Re: First Vintage precision rifle
My overtime got cancelled yesterday so I decided to spend some time at the range testing some handloads for my 1903A1. When I got to my club I was told that there was an event this weekend and I had about 30 minutes to do my shooting before they filled the range with campers and vendors.
It was not the type of circumstances I wanted to test my handloads under but I went with what I had.
The target was my last of three loads, each with 27 rounds (3 rounds from each group used as sighters to give me an average zero - my thought was to shoot for groups not bullseyes but I wanted to be near my aim point). Shot in order - Varget, 4064 and 4895. There were three bullet types in the mix - all 168 grn - SMK, AMAX, and Hornady BTHP. My earlier testing in other rifles showed me that the bullets were not a variable they all seemed to shoot the same in my testing so I decided to shoot these loads as a larger group hoping to better gauge what my powders were doing.
I'm pretty happy 27 rounds all in black from 200 yards with a sling in the prone under minor stress with a very hot gun. The ladder sights and hair thin front sight on an 03 are not the most compatible with my eyes.
The other two loads didnt group so well but this 03A1 like this load of IMR 4895.
The rifle I shot it with is the top of these three
I'm hoping to find one good load that will work with all three.
PS - Not trying to hijack here, just giving an example that the old guns will shoot.