Lee Loader

Was looking forward to calling things settled on my Win M94 35-30 with the TLC359-190-RF, the Mini-30 7.62x39 with the TLC313-150-RF, and the M1 30 Carbine with the SC311-122-RF. Everything was a failure.

With the 35-30, I had a compressed load (105%) of H322, and over several months, despite the Factory Crimp, the bullets pushed out enough that they could only be chambered under force. Once I got the bolt closed, I didn't like the force it took, and with a bit of effort I opened the lever and had a bullet stuck in the throat! Durn it, that White Label 2500+ lube is as slick as owl excrement. Got to start over.

I continue to have problems with the Mini-30 shooting to a different point of impact with cast between sessions, a significantly different POI. Can't figure it out. Clean it up and switch to jacketed and no issue, day after day, tight groups with the Speer 123-grain SP. The cast is also going to heck beyond 50 yards. The group MOA is not consistent as the bullet moves down range. Once sighted in, again, this morning the MOA at 100 yards was probably 5. This rifle became a jacketed only rifle today. Just tired of messing with the mess.

The MOA with the 30 Carbine is identical to the Mini; the MOA goes to heck beyond 50 yards. Got to be a bullet stability issue with both. I got the barrel cleaned, and it is back to shooting jacketed. I have 135 Hornady RNSPs left out of 1K, so I ordered some Privi Partizan RNSPs from Graft this morning to see how they will shoot.

The morning was such a disappointment that I went out in the pasture beyond the range and worked.

Are the Mini-30 and 30C crossing the speed of sound at the range the MOA goes away?

Good idea but both are above the speed of supersonic through 300 yards.

Both rifles have been very good with jacketed for the type of rifle they are, inside 1.5 MOA, so cast has a lot to compete with.

I'm too lazy to insist on cast in your situation so like you, I'd just go jacket on.

Hope my AK or the 300BLK AR I'm building will shoot cast to justify the cheap brand new mold I bought.

I have had a few bad range days. Sometimes it is just best to walk away. My experiences with .303 British reloading were disappointing, to say the least.

I had some strange malfunctions with my 1911 pistol that took a while to straighten out, but in the end it has turned into a great gun and I learned a lot along the way. But while I was trying to work out the kinks I had a few "Not Fun" range days.

I took my son with me to shoot my grandfathers Winchester model 12, family heirloom and it would not fire and extract or load reliably, it was very disappointing. Another "Not Fun" range day.

In the end, it makes all the "Good" days better, gives us perspective to appreciate how all the complexities work together and helps us realize how fortunate we really are. "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work" is what they say, it may or may not be true. "A bad day at the range is better than a good day at work" is in the same class. Frustrating as it can be, we choose this recreation and sometimes it is not fun.

We just keep doing it because we love it.Thanks for sharing RD.

Luckily, my bad range days have just been minor faiures. My "bad range days" ar also what I call "bad eye days". I'm not the best shot anymore and occasionally I'm doing good if I can keep all shots on an 8 1/2x11 piece pf paper at 20 yards with my 44s. (I have a record of 1.25" @ 50' with my 44 Magnum Dan Wesson 44H several years ago and often kept my .223 Handi Rifle under 1" @ 75-80 yards). Seems like some days I jes can't see the target...

I had a couple of weeks of groups that were 2 touching and 3 out in space or 5 all over or 3 in 2.5" and 2 off 8" away in opposite directions .......drove me nuts .........
Case weight discovered by emptying an entire stash of GI M2 .

"Seems like some days I jes can't see the target..."

My 72 year old eyes trick me more often even with a scope (at times). Then there are times when shooting off hand I can't seem to get a good hold for the wobbles; time to pack up and try another day!

Worst day I can recall, the Day all four Scope Base Screws sheared off a 444 Marlin..
And the rear Sight Screw broke on a Contender barrel...

The same day...

orerancher wrote:Worst day I can recall, the Day all four Scope Base Screws sheared off a 444 Marlin..
And the rear Sight Screw broke on a Contender barrel...

The same day...

Yep that would do it. So far, you win!!!