V
VarmintGuy
Guest
Super-Bowl Sunday or not - when I awoke this morning there was NO wind for the first time in exactly 20 days! That is THE longest "to windy to shoot" time period I have experienced since moving here to SW Montana nearly 11 years ago!
I was already "packed" (all gear in the VarmintMobile!) and I threw my clothes on, double checked the equipment list and headed for my nearest range. Not even stopping at the door to argue with the VarmintWife as she "badgered" at me that "it was Super-Bowl Sunday and where was I going"?
There are some things more important than the Super-Bowl!
I did not stop to look at the Mule Deer I drove past, I did not stop to look at the fields full of Geese, I did not stop to look at the Whitetails, I did not stop to look at the Antelope - I drove with haste to my range!
I had 3 (three) Rifles along for testing and sight-in. One was an old Remington 722 in caliber 222 Remington with a Lyman Perma-Center 10 power scope. The other "oldie but goodie" was a Remington 788 in caliber 223 Remington with a Tasco 6x24 variable scope (I hope you don't think less of me for using this Tasco scope - this rig is my designated "give to the Warden" gun, should that need ever arrive!) and the last Rifle was a newer Remington XR-100 in caliber 22-250. This nifty looking XR-100 was temporarily wearing a silver Leupold 36 power BR scope with fine crosshairs! I "robbed" this scope off of one of my Remington 40XB-BR Rifles to do load development with on this new to me Rifle.
I quickly set up in the 17 degree, dead calm air!
First up was the XR-100 in 22-250. I got it onto the paper and dialed in somewhat then fired one 5 shot group at 100 yards. The group measured .590" but four of the five shots measured .283"! Flyer (if it was one?) was right in the middle of the string? Jitters or numb fingers was the only "alibi" I can come up with!
I was using new brass in this load and only fired 10 rounds total - now I have some fire formed brass to really get down to business with! Still I was VERY happy with that 4 shot cluster.
Next I fired my 788 in 223. I was verifying the sight alignment more than anything and testing it for "point of impact change" from the last time I shot it. None noted by the way. This Rifle was new to me this late summer.
The five shot group it made measured a pleasing .707" and was a roundish cluster - no stringing.
Then, I fired for the first time, the new to me Remington 722 in 222 Remington!
I decided to use some handloads in it from another of my 222's and form that brass to the chamber for future load testing.
Well the one five shot group I made with that ammo (Rem. Nickel plated brass, H322 powder, Fed. 205M primers and Nosler 40 gr. Ballistic Tips) shot so well I think I will just duplicate that ammo for this Rifle!
The group measured .626" with 3 of those shots in one hole measuring .205"!
The trigger on this 722 has a noticeable "tick" to it just before pin fall. I knew about this when I bought it and the previous owner said he was so happy with the way the Rifle shot (accuracy wise) he did not want to remove it from its stock to work on the trigger.
I might, after shooting it some more - we'll see.
Of all the 722's and 721's I have owned and shot, over the years, this is the only trigger that I have seen do this "tick" then an ounce more pull later, it discharges!
I mean this "tick" was clearly audible in the absolute quiet and cold today - not just "feelable" like a trigger with creep often displays. The trigger was not mushy at all, it just had this tiny bit of "two stage-itis" might be the best way to describe it?
Anyway it shot well and I put up a couple of orange centered Clay Pigeons out at the 200 yard back stop and "dusted" them easily in the calm air. I now have 15 fireformed cases for this Rifle to double check that loading with.
Just a "super" day at the range here in SW Montana, all in all!
A large "flying Varmint" came within a foot of landing on the 200 yards backstop during my range session - that would have been the last mistake for that nest robber! Lucky for him he decided to abort that landing.
I took more time on the way home to observe the Wildlife and noticed there still is a LOT of calm air here this afternoon. I am hoping to get out tomorrow with fresh loads and fireformed brass for two of those Remingtons.
The "old" Remingtons held up pretty well against the "new" Remington today. Seeings one of the oldies is going on 58 years of age and the other is right around 41 years old, their performance was right on the heels of the year old XR-100!
I do have a strong hunch though, that this XR-100 is gonna give me some groups in the 3's - real soon!
And that would put it in another class from the "oldies"!
It's my policy with new to me Rifles, whether they are "brand new" or "oldies" but new to me, to find an accurate loading with the bullet I intend to use in that Rifle as quickly as possible then shoot them only at Varmints and for sight in verification!
Barrel saver I am, to the extreme.
But that 722 in 222 - well I could have shot Clay Pigeons all day with!
Fun gun that classy old Rifle.
Now for the Super-Bowl - I won't be rooting for either team as my beloved Seahawks have... alas... fallen by the wayside!
Long live Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
I was already "packed" (all gear in the VarmintMobile!) and I threw my clothes on, double checked the equipment list and headed for my nearest range. Not even stopping at the door to argue with the VarmintWife as she "badgered" at me that "it was Super-Bowl Sunday and where was I going"?
There are some things more important than the Super-Bowl!
I did not stop to look at the Mule Deer I drove past, I did not stop to look at the fields full of Geese, I did not stop to look at the Whitetails, I did not stop to look at the Antelope - I drove with haste to my range!
I had 3 (three) Rifles along for testing and sight-in. One was an old Remington 722 in caliber 222 Remington with a Lyman Perma-Center 10 power scope. The other "oldie but goodie" was a Remington 788 in caliber 223 Remington with a Tasco 6x24 variable scope (I hope you don't think less of me for using this Tasco scope - this rig is my designated "give to the Warden" gun, should that need ever arrive!) and the last Rifle was a newer Remington XR-100 in caliber 22-250. This nifty looking XR-100 was temporarily wearing a silver Leupold 36 power BR scope with fine crosshairs! I "robbed" this scope off of one of my Remington 40XB-BR Rifles to do load development with on this new to me Rifle.
I quickly set up in the 17 degree, dead calm air!
First up was the XR-100 in 22-250. I got it onto the paper and dialed in somewhat then fired one 5 shot group at 100 yards. The group measured .590" but four of the five shots measured .283"! Flyer (if it was one?) was right in the middle of the string? Jitters or numb fingers was the only "alibi" I can come up with!
I was using new brass in this load and only fired 10 rounds total - now I have some fire formed brass to really get down to business with! Still I was VERY happy with that 4 shot cluster.
Next I fired my 788 in 223. I was verifying the sight alignment more than anything and testing it for "point of impact change" from the last time I shot it. None noted by the way. This Rifle was new to me this late summer.
The five shot group it made measured a pleasing .707" and was a roundish cluster - no stringing.
Then, I fired for the first time, the new to me Remington 722 in 222 Remington!
I decided to use some handloads in it from another of my 222's and form that brass to the chamber for future load testing.
Well the one five shot group I made with that ammo (Rem. Nickel plated brass, H322 powder, Fed. 205M primers and Nosler 40 gr. Ballistic Tips) shot so well I think I will just duplicate that ammo for this Rifle!
The group measured .626" with 3 of those shots in one hole measuring .205"!
The trigger on this 722 has a noticeable "tick" to it just before pin fall. I knew about this when I bought it and the previous owner said he was so happy with the way the Rifle shot (accuracy wise) he did not want to remove it from its stock to work on the trigger.
I might, after shooting it some more - we'll see.
Of all the 722's and 721's I have owned and shot, over the years, this is the only trigger that I have seen do this "tick" then an ounce more pull later, it discharges!
I mean this "tick" was clearly audible in the absolute quiet and cold today - not just "feelable" like a trigger with creep often displays. The trigger was not mushy at all, it just had this tiny bit of "two stage-itis" might be the best way to describe it?
Anyway it shot well and I put up a couple of orange centered Clay Pigeons out at the 200 yard back stop and "dusted" them easily in the calm air. I now have 15 fireformed cases for this Rifle to double check that loading with.
Just a "super" day at the range here in SW Montana, all in all!
A large "flying Varmint" came within a foot of landing on the 200 yards backstop during my range session - that would have been the last mistake for that nest robber! Lucky for him he decided to abort that landing.
I took more time on the way home to observe the Wildlife and noticed there still is a LOT of calm air here this afternoon. I am hoping to get out tomorrow with fresh loads and fireformed brass for two of those Remingtons.
The "old" Remingtons held up pretty well against the "new" Remington today. Seeings one of the oldies is going on 58 years of age and the other is right around 41 years old, their performance was right on the heels of the year old XR-100!
I do have a strong hunch though, that this XR-100 is gonna give me some groups in the 3's - real soon!
And that would put it in another class from the "oldies"!
It's my policy with new to me Rifles, whether they are "brand new" or "oldies" but new to me, to find an accurate loading with the bullet I intend to use in that Rifle as quickly as possible then shoot them only at Varmints and for sight in verification!
Barrel saver I am, to the extreme.
But that 722 in 222 - well I could have shot Clay Pigeons all day with!
Fun gun that classy old Rifle.
Now for the Super-Bowl - I won't be rooting for either team as my beloved Seahawks have... alas... fallen by the wayside!
Long live Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
