| Posted: Fri Feb 4th, 2005 03:15 PM |
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The_Mountaineer
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| Joined: | Fri Feb 4th, 2005 |
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Well seeing as how handloader started this forum, I thought I'd start a thread here.
Seeing as how I recently participated in a 22 caliber shoot, I thought I'd share my findings.
First off, the rifle. This is a factory stock Remington 700 VLS 22-250. Those of you not familiar with this weapon, it is a standard Remington 700 action with a 22 caliber 24 inch bull factory bull barrel. I topped it with Weaver mounts and rings and added a Caldwell sitting bi-pod. My scope of choice - a Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20X AO. Overall, I've been very pleased with this rifle. The trigger did need tuned down a bit from it's stiff factory setting but other than that it's all original.
Loads - Well I initially started off with some 22 cal 55 grn FMJ boat tails. Accuracy was so-so around 1 inch at 100 with three shot groups. I was using Sierra bullets, H-380 powder, Remington virgin brass and Federal match primers. It was mainly a "turkey load" as turkeys can be legally hunted with a centerfire rifle in my home state.
I just wasn't satisifed with the accuracy so I moved on to another bullet. Again, I went with Sierra but this time it was 55 grain Spitzer Boat tails instead of FMJ's. All other components were kept consistent.
It worked! One three shot group center to center measured 0.250 in.! I couldn't believe it so I stuck with that and loaded them up at the magic charge of 36.2 grains of H-380!
The competitive shoot was 3 (10-shot) groups at 100 yards from a bench. The total group size ran from about 0.68 in. to 0.90 in. Very happy with the results. I do believe that this rifle doesn't like more than 5 rapid fire shots and that cleaning after every 15 - 20 rounds will produce the best accuracy as groups tended to open up even from a cool barrel if it wasn't cleaned recently.
So, should anyone be considering this rifle as one to buy, that's my opinion of it.
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Montani Semper Liber - Mountaineers are always free
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| Posted: Fri Feb 4th, 2005 05:00 PM |
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2nd Post |
Gunrunner
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 3rd, 2005 |
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That sounds like a sweet shooting rifle Mountaineer. I'm gonna have to try lowering my charge of H380 from the 38.5gs I've been using down to your 36.2gs and see what happens. I too like the Sierra 55gr spitzer boat tails. Keep up the good shooting.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 4th, 2005 10:58 PM |
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3rd Post |
handload
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| Location: | Somewhere In Cyperspace In The, USA |
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Brad ,sounds like it is a sweet shooter.It oughta be a coyote rifle from hell.:D
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Only accurate rifles are interesting....Colonel Townsend Whelen
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| Posted: Sun Feb 6th, 2005 01:58 AM |
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CB900F
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| Joined: | Sat Feb 5th, 2005 |
| Location: | Lesser Falls, Montana USA |
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Brad;
Don't be surprised when those virgin brass are reloaded again & neck sized, that the groups don't shrink a bit. The brass will be custom to your chamber & SD will probably go down also.
Then the bug will bite. Money will be spent on Redding bushing neck sizer & micrometer seating dies. A tubing micrometer will be purchased, Mitutoyo of course, to determine that neck wall thickness is consistant from case to case. Then the neck reamers, inside & out.
Just take my word, buy stock in Sinclair & be done with it.
900F
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Birth certificate! What birth certificate?
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