Over the last two Sunday's I have managed to get some of the replacement rifles for those stolen earlier this year down to the range for signting in and test firing.
Last weekend it was the .22's turn. Today it was centre fire ones. Some good, some bad, and some great results even though I was confined to our 50 meter range.
Rimfire rifles.
First up was the Chinese Norinco JW15, a copy of the CZ Brno #1 and replacement for my well used, but well looked after, Brno #2.
Firstly, the Norinco is definately not a CZ Brno in anything but looks and operation. When I first got this and the other rifles home it was wearing a lower but reasonably priced 4 X 40 scope. I replaced it (more on that shortly) with a 3-9 X 40 variable, but not before finding our that with the lens covers on the 4 X 40, I could not insert the bolt (no clearance).
Once the 3-9 was installed inserting and removing the bolt was impossible as it was hitting the lower rim of the scope lens, so I got my hands on a single bridge mount with slightly more clearance. roblem solved!
Once on the firing line the differences between the Norinco and Brno became more apparent. I had bought the Brnu second hand in the early '90's. It was smooth and slick and easy to work the bolt. The Norinco? Not a patch on the older gun.
The bolt was stiff and initally hard to operate. Even today, replacing the bolt for photos, it was clearly in need of some lapping compound.
Accuracy wise, the rifle was not too bad. After first sighting in at 25 meters I set a second target on the 50 m line and was soon placing three rounds in the 10 ring of an ISSU 25/50 target in a small (about 1") triangle off an improved rest.
Next up it was the turn of the Henry .22 rimfire. This was a replacement for my cheaper Chiappa. I had considered turning the Chiappa in during last years buyback (it had a 15 round tube magazine so was "prohibited") and using the funds to buy a Henry, but ended up having the magazine capacity reduced instead. While the Chiappa was a nice little lever action rimfire (it was also a takedown version) the Henry was better.
I had purchased a 3 - 9 variable which was too large and heavy for the Henry so instead mounted the 4 X 40 from the Norinco. This one was a little harder to sight in at 25 meters. It took mne quite some time to zero the scope, but when I finally got it right it was amazing to shoot. Lightweight, with a slick action and very nice trigger, I soon had it placing 3 rounds in the 10 ring at 50 meters.
I came home last Sunday very pleased.
The centrefire's
Today it was the turn for two centrefire rifles to take a drive out to the range. First up was the Howa short action 1500 in .223. A replacement for the stolen Henry Long Ranger in the same calibre I bought last year, I first replaced the 3 - 9 X 40 variable scope it came with (which then ended up on the Norinco .22) with a slightly larger and better one of the same type.
Despite being "zeroed" with a bore laser, the first three round didn't hit the paper at 25 meters. I resorted to bore sighting and soon had the rifle hitting the 10 ring at 25 meters. Moving back to 50 meters the first shots were a bit high and left, but soon came back to zero, with two of the last three rounds overlapping and the third a little further away. I discoverred that my reloading setup will need some adjustment. There was some shoulder pushback indicating the sizing die needs backing out a little. Once I relaod the empty cases i will chronograph them and check sight zero again.
My brother has a Howa 1500 in 7.62 X 39. He loves the feel of the action and he replaced his Mini 14 after the buyback with a Norinco .223, which he has just resold intending to buy another .223 Howa. The action on mine is silky smooth and a few times I thought I had not picked up the next cartridge on the bolt travel as it seemed so light to operate.
The Howa comes with a 10 round box magazine. It is plastic and, in the shed, does not drop clear easily when the release is operated. For a rifle that will eventually be turned into an action shooting one I will need to find some way of adding some weight to allow the magazine to drop free. Today that did not cause any issues, but the baseplate lug came out of the securing hole at one point and it needed to be pushed back into place. Hmm.... something to keep and eye on in the future.
Finally it was time to sight in my Uberti '92 rifle in 45 Colt. This has the 24" heavy octagonal barrel and a brass bead front sight.
My first three rounds went 'click', 'click', 'click'. Picking the rounds up off the floor I saw no primer indentation. What was going on?
I was about to pack up the rifle and take it to my local 'smith when I rememebred the pesky safety catch just in front of the hammer. Sure enough it was set to the green "S" mark. Turning the catch to the red "F" position I reloaded and tried again.
At 25 meters it was shooting a little low, so I raised the rear sight. Laterally the bullets were impacting either side of the target centreline.
Back out at 50 meters the front sight actually covered the whole of the targets's black centre. Deciding to use this as a sight picture I fired three rounds, all hitting high.
Eventually I lowered the rear sight again and useing the POA/POI sight picture soon had three of my 230 gn reloads hitting each target, 25 and 50 meters, in the black part.
I am not sure how much longer the Henry .22 will carry the scope. I think this may well turn out to be a fun 'speed' gun for use on the range with open sights. It just depends on how the Norinco shoots in with a couple of 500 round bricks. If the action smoothes up a bit (okay a lot) it may become my bunny buster. If it doesn't the Henry will retain the scope and fill that niche.
The Howa will become my goat rifle and, once I can get a pistol grip stock, my IPSC play rifle.
As for the Uberti, well when is the next CAS day at my club?
Last weekend it was the .22's turn. Today it was centre fire ones. Some good, some bad, and some great results even though I was confined to our 50 meter range.
Rimfire rifles.
First up was the Chinese Norinco JW15, a copy of the CZ Brno #1 and replacement for my well used, but well looked after, Brno #2.
Firstly, the Norinco is definately not a CZ Brno in anything but looks and operation. When I first got this and the other rifles home it was wearing a lower but reasonably priced 4 X 40 scope. I replaced it (more on that shortly) with a 3-9 X 40 variable, but not before finding our that with the lens covers on the 4 X 40, I could not insert the bolt (no clearance).
Once the 3-9 was installed inserting and removing the bolt was impossible as it was hitting the lower rim of the scope lens, so I got my hands on a single bridge mount with slightly more clearance. roblem solved!
Once on the firing line the differences between the Norinco and Brno became more apparent. I had bought the Brnu second hand in the early '90's. It was smooth and slick and easy to work the bolt. The Norinco? Not a patch on the older gun.
The bolt was stiff and initally hard to operate. Even today, replacing the bolt for photos, it was clearly in need of some lapping compound.
Accuracy wise, the rifle was not too bad. After first sighting in at 25 meters I set a second target on the 50 m line and was soon placing three rounds in the 10 ring of an ISSU 25/50 target in a small (about 1") triangle off an improved rest.
Next up it was the turn of the Henry .22 rimfire. This was a replacement for my cheaper Chiappa. I had considered turning the Chiappa in during last years buyback (it had a 15 round tube magazine so was "prohibited") and using the funds to buy a Henry, but ended up having the magazine capacity reduced instead. While the Chiappa was a nice little lever action rimfire (it was also a takedown version) the Henry was better.
I had purchased a 3 - 9 variable which was too large and heavy for the Henry so instead mounted the 4 X 40 from the Norinco. This one was a little harder to sight in at 25 meters. It took mne quite some time to zero the scope, but when I finally got it right it was amazing to shoot. Lightweight, with a slick action and very nice trigger, I soon had it placing 3 rounds in the 10 ring at 50 meters.
I came home last Sunday very pleased.
The centrefire's
Today it was the turn for two centrefire rifles to take a drive out to the range. First up was the Howa short action 1500 in .223. A replacement for the stolen Henry Long Ranger in the same calibre I bought last year, I first replaced the 3 - 9 X 40 variable scope it came with (which then ended up on the Norinco .22) with a slightly larger and better one of the same type.
Despite being "zeroed" with a bore laser, the first three round didn't hit the paper at 25 meters. I resorted to bore sighting and soon had the rifle hitting the 10 ring at 25 meters. Moving back to 50 meters the first shots were a bit high and left, but soon came back to zero, with two of the last three rounds overlapping and the third a little further away. I discoverred that my reloading setup will need some adjustment. There was some shoulder pushback indicating the sizing die needs backing out a little. Once I relaod the empty cases i will chronograph them and check sight zero again.
My brother has a Howa 1500 in 7.62 X 39. He loves the feel of the action and he replaced his Mini 14 after the buyback with a Norinco .223, which he has just resold intending to buy another .223 Howa. The action on mine is silky smooth and a few times I thought I had not picked up the next cartridge on the bolt travel as it seemed so light to operate.
The Howa comes with a 10 round box magazine. It is plastic and, in the shed, does not drop clear easily when the release is operated. For a rifle that will eventually be turned into an action shooting one I will need to find some way of adding some weight to allow the magazine to drop free. Today that did not cause any issues, but the baseplate lug came out of the securing hole at one point and it needed to be pushed back into place. Hmm.... something to keep and eye on in the future.
Finally it was time to sight in my Uberti '92 rifle in 45 Colt. This has the 24" heavy octagonal barrel and a brass bead front sight.
My first three rounds went 'click', 'click', 'click'. Picking the rounds up off the floor I saw no primer indentation. What was going on?
I was about to pack up the rifle and take it to my local 'smith when I rememebred the pesky safety catch just in front of the hammer. Sure enough it was set to the green "S" mark. Turning the catch to the red "F" position I reloaded and tried again.
At 25 meters it was shooting a little low, so I raised the rear sight. Laterally the bullets were impacting either side of the target centreline.
Back out at 50 meters the front sight actually covered the whole of the targets's black centre. Deciding to use this as a sight picture I fired three rounds, all hitting high.
Eventually I lowered the rear sight again and useing the POA/POI sight picture soon had three of my 230 gn reloads hitting each target, 25 and 50 meters, in the black part.
I am not sure how much longer the Henry .22 will carry the scope. I think this may well turn out to be a fun 'speed' gun for use on the range with open sights. It just depends on how the Norinco shoots in with a couple of 500 round bricks. If the action smoothes up a bit (okay a lot) it may become my bunny buster. If it doesn't the Henry will retain the scope and fill that niche.
The Howa will become my goat rifle and, once I can get a pistol grip stock, my IPSC play rifle.
As for the Uberti, well when is the next CAS day at my club?
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