Solids

I have used the Barnes 168 grain solids for a while now and played with my loads. Working in a bolt gun is one thing, but working in an M1A is another.

My first try was just substituting the Barnes bullets for the Sierra 168gr HPBT as an even exchange. That didn't work too well.

You have to adjust the over all length of the cartridge to work in the M1A, so loads were changed.
I used IMI Match Brass, CCI primers. My final load for this testing was with IMR 4064, 43 grains. The hundred yard groups were all within a .7" diameter. This was bench rest with sand bags.

I will do more testing in a couple weeks.

Jerry

Solid Bullets

I am currently working on my loads for Barnes. My starting point is from Barnes:

http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/308WinWeb.pdf

I am loading the TSX BT bullets. Ina week or so when the weather is a little more stable, I will go out to my range and see how well I do with this bullets in my M1A. I may cheat with the first 10 rounds and use my scope.

Jerry

Bullets, powder, etc No Aprils Fools

I went over to Caleba at the Highlands in West Virginia, the shelves were bare. Across the parking lot at the only Walmart that I have seen that sells reloading supplies, their shelves were bare.

I was looking for some Blue Dot or similar. I did get some, price was a little higher than I would like, but it supply and demand, mostly demand is out doing the manufactures.

Jerry

Solids Verses Lead Core Bullets

The EPA seems to be making headway in their attempt to get lead out of consumers hands, so I have been experimenting with some Barnes TSX bullets. I have gotten some good crouping with them, but no where near as good as I have gotten out of the Sierra 168 grain HPBT Matchking bullets.

I think I need to tweak my loads a little bit, or maybe try some different bullet weights. I will post my results as they occur this spring.

Here is my starting data from Barnes: http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/308WinWeb.pdf

BTW If you buy Barnes bullets you can get a 6 month free subscription to either Rifle or Handloader Magazines.

Here is the link: http://www.barnesbullets.com/special-offers/

Good Shooting!

Jerry

The Economics of Reloading

I have been an avid reloader for many years, you can see that my loading bench is rather busy most of the time. In all this clutter, I do turn out very accurate ammunition.

To the economics of reloading, we all say that it is cheaper to reload, in most cases it is, some it is not. Over on Ammoguide.com is an Excel Spread Sheet that does the comparison of factory versus reloads.

http://ammoguide.com/

Sign in with the Demo Button, go to the section that says Articles and Downloads. Then go down the page until you see the section that is titled Dwonloads, then click on ReloadingCostAnalysis.xls, you will have the spread sheet.

Hope this helps someone out there,

Jerry

Gun Shows - Februrary 08, 2009

Today, I went to the Gun Show in Cambridge Ohio, It was a small show, not sure of how many tables.

I noticed the lack of case lots or battle packs of ammo. I asked one "dealer" and he said that stuff sold out early and he didn't know how much more he could purchase in the future.

What ammo I could find that I wanted, I just remembered the prices, then I ran into Cambridge to the Walmarts. Walmarts was cheaper for the stuff I was looking for. If you are wondering, I was looking for 12 gauge shot shells, deer slugs and 22 Shorts. I can use them around my farm.

This surprises me greatly, we have traditionally looked to the gunshows for bargains and hard to get stuff. I think that era maybe becoming to a close with what the current administration is pushing.

During the Clinton era, with the ban on rifles like the AR-15 coming close, I was in a gunshop in New Albany, and the owner had just gotten in probably the last batch of Colt AR-15 HBAR in before the Clinton Ban went into effect. The owner was not quoging the customers, so I bought one as did my brother.

I bought mine for serious shooting, not for resale at a higher price. I still have it today and it does shoot very well.


Jerry

Arm Supports

I am getting in the age group that holding a rifle up in a free hand position is becoming more and more difficult. I have a "tennis elbow" that required surgery, so an arm support is something really nice to have when doing free hand shooring.

While cruising the Internet, I found this product:

http://www.kenmarproducts.com/armsupportsystem.htm

For me it seems to work extremely well. I will probably put a leather belt on mine.

Jerry
5 Year ORPA Member
NRA Benefactor Life Member

The 308 Cartridge

Way back when, I went thru boot camp on the M14 rifle. I did very well with it, but later I had to qualify on the M16.

Back to the M14, I have shot many of the Springfield M1A, which we all know that the M1A's roots is the time tested M14. For a while I owned a Chinese PolyTech M14s, it shot at least as well as the one I had in boot camp.

But the cartridge is what I have explored over the years. I have loaded my own with IMR 4064 and with IMR 4895, both have given me excellent results with used with the Sierra Match King 168 HPBT bullets.

I stumbled across this website that has some good information on it, so I thought I would share it with everyone.

http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html

Good Shooting,

Jerry Smith
NRA Benefactor Member

Tumble Lube and Alox

I enjoy shooting my lever action Marlins, I have several and there is a good following for these rifles, a hunter, down in Texas developed molds for bullets that are designed for the Marlin Lever Guns, http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/, he produces some amazing bullets. He is also a wealth of information on many bullet casting methods. Here is his link to "How to Use Alox for Tumble Lubing Bullets"

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,27078.0.html

This is an interesting process for lubing bullets, and it does work. I have cast several thousand bullets and lube them in this fashion.


Jerry
OPRA 5 Year Member
NRA Benefactor Member

For those who build 1911s

My brother passed this along to me, it has how to build a decent 1911 and dealing with 1911 mags. I found it very information.

http://how-i-did-it.org/articles/


Jerry

Now is the time for all....

With the current political climate, it really is time to join ORPA and the NRA.

I have read a lot of posting on the web, from many different forums, as well as political websites. The best thing any one can do is become a part of organization that will help you keep your rights intact, as well as fight to keep services and products at reasonable prices.

I upgraded my NRA membership to Benefactor Life Member, bought an NRA membership for my lady friend, who is Canadian, bought a membership for my son and grand daughters.

There is strength in numbers. If you have a problem with the NRA, talk to the NRA about it, if don't want to join becuase of one aspect of an organization, you are ignoring all of the good things that they have done.

I write my elected officials as a citizen, but I am also a member of the NRA, so I am part of a collective voice.

Let me leave you with this:

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is good for men to do nothing"

This was written by Edmund Burke, and Agent Gibbs on NCIS says this from time to time.

So lets keep aim on our targets,

Jerry