...to put this story on the forum. But I decided a long time ago to post foibles as a 'learning experience' before somebody else makes the same mistake.
I got a new model 5903 that I've been wanting and took it to the range, but haven't been able to hit much with it, figured I needed to check the sights. I've got some 9mm carbines that are fun to shoot but they don't have a lot of range so I reloaded what I call 9mm 'Screamers' that consist of a 95 gr. bullet loaded with 5.2 gr of Red Dot for shooting out to 100 yards. When we went to see my friend in Savannah (to see the Glenn Miller Band, which was GREAT) we also took the obligatory trip to the rifle range. I wanted to see what velocity I got with the Screamers out of my pistol, and was used to just going straight to the chronograph. What I should have done was to check the point of impact on close in target. I've never had a problem because the chrono is only about 10-15 feet away. I shot one time.... BLAM! no reading. I shot again..... BLAM! no reading..... I thought, "It must not be going through the 'gate', so I'll shoot lower. BLAM! I shot the **** out of my chronograph. Display popped right out of the front. It was absolutely stupid but I could only laugh. What I found out was that the sights were way off. I've bought about 20 guns new and used and never had sights that far off.
Moral: Never get in such a hurry that you don't use good sense.
See pictures. New hole in the front and exit wound on the bottom.
PS: I worked on the Novack sights and got it shooting REAL GOOD now. I guess a Chrono is on my Christmas list.
PPS: The 'Screamers' get just under 1700 fps out of a carbine. It's supposed to get 1400 fps out of a 4" barrel, but I won't know until I get a new Chrono, will I?
PPS While I'm here I'll tell another tale. It's more 'ammo' than 'reloading', but it was all in the same range session. My friend got a gun safe from someone and when they opened it there were 5 rifles inside. He said, "I'm sure you want these back." They said, "No, keep 'em." (Lucky stiff) One of them was a .22-250, a notoriously hot round. I found some Hornady 'Varmint' NTX ammo with 35 grain bullets that are advertised at 4450 fps. (Yeah, right, Buddy. Sure.) We shot it through the Chrono and got 4425 fps. Our jaws dropped considerably. They say not to use those too much because they are really rough on barrels. Fortunately we got the numbers BEFORE I shot the dog mess out of my Chrono.
I got a new model 5903 that I've been wanting and took it to the range, but haven't been able to hit much with it, figured I needed to check the sights. I've got some 9mm carbines that are fun to shoot but they don't have a lot of range so I reloaded what I call 9mm 'Screamers' that consist of a 95 gr. bullet loaded with 5.2 gr of Red Dot for shooting out to 100 yards. When we went to see my friend in Savannah (to see the Glenn Miller Band, which was GREAT) we also took the obligatory trip to the rifle range. I wanted to see what velocity I got with the Screamers out of my pistol, and was used to just going straight to the chronograph. What I should have done was to check the point of impact on close in target. I've never had a problem because the chrono is only about 10-15 feet away. I shot one time.... BLAM! no reading. I shot again..... BLAM! no reading..... I thought, "It must not be going through the 'gate', so I'll shoot lower. BLAM! I shot the **** out of my chronograph. Display popped right out of the front. It was absolutely stupid but I could only laugh. What I found out was that the sights were way off. I've bought about 20 guns new and used and never had sights that far off.
Moral: Never get in such a hurry that you don't use good sense.
See pictures. New hole in the front and exit wound on the bottom.
PS: I worked on the Novack sights and got it shooting REAL GOOD now. I guess a Chrono is on my Christmas list.
PPS: The 'Screamers' get just under 1700 fps out of a carbine. It's supposed to get 1400 fps out of a 4" barrel, but I won't know until I get a new Chrono, will I?
PPS While I'm here I'll tell another tale. It's more 'ammo' than 'reloading', but it was all in the same range session. My friend got a gun safe from someone and when they opened it there were 5 rifles inside. He said, "I'm sure you want these back." They said, "No, keep 'em." (Lucky stiff) One of them was a .22-250, a notoriously hot round. I found some Hornady 'Varmint' NTX ammo with 35 grain bullets that are advertised at 4450 fps. (Yeah, right, Buddy. Sure.) We shot it through the Chrono and got 4425 fps. Our jaws dropped considerably. They say not to use those too much because they are really rough on barrels. Fortunately we got the numbers BEFORE I shot the dog mess out of my Chrono.
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