I'll get some pictures up next week when I'm back in the mountains, where I left the gun. Sounds like you're doing okay with open sites, I think you're right though, a different front site may be a game changer. I know that the right front site makes a world of difference for me. A few years back I graduated to tri-focal glasses and it's impossible to focus well enough to reasonably hunt with open sites at any distance, so I've abandoned it for the most part. But it has always had an appeal to me. Also, I would bet, granted I haven't seen your rifle up close, that you could use some 100 gr. sandpaper and float your barrel without structurally weakening the stock. Often times very little material has to be removed to allow proper spacing. MidwayUSA has an instructional video that I think is good at giving an idea how to do it if you've not tried it before.
When I first disassembled the rifle, I took the bolt apart and it was a nasty rusty mess inside. I cleaned it up really well, but it didn't resolve the stiffness when cocking the bolt. After taking it to the gun range I must've broke more rust free somewhere because it dramatically improved more so than just dry cycling it at home. Hopefully it just continues to improve and clean up, if not I will likely reach out to CMP.
I tried three different bullets, all 180 gr., and they all shot very well. I ended my zero at 100 yds. with 180 gr. Nosler Accubonds. I treated the gun like I was breaking in a new rifle, scrubbing and oiling the barrel after each shot, letting it cool down, etc. Anyway, I was so pleased. Two 5 round groups with the holes overlapping. My only regret is I should've zeroed it at 200 yds.
When I first disassembled the rifle, I took the bolt apart and it was a nasty rusty mess inside. I cleaned it up really well, but it didn't resolve the stiffness when cocking the bolt. After taking it to the gun range I must've broke more rust free somewhere because it dramatically improved more so than just dry cycling it at home. Hopefully it just continues to improve and clean up, if not I will likely reach out to CMP.
I tried three different bullets, all 180 gr., and they all shot very well. I ended my zero at 100 yds. with 180 gr. Nosler Accubonds. I treated the gun like I was breaking in a new rifle, scrubbing and oiling the barrel after each shot, letting it cool down, etc. Anyway, I was so pleased. Two 5 round groups with the holes overlapping. My only regret is I should've zeroed it at 200 yds.
