Category: Target Shooting & Marksmanship

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) Before the Test – Make Your Own Ballistics Gel For ballistics testing at home, there are several options. At the time of my Mini-14 tests, I did not have any ClearBallistics gel or other commercial choices. If you want to do this a lot, perhaps buying a kit would be a good investment. I was short of time, so I whipped up some Knox gelatin. It is easy to do, but it takes a little time and patience. If you are going to be doing a lot of testing, you will need …

I requested a sample of the new Springfield Armory Ronin 1911 in 10mm as soon as I heard about it. Still, I had to sit and wait for my sample – this gun, in this caliber, is in great demand! Back in 1988, I owned the only 1911-pattern pistol chambered in 10mm at that time. I ended up selling it, because we just moved back to Oregon, and my wife wasn’t yet working as a teacher and I was on disability from an auto accident – collecting a whopping $125 per week. I thought I’d never own another 10mm in …

(Continued from Part 3.  This concludes the article.) Powder Choices for Reloaders A 140-grain bullet weight is popular for the 6.5×55, because it is the best all-around weight for just about anything this cartridge can do, and do at its best.  For flatter trajectories and for lighter game, decisive kill shots are better with 120 to 123 grain bullets.  However, the 140 grain will likely be the most accurate bullet passed 300 yards.  Top velocities and the greatest accuracy is found with most 140-grain bullets and a maximum charge of RL22. However, RL22 is temperature sensitive and results can disappointing …

(Continued from Part 2.) Reloading for a Chilean Mauser Converted to 7.62 NATO In my experience reloading for another Ludwig Loewe Chilean Mauser, I found good accuracy and top velocities that duplicated some of the most accurate 7.62×51 NATO ammunition using IMR3031 for both 150 and 165 grain bullets. Using military brass, somewhere between 38 to 40 grains of IMR3031 under a 165 to 168 grain bullet, will duplicated the old Navy Match Load.  A maximum of 42 grains of IMR3031 will duplicate 7.62×51 NATO trajectories with good accuracy, and that also happens to be close to where these rifles …

(Continued from Part 1.) Antiques versus Modern, Cartridge Pressures, and Barrel Length The long barrel could be awkward to handle when hunting, yet the long barrel produces higher velocities, as much as 300 feet per second (fps) higher in velocity over carbine length barrels.  This is a very important consideration if the rifle might be used for long-range targets. The higher velocity is also beneficial when using standard soft point ammuntion for game at ranges between 100 and 300 yards, and larger big game inside of 200 yards, such as elk. The 29-inch barrel adds approximately 100 fps over the …

For some background, start by reading JWR’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) article, which is considered a standard Internet reference: The Pre-1899 Antique Guns FAQ. Here is an important quote from that FAQ: Q: What constitutes “antique” under U.S. law? A: Although your State and local laws may vary, any firearm with a frame or receiver that actually made before Jan. 1, 1899 is legally “antique” and not considered a “firearm” under Federal law. This refers to the actual date of manufacture of the receiver/frame, not just model year or patent date marked. (For example, only low serial number Winchester Model …