canoeguy
US Veteran
Finally found a gun/hand load combination that meets my expectations for accuracy and utility at 50 yards. I wanted a rifle and ammuntion combination that could shoot factory 150 grain jacketed bullets and a mild cast lead hand load into the same point of impact/point of aim at 50 yards. This rifle and ammo combination could then be used to shoot small game or deer size game, and have a cheap cast lead bullet for plinking and fun.
I couldn't make this combination work with my Winchester "Ranger" 30/30. It shoots factory 150 grain jacketed bullets OK, 1.5 inches at 50 yards, but I couldn't get enough elevation on the rear sight to get a mild cast lead hand load on paper at 50 yards. There are only three elevation steps on the rear sight, and I am using the midde one to hit POI/POA at 50 yards.
The solution was finding another 30/30 rifle! Bought a Pre-64 Model 94 Winchester the other day, and was able to find enough elevation in the rear sight to get a POI/POA shot with a mild cast lead hand load, 165 grain lead flat point bullet with 9.0 grains Trail Boss powder, 1200 FPS according to my load data. The rear sight on the Pre-64 Model 94 is more robust, has five steps for elevation, and each step raises POI by a greater margin than the Ranger. I read somewhere that the original Winchester Model 94 sights were gradiated for 50-250 yards, in 50 yard increments. This is a much better, user friendly sight...
The below pictured group was shot by me this morning, 50 yards from the prone position, with the rear sight at the highest elevation setting. Almost exactly one inch square.
150 grain jacketed factory ammunition will shoot to the same POI/POA with the rear sight in the second step, so I have found a rifle that will shoot mild cast lead handloads or factory ammunition to the same POI/POA with just an easily remembered rear sight adjustment. I'll write this information down on a card and keep it with the rifle, normally I would tape this sight data to the stock of the rifle, but won't in this case, the rifle is too nice!
I couldn't make this combination work with my Winchester "Ranger" 30/30. It shoots factory 150 grain jacketed bullets OK, 1.5 inches at 50 yards, but I couldn't get enough elevation on the rear sight to get a mild cast lead hand load on paper at 50 yards. There are only three elevation steps on the rear sight, and I am using the midde one to hit POI/POA at 50 yards.
The solution was finding another 30/30 rifle! Bought a Pre-64 Model 94 Winchester the other day, and was able to find enough elevation in the rear sight to get a POI/POA shot with a mild cast lead hand load, 165 grain lead flat point bullet with 9.0 grains Trail Boss powder, 1200 FPS according to my load data. The rear sight on the Pre-64 Model 94 is more robust, has five steps for elevation, and each step raises POI by a greater margin than the Ranger. I read somewhere that the original Winchester Model 94 sights were gradiated for 50-250 yards, in 50 yard increments. This is a much better, user friendly sight...
The below pictured group was shot by me this morning, 50 yards from the prone position, with the rear sight at the highest elevation setting. Almost exactly one inch square.
150 grain jacketed factory ammunition will shoot to the same POI/POA with the rear sight in the second step, so I have found a rifle that will shoot mild cast lead handloads or factory ammunition to the same POI/POA with just an easily remembered rear sight adjustment. I'll write this information down on a card and keep it with the rifle, normally I would tape this sight data to the stock of the rifle, but won't in this case, the rifle is too nice!
