The 360 DW caliber M94 was sighted in for the first time with the peep sight at 100 yds. It required a few clicks but the Williams receiver sight moves the impact just like it should with each click. After getting the 360's sighted in with a tight 6 O'Clock hold, I experimented to see where the 180 gr 357 Mag would hit. Using a "cover the bullseye with the bead" sight picture they are a little high - but a very useful combo without having to move the sights. This is standing, shooting off sticks at 100 yds with 357 Mag ammo.
Next up was the old Remington Model 8, the first year of production 1909. It is shooting 35 Rem, 200 grain Rem Core Lokt over 36.5 gr H4895. These bullet do 2020 fps from a 22" bbl. This rifle has a large aperature factory peep (by Redfield I think) and a white ivory large front bead. It needed one adjustment in elevation.
Then I tried to figure out where the 360 Grain Rhino's would shoot out of the 1886 in 45-70. These hit 6" low compared to the 350 gr Kodiak's. I have to adjust the velocity and see if I can move the Rhino's to point of aim, but I shot a group with the Kodiak's just because this rifle has always impressed me with accuracy.
With the Rem 141 Woodsmaster pump in 35 Rem (Made in 1939) with Leupold MX-4, I used the same ammo that the Rem 8 fires. The old scope with friction adjustments is sensitive. The first groups were dead on at 100 yds but I wanted to move them up a little. One line on the adjustment dial is about and inch of movement. I over-did it and had to walk it back down but I got it. This target shows the first group at 100, then next 3 groups are high and out of the picture but the second group that is a little higher is where I settled it.
A few years ago I made a simple sidelock muzzleloader. It does have modern Tru-Glo open sights. I loaded it with a .452 - 250 gr bullet in a sabot and charged it with 100 grains of 777. It send the bullet out at around 1850 fps. It took 5 shots to figure out the sights and get it dialed in. This'll do at 100 yds, I hadn't expected much more...
Then the 35 Whelen Rem 7600 Custom Shop. It shoots 250 grain Nosler Partitions @ 2600 fps and into an inch or less. It will also do pretty good with the factory Remington 200 gr CL, but they shoot higher. On this target I am aiming at the first line above 6 O'Clock so I can keep the 200 gr Rems on the black. I know the 250's are 3" high at 100 and that's right where they landed, so my plan worked.
The Remington's are the high group and the Noslers and the low group.
My Savage 99 in 308 has been an under-utilized sleeper in my rifle battery. Long story short, my Uncle gave me this rifle in 1986 and I sold it in 1991. I bought it back in 2008! I mounted a Burris 3X9 compact scope on it and sighted it in with Nosler Partion 165 grainers going 2550 fps. In mid 2008 I took it to Africa where I shot an Impala. My friend Omar used it exclusivley and he took Blesbok, Impala, Waterbuk, Gemsbok, Zebra and Wildebeest. Each was a one shot DRT from ranges of 80-220 yds. Then in 2009 I shot an oryx with it and later that year I shot my biggest whitetail ever. Like I said, the rifle was sighted in early 2008 and the scope has not been touched since. I pulled it out and fired a 3 shot group with the Nosler Partions and it went nicely 3" high at 100 yds. It hasnt moved a bit in over 4 years. I also loaded some 170 gr JFN (30-30 bullets) to the same 2550 fps so target shooting and plinking would be a bit less expensive. Luckily, they group dead on at 100 yds without having to touch the scope! I might have to use this one more often. Here are the two groups on paper
You'll notice that most of these rifles shoot MOA or 1.5 MOA. This is no accident. First, I have tweaked each rifle however I could, second I experimented with ammo until I found the most accurate with a bullet I liked and third, I have low tolerance for an inaccurate or inconsitent rifle so I tend to move them along pretty quickly. With all these rifles ready, it will be a long wait until the fall/winter hunting season but meanwhile I will start picking on the hog population and maybe some exotics!
