Thread: Mixed results

Try to explain this the best I can.
Only shot at 25m just too see potential before getting further out
One is the long term 270 parker hale, the other an 8x57.
Top targets are aiming at the appropriate crosshair
Bottom ones I was aiming at the very bottom of the vertical line.
Started that way as it gave me the most room in case it was way out and carried on
Did this the other day with 130gr power points in the 270 and it was only marginally better than the ballistic tips.
Ammo used was all factory as follows:
270-hornady precision 145gr eldx, federal 130gr ballistic tips and some unidentified factory Norma ammo.
8x57-geco 180s, Sellier and Bellot 196 and PMC 170s.
Tried the PMCs the other day and weren't too shabby
The brand new Geco stuff is a bit worse but the S+B stuff is very promising.
Only got a 5 or 6 left of that out of some all sorts I got with the rifle. May have to get some more
Tried the Geco at 100m and it was approx a 3" group so pretty much approximates what it was doing at 25.
The 270 is a bit naff really and doesnt like the eldx and BTs. Or really the powerpoint I suppose but it would be nice to know what the Norma stuff is.
Doing this on the phone so the pic may not come out the right way. I'll do it on the puter later if it doesnt work.
Still need a better trigger for the 270 but have a plan for that.

norma is weird stuff....or the older stuff was,the projectiles are either seated really deep or the projectiles are denser so jump to lands,cartridge overall length is much less than anything else.
problem with judging group at 25 yards is this....you arent really trying aiming wise...its only right there,practically at the end of barrel,your form isnt always as good and you get a little bit slack,everything is after all 4 times bigger to look at than at hundred.
your projectiles SHOULD still be a little bit low at 25 yards as havent yet crossed line of sight yet...
as much as I HATE shooting paper,25 yards is only to get me onto paper...has to be confirmed out further,75yards minimum.

rather than trying to do everything at once just pick a round you want to use and see how it goes out to the distances you want to shoot at. if they dont perform then start again with another round. its hard to get a real idea how a bullet or rifle shoots at 25 yards as well. i had a mate who when sighting in his 3006 told me that he just needed to move the scope 95 clicks to the right then hed be good past 100 yards.... turn out that was a bit far off.

All good gents
Not worried about where its hitting, just the groups.
Been accumulating bits for the 270 for a while
Got a bunch of different projectiles for handloading to try and a few part packets cheaper than shop stuff just to see if it liked one more than the other.
The geco 8x57 is a good example. The group at 100 is pretty indicative of the 25 jobbie .
And the 22 ammo other day
The bad stuff was just as worserer at 50 as it was at 25
I can have another crack a week or so from now when I give the 8mm another go.
I may even have a better trigger for it by then too.

@csmiffy use the 270 as a tomato stake, use the 8mm as up to 100m gun, buy a 6.5 and be happy shooting anything. if you can get components.......

Not being funny, but how much full bore sjooting have you done in the last 12 months?

Shooting is a perishable skill.

Greetings @csmiffy,
A few suggestions for you.
First get the bedding of your two rifles checked and re done if needed. One is probably an old war horse and the other has been re barrelled.
Your aiming mark needs to be improved, A felt marker cross, like the ones you are using, can hide behind the scope cross wires so you can't get the same point of aim each time. I use either a hollow square of insulation tape or the NZDA 100 metre targets. You should be able to see white around the cross wires. If you must use a felt marker cross rotate it by 45 degrees like an X so you can see the legs clearly.
Shoot at 100 metres once the rifle is rough zeroed. If your scopes do not have an adjustable focus you will have parallax at 25 metres and if your head side to side the cross wires will move across the target resulting in sighting error.
Finally get someone used to test firing to both shoot one of the rifles and watch you shooting. This can be humbling but could save a lot of ammo. All the best, Just because a rifle is old doesn't mean it can't shoot well if the bedding is good and the nut behind the but is up to it.
Regards Grandpamac.

@Beaker agree got a 264 win mag barrel for one of the P14 sporter projects but not anytime soon lol
@norsk that is a good point and bugger all lately is the answer. The reality is that I've done more in the last 18 months than I used to. that isn't necessarily saying much
243 may not count but was getting 40mmish 5 shot groups last time I had that out. still needs a bit more of a try but with such a light barrel it probably isn't bad. need to stick with 3 and call it
Did a few seasons of small-bore many years ago and very mindful of breathing and trigger control but I do understand what you mean. Back in the day could get the 416 to group under an inch at a hundy. Even with a shit technique I would still think that would show up further away more-so than close
@grandpamac 270 could be a bedding issue for sure on the 270 as I did it and am going to check that out and possibly do it again.
The 8x57 had nothing and was touching in a lot of places. It's a czech Mauser, slightly shorter stepped military barrel in a sporter stock.
The emery tape came out yesterday but more to go. Was hoping it would be passable (and it is sort of with the SB stuff) before I did anything with it but maybe not
Also always used to use insulation tape but was trying to go thinner as an aiming point. The lines I used at 100 were a lot fatter.
That is a good suggestion about squares etc.
@silentscope hear what you mean
Back in the day when I only had the 243 it was whatever ammo I had, read cheapest, quick sight in at the river at 100 usually aiming at something small like a mates ciggy packet and if it got 3 hits where I wanted it was deemed mint.
I've gone way more involved with the 270 project.
Bought heaps of different projectiles to try etc which I thought I'd never do, reloading gear which I said I was never going to do but haven't started that yet
I do have one mate who could help me with checking techniques and probably shooting them for me but coordination might be tricky with my limited weekend days off.
I am heading to the coast to do a hunt with a good friend after easter and he is a very good shot so I can take them all over if I'm happy for a play I reckon
Worst case the 416 is shooting under an inch at present from a mate who had that (bit of a fuck around I ain't happy with and he won't be getting anything again) and see where that's going.
340 woodleigh at 2600 would do the bizzo if i run out of time on the others

Will also add time is a bit of a factor here
Between weather, shifts etc not a lot can happen for quite some time I regards to more target time

Update. Took to the barrel channel on the 8mm and gave it a thin bedding job in readiness to take to the coast.
Managed to take it out for a quick check and it was a little better but still a wee bit big
Mate and I put it across his bag and portable bench combo.
Quite pleasing really. Not a tack driver but quite acceptable for what it is. Not going to over think it
The ammo that I can readily get, the geco and Sellier and Bellot, shot close to but just over 1" 3 shot groups.
My groups similar to my mates so while my gear and method is a bit naff, the shooting bit is passable.
Interesting to see the S+B in a similar spot but a tad higher than the Geco.
If I had to I would be happy to use either without worrying about resighting. Had no more Sellier to try to see what it did out to 200. Its heavier than the Geco as well.
Maybe slightly faster or maybe a little more recoil to lift the POI?
Tiny bit of breeze that could have opened them up a little.
No grizzles from me
Did nothing to the 270 but acquired a parker hale adjustable trigger and a speed lock striker spring to fit and I reckon I'll either rebed it or give it to a friend to redo before going any further. The trigger could be worth a shot on it's own possibly first. See how I go on that one