What did you do at the range today?

[Chris in TN]

Post-op checkup today. Doc says all is well and I can resume normal activities, including moderate recoil.

That box of Scheel's bulk packed .22lr showed up, too, about ten minutes before I finished work for the day. I didn't even open the actual box the ammo was in - once I got inside the shipping box, maybe 80 rounds had fell out of the actual ammo box. I just grabbed those and headed for the bench.

@43.6N mentioned it on page 21. I had put both .22lr cans in to clean the baffles this morning. I checked them - one set of baffles was clean, the others had locked together while tumbling and two of the baffles were still terrible. I put those back in and decided to just run a quick test swapping the can with clean baffles between rifles.

First item: I reassembled the can wet, so I ran maybe 20 rounds through it to dry it out, without checking chronograph. Then I fired 30 rounds over the labradar with the 24" cz457. These were all shot at steel at 225 yards. They hit ~3-4moa higher than CCI SV. Not shooting groups, just plinking on a very windy afternoon.

I then swapped the can (Spectre II) over to the 16" barreled 457. Fired 15 rounds over the chrono. Then I switched angles to my 40-yard target and shot a 10-shot group with the 16" at 40 yards. Didn't shift the chronograph to record any further data. Then I switched the can back to the 24" 457 and also fired a ten round group with it at 40 yards.

Chrono data:



Now here's the weird part.

The short barreled 457 10-shot group is on the left of the image below - more or less in the big green 2" dot. The long barreled gun group is on the right.

I've never fired a worse group with the 16" gun. Ever. It normally shoots almost but not quite as well as the other one. It's possible the can was loose. Or maybe it's me. Or maybe the gun doesn't like this ammo. Who knows?

Conversely, the group shown from the 24" gun, high on the right, is one of the better groups it's ever fired. Better than what I'd expect from CCI SV and right in line with what I'd expect from Eley Target, as @43.6N mentioned. That's the most expensive stuff I've ever bought and it generally isn't worth it *to me*.

*shrug*

I'd buy more of this ammo just based on the SD/ES. I wish it was a hair slower. I'll still buy.

The big green dot is 2":

 

[43.6N]

Post-op checkup today. Doc says all is well and I can resume normal activities, including moderate recoil.

That box of Scheel's bulk packed .22lr showed up, too, about ten minutes before I finished work for the day. I didn't even open the actual box the ammo was in - once I got inside the shipping box, maybe 80 rounds had fell out of the actual ammo box. I just grabbed those and headed for the bench.

@43.6N mentioned it on page 21. I had put both .22lr cans in to clean the baffles this morning. I checked them - one set of baffles was clean, the others had locked together while tumbling and two of the baffles were still terrible. I put those back in and decided to just run a quick test swapping the can with clean baffles between rifles.

First item: I reassembled the can wet, so I ran maybe 20 rounds through it to dry it out, without checking chronograph. Then I fired 30 rounds over the labradar with the 24" cz457. These were all shot at steel at 225 yards. They hit ~3-4moa higher than CCI SV. Not shooting groups, just plinking on a very windy afternoon.

I then swapped the can (Spectre II) over to the 16" barreled 457. Fired 15 rounds over the chrono. Then I switched angles to my 40-yard target and shot a 10-shot group with the 16" at 40 yards. Didn't shift the chronograph to record any further data. Then I switched the can back to the 24" 457 and also fired a ten round group with it at 40 yards.

Chrono data:

View attachment 1049551

Now here's the weird part.

The short barreled 457 10-shot group is on the left of the image below - more or less in the big green 2" dot. The long barreled gun group is on the right.

I've never fired a worse group with the 16" gun. Ever. It normally shoots almost but not quite as well as the other one. It's possible the can was loose. Or maybe it's me. Or maybe the gun doesn't like this ammo. Who knows?

Conversely, the group shown from the 24" gun, high on the right, is one of the better groups it's ever fired. Better than what I'd expect from CCI SV and right in line with what I'd expect from Eley Target, as @43.6N mentioned. That's the most expensive stuff I've ever bought and it generally isn't worth it *to me*.

*shrug*

I'd buy more of this ammo just based on the SD/ES. I wish it was a hair slower. I'll still buy.

The big green dot is 2":
View attachment 1049570

Super interesting the difference between the two guns.
And the 16” measured faster than the 24” if I’m reading your numbers right?

Here’s my gun today shooting Eley target yellow box vs the Federal-Scheels 1902
20” cz457
My chrono velocity matches yours.
50yds
1” squares

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Got out today and did some brass collecting for my dad’s 308win stock roughtech with a reaper on the end. 178eldx propelled by TAC in virgin Starline.



I yanked the shit out of the trigger on the low right one, a good reminder that some times I just suck.

Then shot some 7mm08, had 25 rounds left of virgin brass loaded with 162eldm and Xbr. Shot those up and then confirmed zero with my 162eldm SB 6.5 load. And sent 15 rounds out to 506yds off the pack.

I could tell by the reaction of the steel plate in the scope I was hitting high and dialed down .1 mil and sent another 9. Light wind 1/2 mil wind hold. 6X Swfa.

 

[hoooogan]

Took the new-to-me Aero M5 straight from the FFL to the range. Threw down 50 rounds of the Midway Lapua overrun 167gr 308. Ammo had pretty solid numbers on the chrono. After more or less sighting in, she put down ~1.5 MOA 10 shot group. Not too shabby considering the LPVO was very low in medium rings and I forgot my rear bag. I was swaying all over the place. Can't wait to get back with a better setup.

 

[Chris in TN]

Super interesting the difference between the two guns.
And the 16” measured faster than the 24” if I’m reading your numbers right?

Yes. The speed difference is typical for long-barreled guns. Once you get past maybe 18" or so (I have no way to know the exact predicted length) all the powder is burned and the expanding gases are adding less speed to the bullet than bore friction is subtracting. Or, it gets slower.

I shot some of it over the chronograph with my 27" 513T just now. Fifteen shots went 1040-1100 average 1081.5'.

(ETA: And 10 shots from the 513T after sunset at 40 yards with peep sights, went into 1.8", which is about as good as I get in low light. Better than the short 457 did).


As for why the two guns shot different....there's things that'll make a combo shoot artifically bad, not many things that'll make one shoot artificially good, so I suspect some quirk with the 16" gun. I'll figure that out when its can baffles are clean.

​

 

[justinspicher]

I didn’t shoot today, but I cleaned up my range. I also moved a piece of steel and looked at a few places to put some new steel.

 

[43.6N]

Yes. The speed difference is typical for long-barreled guns. Once you get past maybe 18" or so (I have no way to know the exact predicted length) all the powder is burned and the expanding gases are adding less speed to the bullet than bore friction is subtracting. Or, it gets slower.

I shot some of it over the chronograph with my 27" 513T just now. Fifteen shots went 1040-1100 average 1081.5'.

(ETA: And 10 shots from the 513T after sunset at 40 yards with peep sights, went into 1.8", which is about as good as I get in low light. Better than the short 457 did).


As for why the two guns shot different....there's things that'll make a combo shoot artifically bad, not many things that'll make one shoot artificially good, so I suspect some quirk with the 16" gun. I'll figure that out when its can baffles are clean.

​

I’m tracking.
Congrats on the successful eye surgery BTW
That’s got to be the best feeling

 

[Matt5266]

All this week im out at our range instructing classes. In between I'm getting to shoot quite a bit of handgun and AR. Doesn't usually happen that way but so far so good.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I put 120 rounds through my new Springfield Kuna today as well as another 300 rounds through the Sig P211. I just got the Kuna but I already put the short stroke buffer kit in it and switched the polymer backplate for an aluminum one. The recoil was very tame and I didn't feel any concussion at all while shooting it.



The P211 is now on 1,000 rounds and it's been flawless for the last 955 rounds after 3 FTRBs in the first 45 rounds during the break-in. Trying out some Mag-Mo edge grips for it right now and they certainly work well.



And I'm still waiting another 4-6 weeks for my CZ Shadow to finish getting Cajunized. I predict my 9mm ammo budget is going to balloon.

 

[Chris in TN]

Another group with the short CZ. It’s a 457 pro varmint, fwiw. Meopta 2-10pa. I only mention the scope because I butterfingered it this morning and it landed on my bench pretty firmly. Didn’t budge. Poi same as yesterday.

So, this is 15 shots with the rifle’s usual can (DAM). I suspect this ammo is just going to do what I expect cheap ammo to do - have fliers. For the price I can happily live with it. I’ve seen individual lots of CCI SV do the same. 1.5” outside but 12/15 in 0.75” at 40 yards. I’m buying another brick while it’s available.

Also, in fairness, shooting groups with the loose rounds that fell out of the box, might not have been the fairest way to assess ammo.

 

[ColPenguin]

I have a bunch of 140 grain FMJ Aguila 6.5 CDMR from when ammo was kind of hard to find. It shoots terrible.

I pulled bullets and weighed the charges to try and troubleshoot it. It was some type of ball powder, and it was between 41.2 - 41.6 grains. So whatever the problem, it's not the powder charge.

When I have decapped these cases, the flash holes are off center and primer pockets are crimped. I have no desire to fuss with the brass after shooting through these.

The bullets have open hole in base where lead was poured into the jacket. The bearing surface on the bullets was all scratched up. So maybe it's either a really crappy soft alloy, or neck tension is just too tight?

After just pulling bullets and reseating this group seemingly tightened up. I didn't take a control group to the range with me today to compare though. As far as I can tell, past problems, are likely some inconsistency with their neck tension or seating.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I made it to the range for three days in a row this week, but none of the sessions was as long as I wanted.

Tuesday, I drove to my old SOT to pick up the Unknown Suppressors OG Prototype 6mm suppressor I got on Black Friday. I forgot my wallet, so I got to drive all the way back home and repeat the trip. On the way back, I stopped off at the range to sight in the stainless Tikka T3X .243 on which it is going to live.

It shoots well and sounds very nice. About like an OG 6.5.

After that, I shot steel with the Tikka T3 at 300 yards. I am focusing hard on drills going from all gear on, rifle in condition 1, scope zeroed out, to building a position and shooting prone over pack or bipod or seated over bipod.

Wednesday, I took the .243 back to the range and used it for positional drills, adding in the timer. I find it very tough to get more than one good shot off in 20 seconds. I am using the .243 for this because I want to get some rounds down the barrel before I start working up a load. And the Hornady factory ammo I have is very mild. It doesn’t shoot insanely well, so I have no reason to save it, but well enough to use for this purpose. And I hope to have the time to test and reload a pile of 116-grain TMKs this weekend.

Today, I shot the Tikka T3 with some of the Frontier 5.56, using the AB Raptor 10 and my new Airlock Nano.

I really like the Nano, but the mirage builds up very quickly and it gets very hot.

 

[Chris in TN]

The wife is out of town, I'm caught up at work, and it was dead calm this morning and I'm still getting to know this new .22lr ammo.

The kids and I shot a bit yesterday (.22s at 175-225 yards) and while we were out I painted my 225-yard barn target. So it was cleanly painted this morning. Or as close as it gets with cheap paint. I took the 24" CZ457 and dialed 28 minutes (this scope maxes out at 29.5 and I try to avoid the very end of travel) and held another 4moa in the reticle - that's the same BC as CCI SV but with the velocity adjusted to match the new ammo, and has worked perfectly thus far.

Anyway, I shot 15 shots with the Scheel's-Federal bulk ammo. Best I can tell, the group was about 3.9moa tall and 1.9moa wide. Given that I observed an ES of 44 to 60 with this ammo the other day, I expected to have 2+ moa of vertical spread over and above my horizontal at 225 yards, so the group was, in my opinion, for ammo of this price, pretty darned excellent. Of course, this is bench shooting, and my actual field position groups will likely be larger, but, the takehome point is, this ammo is a great value, IMO.

I halfway intended to go measure the group (instead of just estimating size using 2moa reticles hashes) but junior walks into the barn and asks if he can shoot a few shots, so, no photos, as the group grew a bit.

I ordered another box of this ammo last night. Two boxes is ~3804 rounds and will last a long time.

 

[Matt5266]

Shot a little 9mm from the staccato, then put the Tikka 223 on steel at 612 yards up in a canyon. Wind was variable and switching often l, wind speed was mostly around 10mph. I was about 23 out of 30 shots on a 12x18 steel silhouette. Good fun

 

[waspocrew]

Working on subsonic 38 Special in a 16” Marlin lever rifle. Using Bullseye and 125 gr plated projectiles, 4 grains of powder netted ~ 1000 fps. That was good enough for me. Came home and loaded 500 rounds. Should be fun, cheap, shooting.

 

[RockAndSage]

Working on subsonic 38 Special in a 16” Marlin lever rifle. Using Bullseye and 125 gr plated projectiles, 4 grains of powder netted ~ 1000 fps. That was good enough for me. Came home and loaded 500 rounds. Should be fun, cheap, shooting.

That's gotta be an absolute blast to shoot. Are you suppressing it too?

 

[waspocrew]

That's gotta be an absolute blast to shoot. Are you suppressing it too?

Yes sir! I bought a SiCo Hybrid 46 a few weeks ago. Way too much fun.

 

[RockAndSage]

View attachment 1050447

The thought just crossed my mind about what an incredibly useful truck-gun that would actually be, especially if a selection of those subs and heavy .357 stuff was kept with it too. Talk about versatile...

 

[waspocrew]

The thought just crossed my mind about what an incredibly useful truck-gun that would actually be, especially if a selection of those subs and heavy .357 stuff was kept with it too. Talk about versatile...

Do it!

 

[justinspicher]

Did a Friday no lights night with the boys. Did a few movement drills between 25-50yds under nods. That’s never not a good time.