My range trip
- Thread starter Frankr
- Start date
The Rifle is a work in progress. I’ll get it shooting and all dolled up.
The wind guy lied. Said 1-4 mph with 10 mph gusts. It was more like 8-10 mph with 15-20 mph gust. Ice cold wind. Switching in all directions. I couldn’t even get a decent group. I shot for score. If notice the one top row I did ok. I was like ha. See not impossible, there’s one row. But it would seem more rows was impossible. Well that’s the game. It was too tough to call anything but I think the Rifle will shoot. The only good thing is everyone else was going to have the same problems.
Edit to say. That target was a 242 5X. I lost one shot to a 8. I didn’t show the whole target because I was playing around them last two rows, trying to learn or understand what was happening. At first I was very disappointed in it but after reflecting on it some time. The conditions were really tough.
The wind guy lied. Said 1-4 mph with 10 mph gusts. It was more like 8-10 mph with 15-20 mph gust. Ice cold wind. Switching in all directions. I couldn’t even get a decent group. I shot for score. If notice the one top row I did ok. I was like ha. See not impossible, there’s one row. But it would seem more rows was impossible. Well that’s the game. It was too tough to call anything but I think the Rifle will shoot. The only good thing is everyone else was going to have the same problems.
Edit to say. That target was a 242 5X. I lost one shot to a 8. I didn’t show the whole target because I was playing around them last two rows, trying to learn or understand what was happening. At first I was very disappointed in it but after reflecting on it some time. The conditions were really tough.
Last edited:
Shortly after I was introduced to rfbr I upgraded rifles to a B & the next year a C. Don't think I had flags or a windage adjustable rest then & the best I recall shooting was the low 240's. I sold or traded both those away for "better" equipment but have wondered at times what I could shoot with one now. Looks like yours is pretty good Frank.
Kent Owens
Well-known member
Nice rifle, I like 52's too, Made back when Winchester and America made good stuff!
George Atkins
Active member
LOL, you may have traded them off, but for better, I don’t know
I was trying to get a 40X. When I came across this 52 for what seemed to be a fair price. So I grabbed it. I don’t know, I think you are going to need 245-250 at least a 248 to win that factory class. I have not been able to get that with this rifle so far but conditions were tough. I don’t know you could have done much better with a UL Rifle. So I actually think it will take a lot more shooting and maybe a few matches to know for sure. I have a little Anschutz that shoots way above its pay grade. I need to make a bag rider for it.
Sometimes, And this has been my experience.
You might hit a day where your lot of ammo is just really shooting THAT DAY! And man it’s just shooting in a hole and with little steering on your part you shoot a 250. Then the next time you shoot it and it doesn’t shoot as well and you can’t steer it at all.
You see the same thing with a UL Rifle with a tuner. Although not as much and maybe barely noticeable if you have a Great lot of ammo. So IDK. I been shooting 22’s a long time and been playing shooting BR targets a few years to where I built a UL Rifle because I wanted the most accurate best I could get. While it is extremely accurate I still know nothing.
You might hit a day where your lot of ammo is just really shooting THAT DAY! And man it’s just shooting in a hole and with little steering on your part you shoot a 250. Then the next time you shoot it and it doesn’t shoot as well and you can’t steer it at all.
You see the same thing with a UL Rifle with a tuner. Although not as much and maybe barely noticeable if you have a Great lot of ammo. So IDK. I been shooting 22’s a long time and been playing shooting BR targets a few years to where I built a UL Rifle because I wanted the most accurate best I could get. While it is extremely accurate I still know nothing.
Kent Owens
Well-known member
Finding great ammo has always been a challenge, There are lots of other things going on as well, wind, lighting, and mirage to deal with, to ruin a good target. Best of luck to you, Stay after it!
George Atkins
Active member
Frank, you’re exactly correct. I shoot several target rifles, mostly 52D’s although I have 40X’s and several other well known brands. I even had a couple of custom rifles at one time. Eventually, I sold the custom rifles due to changes at our local clubs getting away from using them.
I been shooting target rifles since 2007, what I have found is, they require a lot more ammo testing, and a lot more practice to achieve the results you’re looking for. It took me a few years to figure out the know how in order to be competitive in BR competition. Now when I go to sanctioned BR matches with on of my 52D’s I don’t feel like I am at a huge disadvantage equipment wise. My equipment is rather simple, rifle, bipod. rear bag, range bag and ammo. I have shot multiple 250’s and a few 750’s in IR matches and a few 2200-2400’s in ARA, but I confess my ARA scores are lack luster at times, usually around a 2100 or so agg.
All I can tell you is to hang with it, if you feel your not getting any better with what your using, look for a different and hopefully better rifle. I lucked out on the first two 52’s I bought. The first was a 52D, my scores picked up dramatically over the rifles I was using, Kimber 82G and an H&R M12. My second one was a 52E another good shooting rifle. Bought a couple of other 52D’s and while they shot good, they were not good enough. Later I bought another 52D. It was an unmarked CMP rifle. It was well worn, butt ugly stock, but it was too cheap to pass on. It shoots fantastic. A couple of years ago, I shot a 1499-114X at Piney Hill during a special money match.
I have had a couple of 52C’s and they acted like what your talking about, great one trip, no so well the next. I blame it on the barrel band. It’s adjustable, but finicky. If I had another one, I would take it off and try it. JMO
I been shooting target rifles since 2007, what I have found is, they require a lot more ammo testing, and a lot more practice to achieve the results you’re looking for. It took me a few years to figure out the know how in order to be competitive in BR competition. Now when I go to sanctioned BR matches with on of my 52D’s I don’t feel like I am at a huge disadvantage equipment wise. My equipment is rather simple, rifle, bipod. rear bag, range bag and ammo. I have shot multiple 250’s and a few 750’s in IR matches and a few 2200-2400’s in ARA, but I confess my ARA scores are lack luster at times, usually around a 2100 or so agg.
All I can tell you is to hang with it, if you feel your not getting any better with what your using, look for a different and hopefully better rifle. I lucked out on the first two 52’s I bought. The first was a 52D, my scores picked up dramatically over the rifles I was using, Kimber 82G and an H&R M12. My second one was a 52E another good shooting rifle. Bought a couple of other 52D’s and while they shot good, they were not good enough. Later I bought another 52D. It was an unmarked CMP rifle. It was well worn, butt ugly stock, but it was too cheap to pass on. It shoots fantastic. A couple of years ago, I shot a 1499-114X at Piney Hill during a special money match.
I have had a couple of 52C’s and they acted like what your talking about, great one trip, no so well the next. I blame it on the barrel band. It’s adjustable, but finicky. If I had another one, I would take it off and try it. JMO
Thanks. Well this Rifle was not original or unmolested. So it needed bedded. So bedded, no barrel band. Trigger had been modified reworked. Feels good. No I think it shot well. But unsure if it will be good enough. But I’m refinishing the stock. I did some touch up rust bluing. Where you start to rust then card off. Oil to turn black. You would have to read Brownells complete guide to metal finishing. But once it’s done it hopefully will shoot well enough and will be just a beautiful looking Rifle. I have done some but it’s not completely finished yet.