Took the old (1905) Marlin 1894 to the Happenz and kept it busy the whole weekend.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Marlin 1894 at 600 yards
Drew, you are correct. Those 32-20's are big time overachievers. What a great caliber!
Took the old (1905) Marlin 1894 to the Happenz and kept it busy the whole weekend.
Took the old (1905) Marlin 1894 to the Happenz and kept it busy the whole weekend.
2012 Happenz
Had a great time at this year's Happenz. Met some great folks, ate well, shot a bunch of dingers and milk jugs. GREAT fun.
RockRidge at 400 yards
Rock Ridge and Rowdy at 600 yards
RockRidge at 400 yards
Rock Ridge and Rowdy at 600 yards
Saturday, June 30, 2012
More VINTAGE 1894 video
One hundred and eighteen years old - an 1894 built in 1894 - still on the job and doing it with style.
And some of the highlights from the match.
And some of the highlights from the match.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Marlin 1894 - A New Chapter in an old Book
I have the good fortune to be in possession of a 107 year old Marlin 1894. I know little of its history other than the fact that it came to me from North Carolina via a consignment sale and it was obviously well (ab)used, though the mystery itself does add to the intrigue and desirability of this rifle.
Who owned it? How was it used? Where has it been?
Its configuration is very appealing to me - rifle sized, yet relatively light weight; 24" octagonal barrel; chambered in 32-20 Winchester... Near perfect in my eye.
For the time it is in my possession it will get some use as the "ranch rifle," the silhouette slayer, the dinger ringer, the critter gitter and the headliner in my safe.
It is proving to be an excellent shooter. The velocity sweetspots seem to be 1350-1400 fps (Unique, 2400) and right around 1,000 fps (W231) Impressive accuracy and a joy to shoot. Both 100 and 115 grain cast bullets are showing great promise.
Who owned it? How was it used? Where has it been?
Its configuration is very appealing to me - rifle sized, yet relatively light weight; 24" octagonal barrel; chambered in 32-20 Winchester... Near perfect in my eye.
For the time it is in my possession it will get some use as the "ranch rifle," the silhouette slayer, the dinger ringer, the critter gitter and the headliner in my safe.
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| 107 years old |
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| The standard of a rifle's handiness is defined by a levergun. This one simply shines. |
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| A great day in a perfect venue. |
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| The last time out the ol' 1894 tipped 31 targets over including a sweep of the pigs. The nut behind the trigger is to blame for the 9 left standing. |
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Ruger 10/22 Takedown
There are few rifles more ubiquitous than the Ruger 10/22. I've owned a number of them over the years but never held onto them for very long for one reason or another. They are endlessly customizable which adds to the fun and can lead to impressive accuracy.
The new Ruger 10/22 Takedown intrigued me enough to throw down the credit card and take one home. So far I'm impressed. The takedown system is the easiest to use of any I've come across - no tools required. The lock up is solid and the rifle functions reliably and in my limited testing the zero has held after several dis- and re-assemblies.
I will be installing a peep sight and I will test the repeatability of the zero when the rear and front sights are on different halves.
Accuracy is about the same as every other 10/22 I've owned - good, not great. The trigger is rather heavy and I've only tried the cheap bulk pack ammo through it which is unlikely to produce stellar accuracy, though it has performed reliably through the rifle.
I'm not a big fan of synthetic stocks but the 10/22 TD's stock is better than most I've come across. It has a nice heft and looks like it would handle rough conditions well. It also makes sense on a rifle that is likely to be stowed in a vehicle and/or neglected until needed.
The niche I see for this rifle is as a "truck gun." It's inexpensive, low maintenance, reliable, compact and versatile. The 22 is a notorious overachiever and when pressed can handle big jobs. It can easily be customized to suit the user and his needs. Ammo is inexpensive and easily carried.
I expect this 10/22 is one I'll keep. Nice going Ruger (again).
The new Ruger 10/22 Takedown intrigued me enough to throw down the credit card and take one home. So far I'm impressed. The takedown system is the easiest to use of any I've come across - no tools required. The lock up is solid and the rifle functions reliably and in my limited testing the zero has held after several dis- and re-assemblies.
I will be installing a peep sight and I will test the repeatability of the zero when the rear and front sights are on different halves.
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| Ruger 10/22 TD and the Marlin 39 Century Limited |
Accuracy is about the same as every other 10/22 I've owned - good, not great. The trigger is rather heavy and I've only tried the cheap bulk pack ammo through it which is unlikely to produce stellar accuracy, though it has performed reliably through the rifle.
I'm not a big fan of synthetic stocks but the 10/22 TD's stock is better than most I've come across. It has a nice heft and looks like it would handle rough conditions well. It also makes sense on a rifle that is likely to be stowed in a vehicle and/or neglected until needed.
The niche I see for this rifle is as a "truck gun." It's inexpensive, low maintenance, reliable, compact and versatile. The 22 is a notorious overachiever and when pressed can handle big jobs. It can easily be customized to suit the user and his needs. Ammo is inexpensive and easily carried.
I expect this 10/22 is one I'll keep. Nice going Ruger (again).
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
M&P 45C and the XGRIP
The XGRIP arrived today.
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| XGRIP with 10 round magazine |
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| XGRIP with 14 round Magazine |
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| 45C with XGRIP and Full Size comparison |
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I've been purchasing magazines and the XGRIP from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/index.php GREAT SERVICE and Pricing!
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Tuesday, January 03, 2012
M&P 45 Magazines
M&P 45 Magazines are available with 8 (compact), 10 & 14 round capacities.
I purchased two more - a 10 and a 14 - from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/ which I've found to have great selection, very competitive pricing and OUTSTANDING rapid service.
The 14 round magazine has a permanently attached grip extension that my wife and I both found to be very comfortable when shooting with two hands and seems to further mitigate recoil due to increased leverage. This is something I will be testing further.
So far the function seems to be fine though I need to test more to be confident in that. The 14th round is a bearcat to load. I'm certain some will require a loading device. Inserting a fully loaded magazine into the pistol with the slide in battery (as with a tactical reload) it requires a firm tap to fully seat the magazine. There does seem to be an increased drag when working the action with a full mag on the first round and the next 13 feed more easily. It will take some testing to convince me this is 100% reliable - though so far, so good.
The 14 round magazine seems to be a very nice option for a home defense situation. It would probably serve well as a secondary magazine when in the field or for competitions when capacity isn't limited.
I purchased two more - a 10 and a 14 - from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/ which I've found to have great selection, very competitive pricing and OUTSTANDING rapid service.
So far the function seems to be fine though I need to test more to be confident in that. The 14th round is a bearcat to load. I'm certain some will require a loading device. Inserting a fully loaded magazine into the pistol with the slide in battery (as with a tactical reload) it requires a firm tap to fully seat the magazine. There does seem to be an increased drag when working the action with a full mag on the first round and the next 13 feed more easily. It will take some testing to convince me this is 100% reliable - though so far, so good.
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| 14 round mag - Empty |
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| 14 round mag - loaded |
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| Fully loaded Mag weight - 15.1 ounces |
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| Empty Mag weight - 4.7 ounces |
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| 10 round Mag weight - empty, 3 ounces |
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| Fully loaded 10 round mag weight - 10.5 ounces |
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| The 10 & 14 round magazine will fit and function in the 45 Compact. 14 round magazine shown. |
The 14 round magazine seems to be a very nice option for a home defense situation. It would probably serve well as a secondary magazine when in the field or for competitions when capacity isn't limited.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
4.2" SP101 in .357
The problem with Ruger is they keep making guns I want. When they recently offered the SP101 in a 4.2" version I got a call from my gun monger that he had one with my name on it...
The 2.25" SP101 is a frequent CCW for me, especially when something small will do. It is a fantastic gun and even with the fixed sights hitting a sheet of paper at 50 yards is easy and most of them will be inside the 4" bullseye. So, when I got the call that he had one available, I had no willpower at all to resist.
The 4.2" SP101 did appeal to me as a top candidate for the "Perfect Packing Pistol" (3P) and felt it was my duty to test that. As we all know it isn't about finding the 3P, it's all about the quest.
One of the things that strikes me right off about the new Ruger is what a great package it is. The 357 and the SP101 are a fine match. There are a number of 357 revolvers out there that are big guns. I owned a 357 Blackhawk for a while and it always seemed incongruent to me. I want a big cartridge in a big gun - the 45 Colt in a Blackhawk is delightful to handle, shoot and carry. The 32 H&R magnum in a Ruger Single Six is another perfect match of cartridge and revolver and the new SP101 has that same magic.
Another early impression I had was how much better this revolver looks in person than it does in the pictures. It's a hansom piece. The wood grip panels are very attractive.
The new SP101 feels light in my hand and is just big enough that touching off a 357 round still sounds like fun. The adjustable sights are very good and I even like the green dot shrouded on the front sight post, the squared edges still very visible and easy to align for those of us accustomed to that sight picture on our Blackhawks and Single Sixes. One click to the right and mine was shooting POA = POI with 38 spl loads and just a bit high for 357.
At the range I was even more impressed with the 4.2" SP101. The sights are a big improvement over the fixed sighted versions. The extra barrel length added about 70 fps to the 38 special loads (158 grain cast WFN over enough Bullseye to get 765 fps) but only about 30 fps with the 357 loads (158 gr, pushed to 1125 fps with Bullseye). Both loads shot very well.
With the longer barrel I will try some powders with slower burn rates and see how they perform. Lil'gun will generally produced some impressive velocity and good accuracy when I've tried it.
I see this revolver as a near ideal for an evening stroll along the lake shore or for a scouting trip, checking the game cameras, walking the fence lines and any other outdoor venture where an easy carrying and capable revolver could come in handy. Toss a box of 38 special rounds in your pack and take advantage of unplanned plinking opportunities or making some camp meat if legal to do so in your area. An extra speed strip or two of 357 will handle the vast majority of heavy lifting that one might need to address.
The beauty of this revolver is that it's small and lightweight enough to come along, yet big enough to get the job done.
The 2.25" SP101 is a frequent CCW for me, especially when something small will do. It is a fantastic gun and even with the fixed sights hitting a sheet of paper at 50 yards is easy and most of them will be inside the 4" bullseye. So, when I got the call that he had one available, I had no willpower at all to resist.
The 4.2" SP101 did appeal to me as a top candidate for the "Perfect Packing Pistol" (3P) and felt it was my duty to test that. As we all know it isn't about finding the 3P, it's all about the quest.
One of the things that strikes me right off about the new Ruger is what a great package it is. The 357 and the SP101 are a fine match. There are a number of 357 revolvers out there that are big guns. I owned a 357 Blackhawk for a while and it always seemed incongruent to me. I want a big cartridge in a big gun - the 45 Colt in a Blackhawk is delightful to handle, shoot and carry. The 32 H&R magnum in a Ruger Single Six is another perfect match of cartridge and revolver and the new SP101 has that same magic.
Another early impression I had was how much better this revolver looks in person than it does in the pictures. It's a hansom piece. The wood grip panels are very attractive.
The new SP101 feels light in my hand and is just big enough that touching off a 357 round still sounds like fun. The adjustable sights are very good and I even like the green dot shrouded on the front sight post, the squared edges still very visible and easy to align for those of us accustomed to that sight picture on our Blackhawks and Single Sixes. One click to the right and mine was shooting POA = POI with 38 spl loads and just a bit high for 357.
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| A cylinder's worth, offhand, single action. |
With the longer barrel I will try some powders with slower burn rates and see how they perform. Lil'gun will generally produced some impressive velocity and good accuracy when I've tried it.
I see this revolver as a near ideal for an evening stroll along the lake shore or for a scouting trip, checking the game cameras, walking the fence lines and any other outdoor venture where an easy carrying and capable revolver could come in handy. Toss a box of 38 special rounds in your pack and take advantage of unplanned plinking opportunities or making some camp meat if legal to do so in your area. An extra speed strip or two of 357 will handle the vast majority of heavy lifting that one might need to address.
The beauty of this revolver is that it's small and lightweight enough to come along, yet big enough to get the job done.
M&P 45 & 45C comparison
I happened onto another S&W M&P45 recently and since I had the money, I bought it...
The 45C has been such a good performer that I've managed to overcome my bias against soulless polymer pistols - or at least the Smith & Wesson M&P series. I love the look and feel of a 1911 and still own a few of em (and I have the Ruger SR1911 on order since last Spring...) but one cannot deny the practicality, capacity, lightweight, reliability and accuracy of the many polymer offerings available to us today.
My first impressions of the full size M&P 45 were how light it feels in the hand for its size - which ir roughly equal to a typical 5" 1911. I was also favorably impressed by the comfort of the grip - the extra .415" over the 45C makes a difference. It also has that narrow feel of the 1911 even though it is a double stack magazine. It does point nicely though I like the grip angle better on the 1911.
The weight difference between the 45 and the 45C is slight, less than two ounces. It is more noticeable when compared to a 1911, even with a fully loaded (10) magazine it still feels lighter than a loaded (7) 1911.
Field stripping is very easy with these pistols and does NOT require tools to do so.
Over the chronograph the full sized M&P 45 does produce a little more velocity for the loads I've tested - generally between 25 and 50 fps greater.
My first impressions of the full size M&P 45 were how light it feels in the hand for its size - which ir roughly equal to a typical 5" 1911. I was also favorably impressed by the comfort of the grip - the extra .415" over the 45C makes a difference. It also has that narrow feel of the 1911 even though it is a double stack magazine. It does point nicely though I like the grip angle better on the 1911.
The weight difference between the 45 and the 45C is slight, less than two ounces. It is more noticeable when compared to a 1911, even with a fully loaded (10) magazine it still feels lighter than a loaded (7) 1911.
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| Unloaded weight |
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| Unloaded Weight of 45C |
Field stripping is very easy with these pistols and does NOT require tools to do so.
Over the chronograph the full sized M&P 45 does produce a little more velocity for the loads I've tested - generally between 25 and 50 fps greater.
Both pistols shoot point of aim = point of impact straight out of the box with 230 grain ammo at 7-10 yards. Some old (1964) match 230 grain FMJ ammo I have averaged 885 fps and was the most accurate of the ammo I've tested so far. Like the 45C the 45 seems to digest and fire everything I feed it, from cast SWC and WFN to JHP and FMJ.
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| The 10 round Magazine in the 45C. I believe XGrips will be offering an extension for this pistol/mag combination. |
The 45 will fit and can be drawn from the holster I carry the 45C in. The muzzle protrudes slightly but it does not snag.
I don't plan to carry this pistol concealed very often so I'll be on the hunt for a field holster. Paired up with my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle the M&P 45 would be nice to have along during the Zombie Apocalypse for close range work when speed and capacity are needed. In reality though it's nice to have a number of choices in a spice of life sort of way.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
30 Caliber Versatility and the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle
Among the virtues of manually run rifles - Pumps, Bolts and Levers - is their ability to function normally with a wide variety of ammunition. Light and heavy, super and subsonic, jacketed and cast, economical and premium, reloads and store bought... and in the case of non-tubular magazine fed guns, pointy, flat point and round nose bullets too.
The 308 Winchester in an easily customizable platform such as the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is a fine match of rifle and cartridge and I believe lives up to Ruger's claim of "The one rifle to have if you could have only one."
Equipped with the Ruger Gunsite Scout a hunter could take to the field with loads suitible for both big and small game.
A subsonic lightweight cast bullet or .314" buckshot will cleanly harvest game such as Grouse without destroying the delicious meat. The load I like best for this purpose is the Lyman 311008 over a small amount of Winchester 231. It is accurate, inexpensive and quiet to shoot.
Another subsonic load that has proven to be very accurate in my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is the Lyman 311284 (~210 grains). Pushed to almost 1,000 fps it is very accurate and hard hitting making it useful for steel targets and control of larger vermin species. The bullet also performs very well at supersonic velocities and my favorite load for this is using Unique to propel it to 1350 fps.
The Lyman 311334 (~190 grains) has proven itself in several of my 30 caliber bolt action rifles. It also shines in the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle when pushed to 1900 fps with SR4759. This makes an ideal load for inexpensive practice where high repetitions are required. Rather than spending $0.50/shot for cheap jacketed ammunition you can shoot these for less than half that and reduce barrel wear. Though the velocity is 300-600 fps lower than your typical 308 jacketed bullet ammunition it will perform at long range, perhaps even better.
For hunting loads I've had excellent results with 165 grain JSP bullets over the max (Hodgdon) published data for IMR 3031. In the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle it is both accurate (1 MOA or better) and achieves the highest velocity, 2573 fps in my Rifle. Varget and IMR 4064 have both produced excellent groups in my GSR too but fell short of the velocity produced with the IMR 3031. With all the rifle powders I've tested I've found that the best performance in the GSR is at or near the max published data (ALWAYS double check data and work up incrementally!!), it seems happiest when velocities reach 2500 fps or better with 165 grain jacketed bullets and around 2700 fps with 150 grain jacketed bullets.
I will be testing IMR 4895 and Winchester 748 under a variety of Jacketed bullets as I've seen a number or impressive results from other GSR owners. The Hornady 150gr SST has produced some notable results at 500 yards and has me especially intrigued.
After 11 months of ownership of a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle I like it even better than I expected. It has impressed me in the field and at the range. With the introduction of the Polymer magazines it has improved field-ability of the rifle even more making it easier to carry and operate as well as superior weather resistance.
What the rifle lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in functionality. I believe Ruger really thought this one through and made the comprises that made the most sense. The only improvement I'm really considering is a rear sight that can be adjusted without tools and possibly a finer more visible front sight.
If I really only could have one rifle, the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle would serve me well.
The 308 Winchester in an easily customizable platform such as the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is a fine match of rifle and cartridge and I believe lives up to Ruger's claim of "The one rifle to have if you could have only one."
Another subsonic load that has proven to be very accurate in my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is the Lyman 311284 (~210 grains). Pushed to almost 1,000 fps it is very accurate and hard hitting making it useful for steel targets and control of larger vermin species. The bullet also performs very well at supersonic velocities and my favorite load for this is using Unique to propel it to 1350 fps.
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| Lyman 311284 |
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| Cast Bullets I've successful run through the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle |
For a fun and very inexpensive gallery load a #0 (~.314") buckshot over Bullseye is surprisingly accurate (less than 2" at 50 yards) out to 50 yards and will shoot Point of Aim out to 25 yards. A fine remedy for garden vermin too.
For hunting loads I've had excellent results with 165 grain JSP bullets over the max (Hodgdon) published data for IMR 3031. In the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle it is both accurate (1 MOA or better) and achieves the highest velocity, 2573 fps in my Rifle. Varget and IMR 4064 have both produced excellent groups in my GSR too but fell short of the velocity produced with the IMR 3031. With all the rifle powders I've tested I've found that the best performance in the GSR is at or near the max published data (ALWAYS double check data and work up incrementally!!), it seems happiest when velocities reach 2500 fps or better with 165 grain jacketed bullets and around 2700 fps with 150 grain jacketed bullets.
I will be testing IMR 4895 and Winchester 748 under a variety of Jacketed bullets as I've seen a number or impressive results from other GSR owners. The Hornady 150gr SST has produced some notable results at 500 yards and has me especially intrigued.
After 11 months of ownership of a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle I like it even better than I expected. It has impressed me in the field and at the range. With the introduction of the Polymer magazines it has improved field-ability of the rifle even more making it easier to carry and operate as well as superior weather resistance.
What the rifle lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in functionality. I believe Ruger really thought this one through and made the comprises that made the most sense. The only improvement I'm really considering is a rear sight that can be adjusted without tools and possibly a finer more visible front sight.
If I really only could have one rifle, the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle would serve me well.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Magpul Art of the Precision Rifle
Looks like Magpul has released another good one!
Late Edit: Just got this yesterday. Watched the first two disks, EXCELLENT. LOTS of information and some impressive shooting. As always, very well done. The filming is stellar. I'll give a more complete review once I've managed to watch all ten hours of it...
Late Edit: Just got this yesterday. Watched the first two disks, EXCELLENT. LOTS of information and some impressive shooting. As always, very well done. The filming is stellar. I'll give a more complete review once I've managed to watch all ten hours of it...
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Ruger New Vaquero vs. Steel Plate
Delivering a 270 grain cast bullet chugging along down range at 900 fps then meeting a hanging steel plate is a pleasure my Ruger New Vaquero provides with regularity. 140 year old technology and genius refined by modern materials and genius will probably propel the popularity this handgun enjoys well into the future.
Long Range Handgun Shooting
My last trip out to the U-Pick Sagebrush Ranch the 32 H&R Magnum Single Six went along. Naturally the array of target opportunities attracts a lot of lead. The 32 Single Six made easy work of the steel plates out to 150 yards but the target that got most of my attention was the 400 yard Dinger...
Once again the Ruger 32 H&R Mag in the Single Six surprised me. With a reasonable amount of hold over - aiming at a bush ~ 10' or so above the target I could ring the dinger at least once per cylinder's worth. Too much fun to worry or care about wasting ammo...
Comparatively, my 45 Colt requires a near mortar shot holdover to get that far and the success rate is much lower.
Once again the Ruger 32 H&R Mag in the Single Six surprised me. With a reasonable amount of hold over - aiming at a bush ~ 10' or so above the target I could ring the dinger at least once per cylinder's worth. Too much fun to worry or care about wasting ammo...
Comparatively, my 45 Colt requires a near mortar shot holdover to get that far and the success rate is much lower.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle Polymer Mags
I scored some Ruger Polymer Mags for my Gunsite Scout Rifle recently. I like them a LOT better than my steel mags.
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| The five round polymer magazine is the same size as the steel counterpart. The 10 round polymer magazine is about an inch shorter than the 10 (eleven actually) round magazine that ships with the rifle. |
The new polymer magazines can be topped off while inserted in the rifle.
Shown with Dust Cover installed.
Much lighter, very tough.
Friday, November 18, 2011
32 Caliber ponderings
As if I needed more proof that I should "never say never" in the last year no less than three 32 caliber firearms followed me home. It's just one of those things I didn't think I needed, now I wonder how I lived without them.
The first was the Marlin Cowboy Carbine. It was originally in a friend's collection and I wanted it from the first time I saw it. The cosmic mysteries being what they are made it available through unforeseen circumstances and now it resides in my safe.
The next came about as a result of handling an older Marlin 1894 in 32-20 and again was struck by instantaneous smittendom. I had to have one of those and I knew that one wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. I came across just what I was looking for on GunBroker and after some research and a number of phone calls to the seller, placed my bid and won it.
Upon its arrival I was disappointed with the condition of the bore. To say the seller's description was optimistic would be an understatement. Knowing that ugly bores sometimes still shoot well I gave it a go. I tried a variety of weights and sizes of bullets on up to .316" and many would keyhole. A .314" 115 grain Lyman 311008 shot the best but even that was marginal ~4" at 50 yards. It did reach and ring the 400 yard dinger on the first try though...
I REALLY like the aesthetics and feel of this rifle so I have sent it off to be re-lined. I hate waiting for it, but hopefully next spring (or sooner) it'll come back and shoot well.
Not long after acquiring the 1905 vintage Marlin another of more recent manufacture, the uncommon 1894 CB in 32 H&R Magnum, came onto my radar. The price seemed very reasonable to me but I didn't have the cash handy. I tried a trade but before we could agree on a deal another feller closed the deal ahead of me.
While I researched the 32 H&R Magnum I came across numerous glowing reports of the Ruger Single Six chambered in that caliber. The Single Six 22lr is one of my longest owned and most used firearms, so I was intrigued by the prospect of another in 32 H&R Mag and set out to find one. It didn't take too long, I knew I wanted a 5.5" barrel length with the help from a friend located one and purchased it.
I'll detail in another post my experiences with the new Single Six which once again makes me wonder how I ever lived without it.
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| www.purdygear.com |
The first was the Marlin Cowboy Carbine. It was originally in a friend's collection and I wanted it from the first time I saw it. The cosmic mysteries being what they are made it available through unforeseen circumstances and now it resides in my safe.
The next came about as a result of handling an older Marlin 1894 in 32-20 and again was struck by instantaneous smittendom. I had to have one of those and I knew that one wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. I came across just what I was looking for on GunBroker and after some research and a number of phone calls to the seller, placed my bid and won it.
1905 vintage Marlin model 1894
Upon its arrival I was disappointed with the condition of the bore. To say the seller's description was optimistic would be an understatement. Knowing that ugly bores sometimes still shoot well I gave it a go. I tried a variety of weights and sizes of bullets on up to .316" and many would keyhole. A .314" 115 grain Lyman 311008 shot the best but even that was marginal ~4" at 50 yards. It did reach and ring the 400 yard dinger on the first try though...
I REALLY like the aesthetics and feel of this rifle so I have sent it off to be re-lined. I hate waiting for it, but hopefully next spring (or sooner) it'll come back and shoot well.
Not long after acquiring the 1905 vintage Marlin another of more recent manufacture, the uncommon 1894 CB in 32 H&R Magnum, came onto my radar. The price seemed very reasonable to me but I didn't have the cash handy. I tried a trade but before we could agree on a deal another feller closed the deal ahead of me.
While I researched the 32 H&R Magnum I came across numerous glowing reports of the Ruger Single Six chambered in that caliber. The Single Six 22lr is one of my longest owned and most used firearms, so I was intrigued by the prospect of another in 32 H&R Mag and set out to find one. It didn't take too long, I knew I wanted a 5.5" barrel length with the help from a friend located one and purchased it.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle
On December 30th of last year I drafted a post - but didn't publish until today - about the Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle. Shortly there after I put one on order at my local gun monger's and it didn't take long before I had it in my hands.
This was my first Ruger bolt gun. I've owned a few of their autoloading rimfire rifles and pistols, and I their revolvers are among my favorite guns (more on that later). Anyway my first impressions were mostly favorable. I like the "scout rifle" concept. I've always liked peep sights on a bolt gun, probably because I grew up shooting a Remington 511P - a magazine fed, peep sighted, 22lr with perhaps the worst trigger of any firearm I've ever owned. My next rifle was a 1903 A3 and was my only centerfire rifle that received any attention for about 20 or so years of my life. I still use it regularly in CMP type matches and it always delivers.
Back to the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle (GSR). It is diminutive. It feels lighter than the scale reads. The 10 round magazine that comes with the rifle is too big. The sights are better than I expected. The front sight is a bit thick but it works well. The bolt is not as smooth as my Remingtons, CZ or 1903 A3 but has smoothed out with many manipulations.
At the range the as shipped sight setting shot point of aim with most ammo I tested at 50 yards. My early trips to the range I fed it a variety of ammuniton. Everything from cast bullets (115-170grs and more recently 210 grain bullets) as well as Jacketed SP & RN (150 - 175 grain FMJ & JSP, FB and BT). The preferences appear to lean toward the 165 grain jacketed bullet over IMR 4064 or Varget pushed over 2500 fps.
Cast bullets are proving to be accurate as well at both sub and supersonic speeds. A load that seems to be very accurate with 115 - 210 grain cast bullets is a splash of W231 under any cast bullet. The velocities range from a mere 550 fps up to 800 but inside of 25 yards it shoots POA and the POI is right where the front post was when the trigger broke. The report is greatly reduced and the recoil is none existent.
For higher cast bullet velocities Unique seems to produce the best results. It gets real good over 1350 fps. 2400 seems to work well at velocities in the 1800+ range.
I did not hunt with this rifle this year but I did carry it in the field. It carries well and was deadly on cones, knots, paper targets and soda cans. A real pleasure to shoot.
I removed the provided spacers (three) and the rifle now in its shortest configuration. The recoil pad is sticky which is good for running the bolt from the shoulder but a bit catchy on clothing when bring it to the shoulder.
Through their website Ruger offered 5 round magazines and I acquired two shortly after the rifle arrived. More recently Ruger has poly mags in 10 (shorter than the original offering), 5 and 3 (flush mount) varieties. I will be buying at least two more 5 round poly mags as well as a 3 and probably two more 10's for the bug out bag.
I've tested dozens of loads and have still just scratched the surface. The bullets that show the most promise are the Hornady 165gr JSP interlock at full power loads and cast bullets at subsonic levels. My current favorite cast bullet is the Lyman 311041 (170gr) which is most commonly used in the 30-30. It feeds well when the OAL is 2.520" and shoots accurately at velocities as low as 559 fps on up to 1800 fps.
This was my first Ruger bolt gun. I've owned a few of their autoloading rimfire rifles and pistols, and I their revolvers are among my favorite guns (more on that later). Anyway my first impressions were mostly favorable. I like the "scout rifle" concept. I've always liked peep sights on a bolt gun, probably because I grew up shooting a Remington 511P - a magazine fed, peep sighted, 22lr with perhaps the worst trigger of any firearm I've ever owned. My next rifle was a 1903 A3 and was my only centerfire rifle that received any attention for about 20 or so years of my life. I still use it regularly in CMP type matches and it always delivers.
Back to the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle (GSR). It is diminutive. It feels lighter than the scale reads. The 10 round magazine that comes with the rifle is too big. The sights are better than I expected. The front sight is a bit thick but it works well. The bolt is not as smooth as my Remingtons, CZ or 1903 A3 but has smoothed out with many manipulations.
At the range the as shipped sight setting shot point of aim with most ammo I tested at 50 yards. My early trips to the range I fed it a variety of ammuniton. Everything from cast bullets (115-170grs and more recently 210 grain bullets) as well as Jacketed SP & RN (150 - 175 grain FMJ & JSP, FB and BT). The preferences appear to lean toward the 165 grain jacketed bullet over IMR 4064 or Varget pushed over 2500 fps.
Cast bullets are proving to be accurate as well at both sub and supersonic speeds. A load that seems to be very accurate with 115 - 210 grain cast bullets is a splash of W231 under any cast bullet. The velocities range from a mere 550 fps up to 800 but inside of 25 yards it shoots POA and the POI is right where the front post was when the trigger broke. The report is greatly reduced and the recoil is none existent.
For higher cast bullet velocities Unique seems to produce the best results. It gets real good over 1350 fps. 2400 seems to work well at velocities in the 1800+ range.
I did not hunt with this rifle this year but I did carry it in the field. It carries well and was deadly on cones, knots, paper targets and soda cans. A real pleasure to shoot.
I removed the provided spacers (three) and the rifle now in its shortest configuration. The recoil pad is sticky which is good for running the bolt from the shoulder but a bit catchy on clothing when bring it to the shoulder.
Through their website Ruger offered 5 round magazines and I acquired two shortly after the rifle arrived. More recently Ruger has poly mags in 10 (shorter than the original offering), 5 and 3 (flush mount) varieties. I will be buying at least two more 5 round poly mags as well as a 3 and probably two more 10's for the bug out bag.
I've tested dozens of loads and have still just scratched the surface. The bullets that show the most promise are the Hornady 165gr JSP interlock at full power loads and cast bullets at subsonic levels. My current favorite cast bullet is the Lyman 311041 (170gr) which is most commonly used in the 30-30. It feeds well when the OAL is 2.520" and shoots accurately at velocities as low as 559 fps on up to 1800 fps.
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