32-20: First off, I'm starting to develop an accurate load for my Winchester Model 65 (circa 1941) 32-20 (also known as the 32 W.C.F.). Today I tried 11.1 grains of 5744 under a 90 grain RCBS bullet. These bullets have such a fat olgive that closing the lever the last little bit was a bit stiff, due to the bullet being rammed into the rifling. I'll have to set the bullets in a little deeper or else trim my cases down a bit. Anyway, eight shots at 50 yards indicates that this load is not the greatest. On the other hand, the notch in the open iron sights is terrible for sighting. It is more like a 'U' with sloping shoulders at the top of the U so that it is difficult to know exactly where the U ends. I may exchange the sliding blade for something that has a bit flatter top. Anyway, here's the results, resting my rifle on the top of my shooting bag ....
30-30:
Next up was 'Old Savage', my Winchester 30-30 carbine made in 1954. This is the rifle I'm hoping to harvest a Whitetail Deer with in mid-November, so I've loaded up 168 rounds to practice with between now and then. The load was 28 grains of IMR 3031 under a 150 grain cast GC RCBS bullet for about 2,100 fps. All practicing is done from a free-standing, offhand position. I plan to also try a bit of 200 yard shooting from a sitting position. Shown below are my last three targets, all shot at 100 yards from an offhand position with open iron sights.
Five shots, four on paper: The four out of five shots that did make it on the paper were fairly close together for offhand shooting, but I tend to shoot low when I shoot offhand. If I can't correct that, I'll have to adjust the rear sight. Only two made it into the 'boiler room'. Here's the target ....
Five shots, five on paper: I got them all on the paper this time, but still only two of them would be in the 'Boiler room'. Still shooting low.
Seven shots, seven on paper: I loaded up my last 7 rounds into the magazine and let 'er rip. This time, I managed to shoot a bit higher, but I felt a little sloppy and the holes were all over the map. Still, 5 out of the 7 shots were in the Boiler room, with the last two close together and low. Here's the target ....
Well, my offhand shooting still needs work if I'm going to get them all in the boiler room but, as I said before, I'm just at the front end of my practicing. I got two months to work on this. I find the Winchester model 94 carbine with open sights a real challenge due to its short sight radius. Yet, I love this rifle. It is compact, light, and a joy to shoot. If I can get good with this one, I'll be dadgummed good with my longer octagon barreled rifles.
Ah, but you do bill yourself as an old geezer so maybe it is still technically a classic.
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You might pick up a decent air gun and work on your offhand shooting. plinking with an air rifle at 20 yards is pretty close to shooting a cartridge gun at 50 in scale. A 22 helps as well, especially if you can find one that weighs as much as your regular rifle. I'm amazed at how much steadier I got at off hand shooting when I started cranking them off with the pellet rifle. I need to get back to getting up to the range more often though, unfortunately it's not an ability that necessarily sticks with you.