Love for full power rifle rounds

[dogmush]

I have been shooting exclusively intermediate rounds and pistol for several years now.  No real reason, that's just what my interests have been doing lately.  Up until today, .300BLK is the largest round I've fired in a while.

This morning I unexpectedly had some time off work and thought to myself: "Self, I have a brand new PTR-91 and some time on my hands."  So I grabbed 15 mags, the rifle, my new scope (hat tip to MonkeyLeg) and drove down to the outdoor range.  I got into position, sighted in on a 50M (to zero) target and started laying fire.

Oh Yeah.  That's right, real rounds are FUN to shoot.

I zeroed my scope in at .5" high at 100, and then was using the ballistic reticle to ring 24"X 24" steel gongs out to 400 like it was cool.  Sight, breath, squeeze, BOOM.......Ding!  My hits started to fall apart at 5 and 6 hundred, but I was still just having a blast.  I had honestly forgotten how much fun laying down and shooting a full sized rifle round was.  Not precision.  Not a match.  My groups were 3.5-4 MOA.  But ringing that steel was the most fun I've had with a gun in a while. I put 300 rounds down range just in the zone.

I honestly enjoyed the PTR as well.  Not a "sniper" rifle.  Not what you'd call precision.....anything really. just a well built machine doing it's job 100%.  Pull the trigger, and it fires, ejects, loads and is ready to go.  The rounds will hit a torso for a long way.  It has design issues, but it's a great battle rifle.

So, if like me, you have parts of your collection, or shooting skills that you haven't exercised in a while, try to get out and use them.  You might surprise yourself how much fun it still is.


*As a bonus, AR's are THE cool gun around here  and carbines out to about 150 seems to be what the cool kids do.  So I'm at the range and all around I get these little "Crack, crack, crack" and then I touch of the .308.  A distinctly different sound.  And shooting steel, the whole range was hearing my hits.  "Crack, crack, crack, Boom....ding"

[charby]

I tend to piss off people when I bring my .300 WM to the range.

[Devonai]

Great post, but you misspelled "M1 Garand" and ".30-06" a few times.

[Jamisjockey]

I'd like to get one of the Mossberg MVP rifles in .308, but its not a priority.  I like my mouse rifles for now anyway 

[Monkeyleg]

If it doesn't kick, it doesn't feel like I'm shooting.

[mtnbkr]

I'd like to get one of the Mossberg MVP rifles in .308, but its not a priority.  I like my mouse rifles for now anyway 

I was looking at that and the Savage Hog Hunter.  I went with the HH for two reasons: I found one for a great price and the LOP on the Mossberg was a bit shorter than I'd like.  The price was the main reason.  The LNIB HH was $230 cheaper than the new Mossberg.  That's a lot of ammo...

Chris

[Fly320s]

*As a bonus, AR's are THE cool gun around here  and carbines out to about 150 seems to be what the cool kids do.  So I'm at the range and all around I get these little "Crack, crack, crack" and then I touch of the .308.  A distinctly different sound.  And shooting steel, the whole range was hearing my hits.  "Crack, crack, crack, Boom....ding" grin grin

I did the opposite at my range.  Some guys were shooting scoped deer rifles at the 300 yard steel and sometimes hitting it.  I used my red dot-sighted AR to hit 10 for 10.  Standing. 

[French G.]

 

Great post, but you misspelled "M1 Garand" and ".30-06" a few times.

[birdman]

I tend to piss off people when I bring my .300 WM to the range.

Yeah, my 338 lapua does that too....which is why its suppressed now :)

[dogmush]

I tend to piss off people when I bring my .300 WM to the range.

Last time I took the .50 out, people left and went home.  The first time I took the .50 out was just to function test it after I built it.  The closest range that allowed it was an indoor range.  Setting off a braked .50BMG in a space 12 feet wide and 50 yds long is  more of a shockwave then a sound really.  I didn't shoot many rounds.

But in my mind, those rounds pass into "magnum" territory instead of just "full power".  I had a .338 win mag back in the day that I sold because it was so punishing to shoot that it wasn't fun.  The only reason the .50 is fun is that it weighs 40lbs.

[charby]

Last time I took the .50 out, people left and went home.  The first time I took the .50 out was just to function test it after I built it.  The closest range that allowed it was an indoor range.  Setting off a braked .50BMG in a space 12 feet wide and 50 yds long is  more of a shockwave then a sound really.  I didn't shoot many rounds.

But in my mind, those rounds pass into "magnum" territory instead of just "full power".  I had a .338 win mag back in the day that I sold because it was so punishing to shoot that it wasn't fun.  The only reason the .50 is fun is that it weighs 40lbs.

My .454 Casull also tends to drive people away also.

[KD5NRH]

Still waiting for Saiga to make a .45-70 AK that can take BP loads.  Nothing like taking bets on whether the smoke will clear before the bullet hits the 500yd gong.  Firing BP from the upwind end of the line is fun too...or having 2-3 shooters with it when there's about a 5mph breeze going downrange.

[Jamisjockey]

I was looking at that and the Savage Hog Hunter.  I went with the HH for two reasons: I found one for a great price and the LOP on the Mossberg was a bit shorter than I'd like.  The price was the main reason.  The LNIB HH was $230 cheaper than the new Mossberg.  That's a lot of ammo...

Chris

I'm good with a short LOP.

Truth be told, if I end up with a .308 in my stable, it'll likely be a built-by-me AR 10.

[charby]

Any magnum handgun cartridge loaded with H110 also tends to drive the folks away, especially indoors.

[brimic]

My .454 Casull also tends to drive people away also.

LOl. My .480 draws attention- everyone wants to see what the heck I'm shooting, then I have to allow them the obligatory couple shots to try it out.

[Jamisjockey]

Any magnum handgun cartridge loaded with H110 also tends to drive the folks away, especially indoors.

Honestly this was the only reason I enjoyed having a Mosin.  Shaking the entire firing line with a shot tended to get everyone's attention.

[AJ Dual]

Still waiting for Saiga to make a .45-70 AK that can take BP loads.  Nothing like taking bets on whether the smoke will clear before the bullet hits the 500yd gong.  Firing BP from the upwind end of the line is fun too...or having 2-3 shooters with it when there's about a 5mph breeze going downrange.

Izhmash or Molot SERIOUSLY needs to make this.   But it'll have to be a receiver and magazine size created from the ground up to do it.  

Tony Rumore/Tromix tried to make one out of a .410 Saiga, but had to "settle" (not a horrible compromise, save for the heavier bullets .45-70 can be loaded with, and price/commonality of ammo.) for .444 Marlin. .45-70 won't fit in the .410 magazines. Even then they had to stick with four round magazines because the stacking angle won't work right at more than four, and the rounds tip too high and hit the receiver cover. Four is adequate for hunting, but kind of ruins the premise of why folks would want a .44/.45 caliber rifle centerfire AK in the first place.

And frankly, I don't think much of anything special needs to be done to make an AK compatible with BP. It'll run fine for a few magazines worth of BP as-is.  Blast it out with brake or carb cleaner, then spritz it with Rem Oil, or just some old oil from the drain pan in the garage and it'll be good as new again.

[KD5NRH]

Even then they had to stick with four round magazines because the stacking angle won't work right at more than four, and the rounds tip too high and hit the receiver cover. Four is adequate for hunting, but kind of ruins the premise of why folks would want a .44/.45 caliber rifle centerfire AK in the first place.

So they can have the first 100 round drum mag with integrated wheels?

And frankly, I don't think much of anything special needs to be done to make an AK compatible with BP. It'll run fine for a few magazines worth of BP as-is.  Blast it out with brake or carb cleaner, then spritz it with Rem Oil, or just some old oil from the drain pan in the garage and it'll be good as new again.

Might have to work up some sort of external scraper for the gas port, though, like the little tip cleaner on a Coleman lantern.

[French G.]

Honestly this was the only reason I enjoyed having a Mosin.  Shaking the entire firing line with a shot tended to get everyone's attention.

Yes, when I shot 3 nights a week at an indoor public range an M-44 was my homey be gone. As soon as somebody next to me started being an idiot with sideways shooting, posturing for girlfriends, pointing guns everywhere but downrange, etc I'd decide it was time to shoot the Mosin with whatever the foulest surplus ammo I could find. Usually made me a semi-private range quickly.

[Angel Eyes]

I used to have a Hakim in 7.92x57.  The rifle had a muzzle brake that was quite efficient and quite loud. It was a pussycat to shoot, but anyone on either side would risk ruptured eardrums and a stiff breeze from the redirected gases: BLAM!  *whoosh*   BLAM!  *whoosh* ...

[AmbulanceDriver]

I used to have a Hakim in 7.92x57.  The rifle had a muzzle brake that was quite efficient and quite loud. It was a pussycat to shoot, but anyone on either side would risk ruptured eardrums and a stiff breeze from the redirected gases: BLAM!  *whoosh*   BLAM!  *whoosh* ...

I've got a Yugo M48 (Yugoslav k98 clone) in 7.92 x 57.   No brake or anything - it rivals the Mosin Nagant as a flamethrower....  :D

But yeah, there's something about full power rifle cartridges...   We had a known distance Appleseed shoot here a few months ago, and it was probably a 50/50 split of .223/5.56 and .30 caliber (.30-06 and .308).   The shoot boss called it a line full of Ferrari's....   Nothing like the thundering roar of 20 or so .30 cal rifles opening up all at once...

[KD5NRH]

I've got a Yugo M48 (Yugoslav k98 clone) in 7.92 x 57.   No brake or anything - it rivals the Mosin Nagant as a flamethrower....

Not so much fire, but if you want plenty of boom, a friend has a .243 with a barely legal barrel and muzzle brake.  He gets asked who's shooting .50BMG every time he goes to the range with it.

[roo_ster]

Yeah, my 338 lapua does that too....which is why its suppressed now :)

That was mighty neighborly of you. 

I'm good with a short LOP.

I am a bigger guy, but I have no problem with most shorter LOP rifles.

Any magnum handgun cartridge loaded with H110 also tends to drive the folks away, especially indoors.

Yep. I think 2400 get almost the velocity at mush less subjective drama.

[RoadKingLarry]

Any magnum handgun cartridge loaded with H110 also tends to drive the folks away, especially indoors.

I prefer W296 myself  .

Since I tore up my shoulder the really big boomers don't hold much interest for me. I have to wear a recoil pad when I shoot most center fire rounds, even .357 Mag out of my 1894C gets me after 20+ rounds with out one.
I tried left handed but that shoulder is even worse.

I do like the bog bores like my Sharps 1874 in .45-70 or my .50 cal flintlock. Of course shooting real black powder works best if you can get the upwind bench.

[charby]

That was mighty neighborly of you. 

I am a bigger guy, but I have no problem with most shorter LOP rifles.

Yep. I think 2400 get almost the velocity at mush less subjective drama.

AA #9 is what I use, same velocity a lot less flash, but a 2' fireball at the muzzle my .454 is pretty impressive with H110.