Rifle Bore Stabilization

[JWFilips]

Ben,
My 8 mm loads are simple NOW: I went the long hard route of slow powders & Dacron fillers & spent a lot of powder and buffeted my shoulder a good bit in the process. I don't need that ( I could just as well shoot jacketed)

But Now my "go to" loads are simple: 6.1 grains BE behind a 180 N.O.E. RD FP PB for 1200 fps ( can shoot that all day) Very accurate out to 100 yds with my Redfied Receiver sights.
And For distance I use 19 Grains 2400 behind the Lee 175 gr or the 205 gr. boolit They Shoot great but cut a sloppy hole in the paper!
I also have been working with a new NOE 130 grain FP Plain base ( may need less that 6 grains BE (?)) and The gas check version of this 130 with 16 grains 2400 ( These 130 grain boolits need more work.... just not as good yet as the NOE 180 RD)

Tomorrow morning I will attempt my first open sight 200 yd shoot with those Lee boolits ( Yes they are lubed with Ben's Red!) Just hope a 12 inch black bull will fit my front aperture! Looks good at this time: 8 am Wind at 2 MPH temps in the low 60's I'm excited!
Will report back ( unless I fail miserably.... that is how you'll know )

 

[Ben]

Jim,

Recently, I changed out my 2 X scope ( that was on my Scout Rifle ) to a Bushnell Trophy 2 X 6 Variable, extended eye relief scope . This variable powered scope is super clear and has worked well on several pistols that I've used it on.

The 6 X should give me the ability to move on out with my Scout rifle and we'll see what this rifle can do at 100 yds.

This rifle really likes the Lyman 323471 , sized .325"
I had some 31141 bullets sitting on my " drying board " this afternoon and some of the 222 gr., 471's ended up sitting by the 168 gr. 31141 HP's. I took a photo just for comparison purposes.

Quite a difference in the two bullets.

Ben







You can see below that my base is mounted DIRECTLY to the barrel. This helps keep the scope low. In my opinion, that is very impt.

Notice that the rear eyepiece of the scope is missing the receiver by maybe 1/8" or so , that is about as close as you'll get a scout scope in mounting height.

 

[Ben]

My friend Jason wanted to shoot my Turkish, 8 X 57 mm Scout Rifle.

I was shooting my favorite load of 12.3 grs. of Alliant Unique , with the IDEAL, 323471, sized to .325 ". The bullet has my own .014 " thick AL gas checks.

I couldn't be happier with my rifle.

I fired the 1st 5 rounds in the group below :



Then Jason shot a group with 8 rounds :

 

[JWFilips]

Ben:
Nice shooting. I'm not using glass anymore ( Decided to see what my old eyes can do! But i Left the scopes on the 223 at 243 guns)
My GEW 98 is a bit "Turked" but not by much Just the head stamp on the receiver shows it was destined for the Turk Market ( No Turk Armory marks!)
(I honed out a Lee size die to .326") & it shoots all lof those well

 

[Ben]

Jim,

I'm not saying that I think people that are shooting .323" dia. cast bullets are always wrong in doing so, however.....I never really began to shoot good groups out of my 8 X 57 mm Mauser rifles until I went to .325" dia. for my cast bullets. For me, that seems to be the " magic number ".

As to " glass or no glass", it takes me about 2 minutes to remove my scout scope and then I'm back to metallic sights. I can have the best of both worlds with this system.

Ben