Wintertime. If the bride could stand to be away from the grandkids for a few months of the year we'd be snowbirding for sure. But as it stands now I just have to root vainly for "global warming" along with all the leftists.

Back closer to normal here today -- 30 degrees with a breeze this morning; supposed to get to 40 but with a stiff wind later on. I have a new pistola to try out though so will run out to the grasslands later on and see if my new 327 Federal revolver likes the Ranch Dog 32/20 bullet.

[Pitchy]

Heck, I can beat that. It's shootin' and bikini weather here in the southland.

We need pictures.

Ah yes and here I sit with the flu.

[Bill in Oregon]

Lenn, get better, friend!
Earl, I will be curious what you think of that .327. I had one of those now-scarce Ruger Single-Sixes when the new .32 H&R Magnum came out, and was sorry I swapped it away.
We have a few clouds and a lot of gypsum in the air from the White Sands today. Pretty good winds whipping out there.