More work to do with this one

[2ndovc]

Had the day off for a CT scan. I'd had such a severe allergic reaction to the dye the last time, I figured I wouldn't be getting anything else done today if it happened again. My Docs came through though, a few doses of prednisone and Benadryl and all is well.

It was such a perfect day here, 78 degrees and @ 48% humidity just couldn't help grabbing a rifle and heading off to the range.
Just mounted a new Leupold on the Springfield AR-10 and wanted to get it sighted in.

Started at 50 yds and some handloads; 149 grain Winchester FMJBTs, PPU surplus brass and 44 grains of IMR 4064.
Got it on paper and down to a couple 1" groups close to where I wanted it.
Forgot to take a picture of that target.

Backed out to 100 yds and Winchester 149 gr M80s. Best group i got was @ 3". Part of the problem, I think was the lousy rest and a old wood bench. I forgot my sand bag again.



I haven't done much reloading for the .308 or 7.62 NATO. I bought my M1As when there was plenty of quality surplus ammo out there, I'd only made up a few boxes soft points with the thoughts of using one on a hog hunt.
Not that spending more time with this rifle is a bad thing. Making it happen is the hard part.

jb

[Ysabel Kid]

78 degrees and 48% humidity?!?

It was 94 here today. Is it possible to get above 100% humidity?

[AJMD429]

.
Agreed on getting the time to shoot being the hard part.

Still a day at the range is good regardless.

[GunnyMack]

Only thing I shot yesterday was a nail gun, and not for groups!
Jason, I put together a tote that holds my sandbags- it stays on my truck 365. Not that I shoot much during the winter but if I need sand for traction I always have it.

[2ndovc]

Only thing I shot yesterday was a nail gun, and not for groups!
Jason, I put together a tote that holds my sandbags- it stays on my truck 365. Not that I shoot much during the winter but if I need sand for traction I always have it.

That's the irritating part. I have one as well w/ my spotting scope, sand bag and bunch of other stuff. We've been doing some repmdeling around here and I keep taking it out to go get materials and not putting it back.

Going to try a little heavier bullet in the Springfield and see what that does.

jb

[Bill in Oregon]

Jason, glad you got through that CT scan safely.
Same thing happened to me some years back when I lost feeling in my left arm and needed a scan. Just as soon as they started infusing the contrast dye, my eyes started to itch, then hives started rising on my arms. The nurse realized what was happening and they promptly turned off the dye and shot me full of benadryl. Whew!

[Pitchy]

Nice Rifle and glad your ok.

[Nath]

It sucks getting old, gets in the way of shooting

[COSteve]

It sucks getting old, gets in the way of shooting

Tell me about it!!

At almost 76, my shooting shoulder has developed a bit of arthritis in it and shooting my leverguns with their small, thin metal buttpad with the sharp edges has become painful.

Funny thing about that is my heavier calibers don't cause me that sharp pain as most have a light rubber recoil pad without the sharp metal edges that bite into my shoulder.

Even my M1A with a metal buttpad doesn't bite into my shoulder. I'm thinking that it's because it's heavier with a wider buttpad with rounded edges.

Anyway, I finally had to relent and consider something to mitigate the impact as the pain was interfering with my shooting. I'm not a fan of slip on recoil pads so I considered a Caldwell Recoil Shield to wear on my shooting shoulder.

At the range a few friends use a Caldwell 'Field Recoil' shield with a 1/4" thick pad for shooting trap so a few weeks back I borrowed a friend's to try it out. However, it still let the edges of the buttpad bite into my shoulder, producing a sharp pain.

So, I decided to try Caldwell's thicker 'Mag Plus' shield with a 1/2" thick pad so I bought one about a week ago and I'm pleased to say that it did the trick.

I tried it out last weekend with both my Rossi .357mags, the carbine with it's flat buttpad and the rifle with it's curved one as they have been producing the sharp pains because they're light with a small buttpad with sharp edges.

I shot my hottest 158grn loads to test the shield out as those produce the highest recoil impulse and I'm happy to say that even with the rifle's curved buttpad there was no pain, none.

Then I tried the shield out with my M1A and my Winchester 88 and I was good with them too. So, it looks like father time has been beaten back a bit and I'll still be able to shoot my long guns pain free for a few more years.

[Bill in Oregon]

Glad you sorted out how to save your shoulder, Steve. I am six years behind you, but the days when I could shoot an itty-bitty Remington Model 8 in .30 Remington with that steel butt-plate, whilst wearing a T-shirt, are long past.

[COSteve]

Try that Caldwell Recoil Shield in the Mag, Mag Plus or even the Super Mag Plus if you need one. I find it's actually fairly comfortable once you get it on.

Mine has a adjustable nylon strap for around your chest and also an adjustable strap with a velcro tab to attach the back to your belt. It keeps it from moving around and it sure beats having to put up with the pain.

I found one at Cabella's that had the package opened so I got it for 15% off. https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q ... %20shields

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I'm betting if you try almost any other round you reload with a bullet that is not a 147 or there abouts, FMJ, it will cut your groups in half. I think 308's in general are easy to get to shoot very good, but over the years I've never had any luck getting the 147ish grain FMJ's to shoot in mine.
Nosler 165 Ballistic Tips have shot well in all of mine, in fact sometimes better than 168 grain match bullets, which also shoot very well.

The only FMJ I had that I was satisfied with were the 174ish grain Lapua FMJ rebated BT bullets the CMP used to sell in bulk. They shot very well for me.

My results have been pretty universal with lever gun 308's, AR10's, M-14's and bolt guns.

[GunnyMack]

My AR10T doesn't care for 147s but my model 70 shoots them pretty well. But I've got 4,000 of them from back when it looked like the Witch was going to be elected so when I try different powders I try those first.

[Nath]

Smart move on the recoil shield.
On range days I would stuff an old newspaper in my coat.

[GunnyMack]

I always kept a wool watch cap in the truck for stuffing in my shirt for recoil heavy stuff.

[2ndovc]

My AR10T doesn't care for 147s but my model 70 shoots them pretty well. But I've got 4,000 of them from back when it looked like the Witch was going to be elected so when I try different powders I try those first.

I have some 165 and 168 grain Sierras down in the basement, going to try those next.

jb

[GunnyMack]

I never really spent the time to find an accuracy load for my 10, I did find a few loads that shot good enough but boy how that Hirtenberger 150 surplus stuff shot! I should have bought a ton of it! That stuff is a bit HOT and it's hard on steel plates at 200.

[2ndovc]

I never really spent the time to find an accuracy load for my 10, I did find a few loads that shot good enough but boy how that Hirtenberger 150 surplus stuff shot! I should have bought a ton of it! That stuff is a bit HOT and it's hard on steel plates at 200.

I still have a couple of battle packs of that stuff. Shot a ton of it through my M1As and like you said, should have bought a couple cases.
Some rifles I get obsessive over finding that "one load" that shoots the best. The Springfield has the potential for super accuracy, getting it there is the fun part for me.


jb

[GunnyMack]

Jason, what powder do you like in 308?
I've tried Varget but it hasn't impressed me, now I'm trying TAC and XTerminator. So far I'm liking both. Benchmark, IMR 4895 were ok but not great.