Ballistic
News
Herlaai Vereniging van Suid Afrika — Reloading Association of
South Africa — 3 rd Qtr 2005
BESTUUR : 2005
Tydens die vorige Algemene Jaarvergadering was die
volgende lede tot die bestuur vir 2005 verkies:
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Voorsitter : JT Prinsloo
082 561 2417
(W) 012 667 1125
Onder -Voorsitter : Nick Greyling
082 552 3664
Kommunikasie : Chris Bekker
082 469 9380
(H) 011 609 0605
Bemarking : Edward Middleton
084 400 2525
Opleiding : Wimpie Blaauw
082 416 2711
Sekretaris/Haelgewere : Peter Carr
083 460 0371
Tesourier : Sollie Bruins
083 302 3307
NB: Artikels bly die persoonlike opinie van die outeur en
nie noodwendig die opinie van die Herlaai Vereniging nie.
Lede is welkom om in te skryf om ‘n alternatiewe
standpunt te stel sou hy/sy dit nodig ag.
(I) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Chris,
Ek het hierdie van die Krieger Website gekry. Moontlik
kan jy dit in 'n artikel gebruik. LW Krieger lope ... "is
manufactured by the single-point cut-rifling process
(as opposed to button rifling)". Dit beteken dat
breaking-in van Krieger lope gaan verskil van ander
loop vervaardigers se metode. Enigiets oor lope se
inbreek wat verband hou met lope vervaardig op die
"button" metode sal waarskynlik wyer belangstelling
lok.
JAARPROGRAM 2005
Vir BN se briewe kolom:
Reloading Association of SA: 2005 program. Evening
meetings takes place at Taurus Co-op in Irene at 7:00 pm
Mnr. die Redakteur,
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9 Aug
Tuesday - “Kritiese aspekte tydens die bou
en herstel van 'n wapen wat die akkuraatheid
beinvloed.”
10 September Saturday - Advanced reloading
course at Pretoria Practical SC
11 October Tuesday - Taurus evening: Topic
“Significance of the barrel twist rate"
12 November Saturday - Combined AGM & Fun
Shoot at Premier
Werf van Lede
Daar word ‘n beroep op lede gedoen om lede te werf wat al
reeds herlaai of dit graag wil beoefen ter uitbreiding van ons
vereniging.
ARTIKELS
Die idee is om lede se bydraes hier te publiseer, of enige
ander leersame of interessante artikels. Bydraes kan
direk gestuur word aan abc@namrad.co.za
Rakende die kwessie van die skoonmaak van
geweerlope. My pa het aan die begin van die jagseisoen
twee skote in 'n miershoop geskiet en verklaar dat sy lat
nou skoon is!
Die korporaal of generaal of so iets, het my jack geskop
en geleer van 'n staalborsel (en tandeborsel). Ek het
altyd 'n voorkeur getoon vir die metode wat deur my
gene oorgedra is, eerder as die army boot. Vandat ek
self vir my gewere betaal het ek van borsels gebruik
gemaak - eers brons, maar vandat die gif wat saam
ingaan sterker word is dit vlekvry. As ek baie tyd het
(dikwels) gebruik ek 'n nylon borsel. My goeie vriend
sal nooit iets anders as 'n "two baai four" deur ou
Vrystaat se loop stoot nie en hy wen altyd die argument
deur onsubtiel een van sy groeperings langs myne neer
te sit.
Vraag: Rig 'n borsel (brons/vlekvrye staal) skade aan in
'n geweerloop?
Brand van Deventer
(II) TECH TALK
CRYOGENICS
The ASTM chemistry designation of the steel we use is
4145 RS in the chrome moly and 416 R in the stainless.
Both are heat treated to 28 - 32 Rockwell hard- ness and
double stress relieved. During the heat treating process
the matrix of the steel transforms from austenite to
martensite. However, the transformation is not 100%
complete, and the non-transformed austenite is unstable
and at room temperature retains stress. To further
improve the steel and to make a better barrel, we
cryogenically treat the steel before we begin to machine
it. The cryogenic process makes the steel more
homogenous and stable by converting much of the
retained austenite structure into martensite and by
further stress-relieving the steel. We were so impressed
with the results of our experiments and lab tests that we
have installed our own cryogenic unit "in house," and
tailor the 40 - 50 hour cycle to each individual heat of
steel. We are the only barrel maker to have this "in
house -- in process" capability. During the development
of our process, we worked closely with Rick Pearson,
materials expert at an independent lab, and this is what
he stated in a report to us:
"The stabilization cryo-treatment had a significant
effect on the micro- structure of the material. The
microstructure consisted of martensite, blocky ferrite,
and some retained austenite. After the cryo-treatment,
the structure was converted to martensite. Based on the
effects demon- strated in this example, it is
recommended that this process be adopted for use. The
benefits of this stabilization cryo-treatment cannot be
overstated."
By cryogenically treating the steel before we start
machining it, we gain the benefit of more stress-free,
homogenous material for our barrels. Better steel means
better barrels can be made from it.
A hundred years ago Swedish steel makers found they
could realize a great improvement in steel by alternately
heating and cooling it, and the more cycles the better.
However, they could only go to about minus 120
degrees so they were unable to gain the full benefit of
cold treatment. But even at that, Swedish steel is
famous throughout the world for its extremely high
quality and machinability.
By taking the steel to 300 degrees or more below zero
as complete a transformation as is possible can be
obtained in as little as two correctly designed cycles.
The best results seem to come from running one of the
cycles on the steel up front before machining and then
running the second one after the barrel is in its final
form. We cryo-treat all of our barrel steel up front
before machining at no charge to you. While we
recommend the second cryogenic treatment, it is an
option for you
(III) FROM THE INTERNET
Burris Signature Select – a new model
3 - 10x 40 mm
Al Miller
Whether it was the dull, matte-black finish or the
gaping, king-sized objective lens housing, I’m not sure,
but there was something about the new Signature Select
variable from Burris that made it appear much bulkier
and heavier than it turned out to be. Even when
mounted on a rifle like Remington’s beefy Model 700
Varminter with its 24-inch bull barrel, it looks like an
awful lot of scope. To my surprise, however, a ruler
revealed that it’s only 13 inches long and, according to
an electronic scale, weighs just 17 ounces.
Aiding the portly illusion are the slightly bulbous power
and parallax adjustment rings with their deep-cut relief
grooves. Then too, the adjustment knob covers are an
inch in diameter and just away from the scope’s tube .5
inch. The knobs themselves, by the way, are slotted as
usual, but their rims are knurled as well, making them
easy to turn manually.
If there’s anything worth criticizing about the new
Signature’s optics, it certainly escaped my notice. That
yawning, 2 inch wide objective lens not only gave a
clear, detailed view of the target but, even under
unexpectedly overcast conditions, sucked in every bit of
available light.
Just to make sure my imagination wasn’t kidding me, it
seemed a bonny idea to run a slightly different kind of
comparative test this time by pitting the scope’s optics
against those of a binocular - not just any binocular but
a Bausch & Lomb 8 x 42 mm Elite, one of the better
binoculars around.
A Burris target, one of those light tan jobs decorated
with reddish-orange diamonds, circles and squares of
various sizes printed against a one-inch grid
background, was taped to a target stand 100 yards
away. Both the glasses and the Model 700 Varminter
were supported by solid rests. The scope’s power ring
was set on 8x and its ocular lens carefully refocused on
the target - just to be sure. So was the 8 x 42 B&L.
Through the binocular, the various colored squares,
diamonds and circles stood out clearly, not just in the
center of the lenses but out at their periphery as well.
There was no hint of distortion as the different designs
were viewed against the very outside edges of the
binocular’s field - mute testimony to the quality of its
lens systems. The one-inch grid was also visible - but
just. Those tiny, .25-inch crosses marking the centers of
some of the diamonds and circles were not to be seen:
proof, if any was needed, that everything, even Bausch
& Lomb binoculars have their limits.
Setting the binocular aside, the Signature variable was
brought into play. Peering beyond the 100-yard line, it
was obvious the scope’s depth of field wasn’t as great
as the Elite’s, even when the latter was focused sharply
at 100 yards. Other than that, however, there was little
to fault about the scope’s performance. All the target’s
designs showed up clearly. Here too, that one-inch grid
was barely perceptible. None of the different designs
gave any hint of distortion when viewed through the
outer edges of the scope’s field either. Not surprisingly,
the scope wasn’t able to pick out any of those .25-inch
center crosses that had hidden so successfully from the
binocular.
Elevation and windage adjustments were easy to make
while sighting in the rifle. Not only were the clicks
audible, but also each movement of a knob could be felt
as well as seen from behind the scope. The knobs’ rims
are angled so that direction arrows and adjustment
markings are plainly visible from the rear and sides as
well as from above.
Color transmission through both scope and binocular
was spot-on. So was the clarity of detail. While some of
these tests were being conducted out in the field, a
large, dark cloud system moved in and blotted out the
sun for more than an hour. Surrounding light dulled;
shadows weakened and contrast blurred. Target designs
still showed up clearly through both scope and
binocular.
At the range, squaring the target proved almost a matter
of routine. Fire three rounds; crank on 10 clicks of
elevation; fire three more rounds; add 10 clicks right
windage; three more rounds, 10 clicks down; another
three rounds, 10 clicks left and a final three rounds right on top of the first group fired.
The test scope wasn’t fitted with the Burris Posi-Lok,
although 3-10x 40mm variables can be ordered so
equipped. A movable tube, housing the internal lenses
that respond to elevation and windage adjustments, is
held in place by spring tension. The Posi-Lok consists
of a threaded steel post that can be tightened and
loosened from the outside so it can be brought to bear
against that movable inner tube, anchoring it once it has
been adjusted to the shooter’s taste. The Posi-Lok’s
assistance prevents the sight setting from shifting and is
especially beneficial when a scope is mounted on a
heavy-recoiling rifle or handgun.
Trajectory-compensating reticles have become all the
rage lately. Like a lot of other crotchety old hands, I
tend to regard most of them as gimmicks, something for
advertisers to wax lyrical over but not worth much in
the field. From where I sit, most of them seem to
obscure the view, and any value they might offer
depends strictly on the shooter’s ability to judge range
accurately - and if he can do that, he has no need for
any high-tech reticle.
Although still dubious about such reticles on big game
rifles, my attitude toward them is softening a bit where
varmint shooting is concerned. When popping away at
prairie dogs, for instance, distances tend to stretch
somewhat, but as a rule, shooters have plenty of time to
adopt rock-steady positions and take good, long looks at
the yardage between the rifle muzzle and those smallish
targets way out there. Not only do most varmint hunters
become pretty fair judges of range - all that practice
helps - but they also tend to depend on flat-shooting,
fast-stepping cartridges - high-speed .22s and 6mms, for
example - that have lots of reach and don’t demand
much hold-over, even when some of those little rodents
seem to be in the next county. For that kind of work and those kinds of shooters - these newfangled reticles
may prove to be of some value.
The Ballistic Plex reticle adorning the test scope’s
objective lens consists of the usual crosshairs reinforced
by four partial bars, each slightly tapered and each
covering about two-thirds or more of its crosshair. The
lower, vertical crosshair is adorned with three very
short, horizontal bars that represent 200, 300 and 400
yards. The tip of the vertical post jutting up from the
bottom of the lens marks 500 yards.
According to an accompanying table, if a chap were
shooting, say, a .223 Remington featuring 55-grain
bullets launched at 3,240 fps - and if he zeroed the
scope so the center of the crosshairs and the bullets’
flight paths coincided at 100 yards - when he put the
200-yard horizontal bar on a target at 200 yards, he’s
dead on. Were a prairie dog standing out at 300 yards,
and the 300-yard bar were placed against the little
critter’s middle, the bullet would strike an inch high at
that range. Had that furry target been out at 400 yards
and the 400-yard bar held halfway up its body, the
bullet would land 2 inches below the aiming point.
According to the Burris instructional booklet, that’s the
theory behind the Ballistic Plex-reticle. They
recommend a series of targets be fired at 100, 200, 300,
400 and 500 yards to find out precisely where a given
barrel and its bullets are hitting when shifting from one
horizontal bar to the next. Sounds like good advice.
Anyone in the market for a high-magnification variable
scope won’t regret time spent checking over the new
Signature Select models. Made in the U.S.A., they’re
sturdy, blessed with first-class optics, are easily
adjustable, well-made, nicely finished and backed by
the Burris Forever Warranty: If one of these scopes is
ever found to have defects in materials or workmanship,
Burris will repair it at no charge. A company has to
have a lot of confidence in its products to make a
promise like that. So do I. - Al Miller
(IV) FEATURE ARTICLE 1
What will happen if we all become vegetarians?
By Chris Bekker
Now that our hunting season is over, we can sit back
and ponder the marvelous feeling of being part of
nature and talk about the beauty of life and the reality of
death. Yes, the inevitable cycle of life and death ... both
for man and beast. The issue under discussion is
whether or not man has the right to hunt or not, because
somehow, I doubt if we will still be able to hunt in 50
years time in some parts of the world.
God has given us the right to govern the animal
kingdom. Whereas, human beings mostly can do
something to help themselves, the animals are
dependant on us for conservation, and consequently it is
for us, the superior animals, to carry out the mandate
the Creator has placed upon us, namely that part of His
animal creation, the lower Kingdom, receive its due
consideration from us. This means we can hunt in a
responsible way for both consumption and even culling
to have a balanced Eco-system. This poses the
obligation of ethical hunting as well and not to destroy
or decimate for no reason at all.
Every animal must kill to live. The one lives off the
other in a fascinating cycle for the struggle of survival.
The leopard will kill an impala, the hyena will take it
away from the leopard and feed and finally there is
something left for the vultures as well. This is natural ...
not cruel. Man is also a predator, as we too have to live.
Whether we hunt game for the pot or take a thousand ox
for slaughter to the abattoir; there is no difference ... we
have to kill. I must admit an abattoir is not nearly as
natural or as exiting as hunting in the plains or bush.
Even the non hunter, that is a meat eater, has someone
doing the killing for him. What will happen if we all
become vegetarians as some of the anti-hunting lobby
groups advocate. The animal rightists are vehemently
against the killing of any animal as they believe any
animal has the right to die of old age. Let us entertain
the thought for a while.
The rancher should turn to crop farming to provide food
for all the newly found vegetarians. In order to do so all
the stock and game will have to go ... but where to, as
we cannot send them to the abattoir and nor can we
send them to the neighboring farm, as he is now also
planting mealies and potatoes. What do we do if we
lack irrigation or shortage of water supply in certain
areas as we have to feed 4.98 billion people ... all
vegetarians. Yes, all these animals are going to die if
we plough every available piece of land for agriculture.
Should we send all the animals to a national game
reserve? Can they all be accommodated this way and
what do we do if we run short of vegetation in an
enclosed reserved area? I need to have these questions
answered by someone ... I suppose the leader of an
animal rightist movement on national television. I
suppose, if we opt for minimum effort, we can just let
the cattle and game just roam freely as the cows roam in
India presently.
If we cannot kill animals, we will have no wool for
jerseys, no leather for shoes and belts and fur for coats.
We can then buy synthetic materials, plastic shoes and
nylon belts - sweaty stuff! Leather seats for cars will be
as revolting as fur coats. What about leather and lace?
What do we tell the Bushman of the Kalahari? They
have hunted for thousands of years; they are not
nomads or horticulturists. Do we sign a treaty with the
Pigmy in the impenetrable equatorial forest of the
Congo? Just imagine what these two groups will think
of us - completely out of touch with reality. Do we
give the Eskimos an edict that the era of fishing and
hunting is over? Do we suggest to them that they too
must plant seeds? We need a green band through the ice
fields. Do we tell the nomadic Ovahimba of Northern
Namibia to stop living off their cattle ... they are not
allowed to kill, but they can milk the cows or do we ban
butter, yogurt, milk and cream cakes .... and be content
with margarine, sunflower oil, coconut milk and
artificial ice cream. May be we need a bridging
strategy. We will have to rationalise the idea that we are
not killing plants, but that we are eating fresh, living
vegetables and fruit .... after all, the insects are eating
them too.
In this new world of pure vegetarians, Utopia if you
will, we should also not kill the rodents that are after
our maize and wheat. Gosh, the Irish had terriers for the
rats that ravished their potato fields ... that won't be
allowed anymore. Pesticides factories must close down;
we don't need that anymore, see. Locusts cannot be
killed anymore as we cannot just end their precious
lives because they do what is natural for them. The
shooting of gamebirds and pigeons will also be
outlawed. People previously engaged in any related
field of processing meat must look at other means of
making a living. Chicken and pig farms will cease with
immediate effect. Nandos, Kentucky Fried Chicken and
Chicken Licken can de-list their shares at the stock
exchange and issue a new prospectus to convert their
business to 'braai' mealies. Steers and MacDonalds will
serve hamburgers with a choice of baked beans or soya
beans with lettuce. All fish trailers will be history
and Ocean Fresh has to close its doors. Steakhouses and
Seafood restaurants will vanish from the face of the
earth.The Coloureds in Cape Town can no longer go
out on the sea after Hotnotsvis. Souphouses and
Saladbars will spring up - selling potato and cabbage
soup the world over; just like in Russia. Pumpkin cakes,
a traditional South African dish will be popularised in
Argentina and Australia to fill the void of Sheep.
'Braaivleis' en 'biltong' will be made a punishable
offence as it is a despicable deed against animal rights,
just as cannibalism is against humanity! Through the
supply and demand mechanism, vegetables and fruit
prices will rise steeply, and we will find more
producers, like Madeira Portuguese have done for
centuries.
As fox hunting has already been banned by the British,
we should do the same in Australia with the kangaroos.
People that refuse to kill, should be sent to places on
earth where certain species have become epidemic and
they should conduct seminars there to solve the
problem by redistributing these species across the globe
in an orderly fashion. Lobby groups won't need to lobby
anymore they can now do some productive work. All
hunting rifles will have to be handed in for burning - a
deadline date will be announced. The day before, I will
shatter the morning silence as you hear my shots ... a
bird tumbles earthwards, chased by a shower of feathers
... yeah, my last shot and the last meat for my pot. Gone
are the days that you can have leg of lamb for a Sunday
lunch, barbecues, sosaties, potjiekos, bobotie, flame
fried chicken, roast beef and all your other favourite
recipes that you have become used to. Turkey for
Christmas ... no!
If we can run this new system for a hundred years or so,
then we can have an international congress to evaluate
whether or not the quality of life has been enhanced or
not. We know that absolute power corrupts and may be
the Governments can even ban such a congress.
Regards
Chris Bekker
(V) FEATURE ARTICLE 2
Rifle Stocks - Barrel Vibration and Accuracy
From the moment that trigger is pressed and the firing
pin strikes the primer until the bullet leaves the muzzle,
a series of many vibrational impulses begin in the rifle,
all of which are transmitted to the barrel in various
magnitudes. These include such minor things as; the
trigger sear releasing the firing pin, the firing pin
moving forward, striking the primer, and the cartridge
being moved forward. The powder then begins to
ignite, and the bullet starts moving forward and engages
the rifling. Because of the twist of the rifling, the bullet
while it is being propelled forward, begins to spin
imparting a small but measurable torque, but more
importantly as it traverses the barrel it also sets up a
circular vibrational pattern, or arc. The heat of the
burning powder along with the pressure wave generated
by the expanding gasses start another vibrational pattern
that is induced into the barrel. All of these movements
cause the barrel to stress and vibrate with a number of
different harmonic patterns which if not controlled by
some means cause each projectile to leave the muzzle at
a slightly different point in the vibrational arc. Some
people speak about the "whip" of the barrel, which
would imply to some that the barrel simply vibrates up
and down like a buggy whip. Although there are some
of the vibrations that are traveling in this direction, the
main vibrations are circular. If this were not true, then a
3 shot group from a rifle would always be in a vertical
string. This would be because, one would leave at the
bottom of the "whipping action", one would leave from
the center and one from the upper travel of the "whip".
As we all know this seldom occurs, and if it does, it is
usually caused by the barrel being under a heavy stress,
such as way to much pressure exerted against it, caused
by improper bedding, usually of the barrel. Most 3 shot
groups you will see will be virtually triangular in shape,
this is caused because as the barrel vibrates through its
"circular arc" one bullet leaves the muzzle at say 12
o’clock, another at say 4 o’clock and the third at maybe
8 o’clock. The larger the arc of the barrel, the less
accurate the rifle will be, and the larger the triangle. As
a rule the less mass a barrel has, (the thinner) the more
it is affected by the vibrations, this is the reason that a
"heavy" barrel seems to shoot more consistently than a
sporter barrel, and is also easier to tune. A shorter
barrel of the same diameter will also have less
amplitude to its arc of movement. As you tune the
barrel with the Accurizer, what you are doing is
changing the vibrational length of the free floated
forward end of it, causing the vibrational arc, or circular
vibrations of the barrel to get smaller and smaller. As
the arc gets smaller the groups get tighter. Even though
the bullets may still be leaving the muzzle at 12, 4, and
8 o’clock, the diameter of the arc has been lessened, so
the triangle gets smaller. Until the past couple of years,
when reliable barrel vibrational control devices came
upon the scene, virtually the only way to control these
barrel vibrations that affected the rifles’ accuracy was to
custom load the ammunition until a correct combination
of cases, bullets, primers, powders, seating depths and
etc. could be found that would allow that particular rifle
to shoot good tight consistent groups. Now however
with the use of the AccuMajic Accurizer, it is no longer
necessary for the average shooter to go to these lengths
to have the accuracy previously attributed only to hand
loaded ammunition. As long as you are using well made
ammunition, that is consistent, whether it is factory or
handloads, you can simply tune your rifles’ barrel to the
ammunition of your choice.
BELOW IS A TABLE WHICH WAS KINDLY PROVIDED BY
VARMINT AL. IT SHOWS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE
AMOUNT OF VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF A FLUTED
BARREL COMPARED TO A STANDARD BARREL. IT ALSO
SHOWS HOW SHORTENING THE FREE FLOATED LENGTH
A BARREL WITH THE ACCURIZER, GREATLY REDUCES
THE AMPLITUDE OF THE VIBRATIONS, AND THEREFORE
REDUCES THE DISPERSION OF THE BULLETS IN A GROUP.
NOTE THAT THE PROJECTED EXIT ANGLE OF THE BULLET
AT 100 YARDS IN A 22" NON-FLUTED BARREL IS 0.6069".
REDUCING THE FREE-FLOATED LENGTH OF THE
FORWARD END OF THE BARREL TO 14.6829" AS IS SHOWN
IN THE CHART BELOW, REDUCES THE ANGLE BY 70% OR
NEARLY 3 TIMES LESS VERTICAL MOVEMENT. THIS
COINCIDES NEARLY EXACTLY WITH THE INDEPENDENT
BARREL SAG AND ACCURACY HEAT TESTING DONE BY
ME PREVIOUSLY. YOU CAN SEE THOSE RESULTS AT:
HTTP://WWW.RIFLE-ACCURACY.COM/BARRELMOVEMENT.HTM
THE COMPLETE ARTICLE BY VARMINT AL ON FLUTED
AND NON-FLUTED BARREL HARMONIC VIBRATIONAL
MOVEMENT CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTP://WWW.VARMINTAL.COM/AFLUT.HTM
(VI) TAKING CARE
CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF CENTRE-FIRE
SPORTING RIFLES
BY JACKSON RIFLES
"Stainless" steel
THE
"STAINLESS"
STEEL
USED
IN
FIREARMS
MANUFACTURE BY NO MEANS COMPLETELY RUST
PROOF. LIKE ORDINARY BLUED CHROME-MOLYBDENUM
STEEL, SO-CALLED "STAINLESS" OR "ALL-WEATHER"
FIREARMS SHOULD BE LIGHTLY OILED TO PROTECT
FROM RUST. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE DRIED AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE AFTER USE IN THE RAIN. NEVER PUT A WET OR
DAMP FIREARM INTO A GUN CASE OR SLIP.
Bore condition and accuracy
AFTER FIRING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF ROUNDS, ALL
CENTREFIRE RIFLES SUFFER FROM BORE FOULING, FIRECRACKING AND THROAT-EROSION. RUST PITTING IS
ALSO COMMON IN THE BORES OF CHROMEMOLYBDENUM SPORTING RIFLE BARRELS.
ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CAN AND DO IMPAIR THE
ACCURACY OF THE BARREL - TO SOME EXTENT. AND FOR
SPORTING RIFLES, THERE'S THE RUB - BECAUSE THERE
ARE SO MANY OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED IN HOW WELL
A SPORTING RIFLE SHOOTS, IT IS SELDOM POSSIBLE TO
PEER INTO A SPORTING RIFLE BARREL AND CONDEMN
THE WEAPON OUT OF HAND. EXCEPT IN A FEW CASES, IT
IS USUALLY NECESSARY TO CONFIRM A DIAGNOSIS BY
FIRING SEVERAL FIVE-SHOT GROUPS FROM A BIPOD AND
SANDBAG REST.
THERE ISN'T MUCH THAT THE SHOOTER CAN DO TO
PREVENT CRACKING AND EROSION WHICH ARE CAUSED
BY THE INTENSE HEAT AND PRESSURE OF FIRING.
HOWEVER, THIS DETERIORATION CAN BE VERY RAPID IF
THE BARREL IS OVER-HEATED, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO
ALLOW THE BARREL TO COOL IN BETWEEN TEST
GROUPS WHEN ZEROING A SPORTING RIFLE.
RUST PITTING CAN BE MINIMISED BY REGULAR
CLEANING, AND BY PUSHING A LIGHTLY-OILED PATCH
THROUGH THE BORE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER
STALKING, WHETHER OR NOT A ROUND HAS BEEN
FIRED. CONDENSATION CAN FORM IN THE BORE WHEN A
COLD RIFLE IS BROUGHT INTO A WARM HOUSE. THE
PROBLEM OF RUST PITTING IS REDUCED, BUT NOT
ELIMINATED WITH "STAINLESS" STEEL BARRELS.
Cleaning procedure
THERE ARE TWO CONSTITUENTS OF BORE FOULING:
METAL (A COPPER ALLOY) WHICH IS RUBBED OFF THE
BULLET JACKET, AND CARBON DEPOSITS FROM THE
BURNT POWDER. COPPER JACKET FOULING IS FAIRLY
EASILY REMOVED BY PROPRIETARY CHEMICAL OR MILD
ABRASIVE CLEANING COMPOUNDS, EVEN IN NEGLECTED
BORES. CARBON FOULING, IF ALLOWED TO BUILD UP IN
FRONT OF THE CHAMBER, CAN FORM A HARD CERAMICLIKE LAYER WHICH IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
REMOVE WITH ANY NORMAL CLEANING METHOD OR
COMPOUND.
FOR SPORTING RIFLES, WE RECOMMEND THE
FOLLOWING CLEANING PROCEDURE EVERY 25 ROUNDS.
AFTER THE INITIAL BREAK-IN PROCEDURE, NEW TOP
QUALITY BARRELS MAY BE ABLE TO GO A BIT LONGER
THAN 25 ROUNDS. OLDER AND MASS-PRODUCED
BARRELS USUALLY FOUL QUICKER AND NEED
CLEANING MORE OFTEN. TARGET RIFLES SHOULD BE
CLEANED EVERY 5-10 ROUNDS, IF POSSIBLE.
WHEN CLEANING RIFLES, WE ALWAYS USE A BORE
GUIDE AND A GOOD QUALITY STRAIGHT CLEANING ROD
OF THE CORRECT DIAMETER FOR THE BORE GUIDE. IF
YOUR CLEANING ROD IS NOT PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, OR
IF YOU DON'T USE A BORE GUIDE, YOU RISK WEARING
AWAY THE RIFLING ON ONE SIDE OF THE CHAMBER
THROAT. THIS CAN WRECK A GOOD RIFLE. WE PREFER
PRECISION GROUND STAINLESS STEEL CLEANING RODS
WHICH ARE STIFFER AND USUALLY STRAIGHTER THAN
THE PLASTIC COVERED TYPE. NEVER USE AN
ALUMINIUM OR BRASS CLEANING ROD.
ONE MORE PRECAUTION - TAKE CARE WHEN
WITHDRAWING THE ROD AND JAG OR BRUSH THROUGH
THE MUZZLE. BARREL STEEL IS NOT ALL THAT HARD,
AND IT IS EASY TO DAMAGE THE MUZZLE CROWN.
OUR USUAL
FOLLOWS:
FULL
CLEANING
PROCEDURE
IS
AS

push two patches wet with Kroil from chamber
to muzzle;

brush with a tight-fitting bronze brush wet with
Kroil - usually one pass to and fro for each shot
fired, or until we can feel most of the powder
deposits have been cleared;

push two more patches wet with Kroil from
chamber to muzzle;

smear a patch with a little JB compound and
work to and fro, as directed;

push one more patch wet with Kroil from
chamber to muzzle, followed by a dry patch;

if there is time, fill bore with Forrest foam and
leave for 20-30 minutes (or overnight, if bore is
heavily fouled)

push a dry patch from chamber to muzzle;

scrub to & fro with patches wet with Kroil until
one comes out nearly clean;
(VII) AGM

push one patche with a couple of drops of Kroil
from chamber to muzzle.
Factors In Accuracy: Rifles And Shooting
by John Barsness

wipe oil and dirt from chamber using a short
Parker-hale rod and jag wrapped with paper
towel.
After reading one of today’s shooting magazines, many
hunters might reasonably conclude that if their rifle
isn’t pillar-bedded, custom-barreled, action-blueprinted,
target-crowned, chambered for the latest short magnum,
and fitted with a trick-reticle, astronomy-grade
riflescope, they’ll be absolutely helpless when
confronted with a white-tailed deer.
WE USE COTTON FLANNEL PATCHES ON A BRASS SPEARTIP JAG. OUR PREFERRED CHOICE OF CLEANING
COMPOUNDS (KROIL, JB AND FORREST FOAM) IS BASED
ON EXPERIENCE OF WHAT WORKS (OBSERVING WITH A
BORE-SCOPE), AND ON A DISLIKE OF STRONG-SMELLING
AND TOXIC CONCOCTIONS. KROIL (A PENETRATING OIL)
SMELLS A BIT, BUT NOT UNPLEASANTLY. JB AND
FORREST ARE ODOURLESS AND NON-TOXIC. WE HAVE
TRIED MOST OTHER PROPRIETARY BORE CLEANERS;
THEY ALL WORK WELL ENOUGH IF USED AS DIRECTED
WITH GLOVES AND IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA.
New barrel break-in
MOST GOOD QUALITY NEW RIFLE BARRELS BENEFIT
FROM BEING BROKEN-IN BY CLEANING AFTER EACH
SHOT UNTIL THE MACHINING MARKS IN THE CHAMBER
THROAT AREA HAVE BEEN SMOOTHED OUT. THIS
USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN 5 AND 50 ROUNDS,
DEPENDING ON THE STEEL AND THE QUALITY OF THE
MACHINING WORK. FOR NEW "ALL WEATHER" TIKKA
RIFLES, 5 TO 10 ROUNDS USUALLY SUFFICE. WE USE A
BORE-SCOPE TO SEE WHEN A BARREL IS BROKEN IN, BUT
THIS CAN ALSO BE DETERMINED BY NOTING A MARKED
REDUCTION IN COPPER FOULING AFTER EACH SHOT.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BARREL CLEANING AND
BREAK-IN CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITES OF
LEADING BARREL-MAKERS LIKE JACK KREIGER AND
DAN LILJA.
Other user maintenance
FROM TIME TO TIME, AND WHENEVER THE RIFLE IS USED
IN HEAVY RAIN, REMOVE THE BARREL AND ACTION
FROM THE STOCK AND CLEAN OUT ANY WATER AND
DEBRIS (PINE NEEDLES, ETC.).
FROM TIME TO TIME, DISASSEMBLE THE BOLT, REMOVE
AND CLEAN THE FIRING PIN AND RE-ASSEMBLE
WITHOUT OIL. IF AFRAID OF RUST, APPLY A LITTLE
LIGHT OIL (WD 40 OR KROIL) AND WIPE IT OFF WITH A
PAPER TOWEL. APPLY A LITTLE GREASE TO THE
COCKING RAMP, EXTRACTION CAM AND THE BACK OF
THE LOCKING LUGS.
THERE ARE TWO GOOD REASONS NOT TO PUT OIL ON
THE FIRING PIN AND SPRING:

it tends to attract dirt, and it may congeal in
very cold weather and cause a mis-fire or hangfire;

in the event of a pierced primer or case
separation, oil or dirt in the bolt may be
squirted backwards into the shooter's eye by the
escaping high-pressure gas.
This isn’t so. I own several modern custom rifles and
they do kill game, but they are no more necessary to
successful deer hunting than a dualed-out, chromemagged, winch-equipped 4x4 pickup. In fact, over the
past decade or so of fooling around with custom rifles,
I’ve concluded that the tiny details of their fine
construction rank way down the list of factors affecting
intrinsic accuracy.
I’m not talking about whether super-fine accuracy
makes any difference in the field. It almost never does-but rifle loonies still like to shoot little-bitty
groups. (This isn’t a bad thing, because the more we try
to shoot little-bitty groups, the more we shoot, and any
trigger-pulling helps us shoot better.) Instead I’m
talking about the basics that let a hunting rifle shoot not
just tiny but consistent groups. And that’s a good thing,
whether we’re humping the hills with a classic Savage
99 or the latest stainless-synthetic Midget Mag.
Over the past several decades I’ve also fooled around
with a lot of factory rifles, on average about 15 a year-but not usually the rifles almost any manufacturer
would happily lend me. Why not? Because rifle
makers frown on modification of consignment rifles,
and I’ve generally found that changes must be made to
allow any rifle to shoot up to its potential. So, in the
interests of science, I buy rifles (usually but not always
used), fool with them, and then quite often send them
on their way after I’ve had my fun. This may seem
callous, but otherwise my house would be leaking
rifles.
Over the past couple of years I bought 3 used
Remington 700’s. At first I was going to have them
“blue-printed” and rebarreled, as I’ve had several other
700’s over the past few years, but then decided to shoot
them first and see what happened. The trio consisted of
a somewhat worn 6mm Remington ADL from the
1960’s, complete with bolt-locking safety and
impressed checkering, a mid-1980’s .30-06 ADL in
very good shape, and a recent, like-new 7mm
Remington Magnum ADL with a synthetic stock.
The 7mm Magnum arrived first. My initial “test” on
any bolt-action rifle involves pulling the bolt and
looking very carefully at the back of the locking
lugs. Both were partially shiny, indicating they seated
in their action recesses. Over the decades I’ve
occasionally drawn a 700 where one lug didn’t seat, and
these always shot relatively poorly. But if both lugs
show some seating wear, it’s not a problem. Custom
gunsmiths like to have “100% contact” when lapping
lugs, but my experience indicates that partial contact
works just as well--as we shall see.
I’ve had, uh, mixed results with the cheap
“Tupperware” injection-molded stocks most large
manufacturers put on their big game rifles. They aren’t
stiff enough through the forend, and a stiff forend is
essential for repeatable accuracy in any bolt rifle. So I
substituted an Acra-Bond laminated stock from Mel
Smart (after the unfortunate passing of Mr. Smart,
Acra-Bond was purchased and renamed Serengeti
Stockworks, www.serengetistockworks.com, (406) 7562399) that had arrived a month earlier.
Thirty-some years ago we all firmly believed that
handloads shot more accurately than factory
ammunition. The gun writers of the day said this was
because we could "tailor" handloads to our particular
rifle, by trying different bullets and powders to see
which Old Betsy "liked."
Most of the time our handloads did outshoot factory
ammunition--but after looking back on 35 years of
handloading and rifles, I don't believe it was because
we tailored anything. Instead, handloads shot better
because factory ammo was as bad as the Japanese
radios then flooding the market. Like those radios,
most 1960's factory ammo was cranked out to sell at the
lowest price possible, and there wasn't any of the
"premium" stuff we can buy today. Brass and,
particularly, bullets were not very uniform, and quite
often were slopped together.
I know this because I possess quite a bit of old factory
ammo, courtesy of a cop friend. Periodically people
arrive at his offices with old ammo left behind by their
dear departed grandfather, or found in the basement
when they rented a house. If it's interesting, my friend
sends it on. Believe me, the average ammunition we
shot in the 1960's does not compare with the fine
ammunition we can buy today. Back then a scoped
bolt-action that averaged 3 shots in an inch was an
absolute wonder, and this usually couldn't be
accomplished without handloading. With factory stuff,
2-inch groups were considered about all you could
reasonably hope for.
Today I routinely test factory ammo that averages 3
shots in an inch at 100 yards, and some does better,
even in some very old rifles. Which means the ammo
"tailoring" tricks of the 1960's didn't have much to do
with the superior accuracy of our handloads. Instead
most accuracy gains were due to custom bullets made
by companies like Hornady, Nosler, Sierra and Speer,
seated straighter than in factory ammo.
It takes more effort to beat today's factory ammo. In
the last issue of Rifle (No. 202) we looked at the basics
of accurate rifles, which mostly come down to proper
action and barrel bedding, firmly seated locking lugs,
and a well-mounted scope that's parallax-free at
whatever range we're shooting.
But we left one part of the rifle out of the equation,
because
it
directly affects
handloads: the
chamber. Here we're talking about the entire chamber,
including the throat. Exactly how the cartridge and
bullet fit in the chamber/throat directly affects
accuracy--and how we handload can have major
consequences on that fit.
Let's look at the body of the chamber first. This
directly affects "headspace," a technical term for the
tiny gap between bolt-face and cartridge-head after a
round's chambered. Headspace is "controlled" by some
feature of the case that keeps the cartridge from sliding
too far into the chamber. The simplest method is the
rim of older cartridges like the .30-30 WCF: the rim's
too big to fit into the body of the chamber and so stops
the cartridge.
Most rifle cartridges designed for bolt actions are
"rimless," which doesn't mean they don't have a rim,
just that it's the same size or smaller than the case
body. The .30-06 is a typical example. Because the
rim is the same diameter as the case, the steeply-tapered
portion of the case called the shoulder keeps a .30-06
round from sliding too far into the chamber.
A rimless variation is the "belted" cartridge, typified by
popular rounds such as the 7mm Remington and .300
Winchester Magnums. The belt just in front of the rim
was designed to control headspace in old British
cartridges that had shallow shoulders, such as the .300
and .375 Holland & Holland cases. On modern, steepshouldered cartridges, however, the belt's pretty much
superfluous.
No matter what form the case takes, too much
headspace can be dangerous. After we pull the trigger,
the spring-driven firing pin slams the case too far
forward into the chamber, whereupon expanding
powder gases push the case-head back against the boltface, stretching the brass. Case separations can result,
even on one firing, and almost certainly occur if the
case is handloaded and fired again.
But even "normal" headspace can affect accuracy. Here
we're not talking about dangerously excessive
headspace, but accepted tolerances. Slight variations in
case/chamber fit can cause erratic ignition. Some
rounds chamber more tightly, others more loosely,
which varies how consistently the firing pin ignites the
primer. Bullets leave the muzzle at different velocities,
ending up at different places on the target, especially at
longer ranges.
This slight amount of headspace "slop" is common with
typical with factory rifles and brass. Factories tend to
ream chambers at the long end of accepted headspace,
because the typical bolt-action .30-06 has to chamber
dozens of brands of ammo, both American and
foreign. Rifles chambered for belted cases often show
even more slop. The belt theoretically controls
headspace, so chambers are often cut more tolerantly,
and ammo varies more widely.
Most rimmed centerfire cartridges are chambered in
lever or single-shot actions. By their very design,
typical factory lever rifles don't lock up as precisely as
an typical bolt. Single-shot rifles tend to be better, but
even in such fine falling-block rifles as the Ruger #1
and Browning 1885, there's normally enough
manufacturing tolerance to prevent truly precise
headspacing.
Which is where the handloader comes in. We can fit
bottlenecked cases to our particular chamber, by first
firing cases in our rifle, then resizing minimally. The
case headspaces partially on the shoulder (even if belted
or rimmed), reducing erratic ignition, and centers itself
in the chamber, starting the bullet straight down the
bore.
Resizing cases "minimally," however, doesn't
necessarily mean neck-sizing. I've fooled around with
neck-sizing quite a bit over the years, and find the
practice normally produces less accurate ammunition.
Why? The body of the typical factory neck-sizing die
is much larger than the case body, so there's nothing to
hold the case in alignment with the neck-sizing portion
of the die. Consequently the neck's often resized out of
alignment with the case body, a condition often made
worse when the case gets pulled back over the expander
ball.
Aligned, straight, concentric: No matter what we call it,
making sure our ammunition's centered in the chamber,
from case head to bullet tip, is essential to
accuracy. Without straight, we can kiss small groups
good-by.
The only way to find out if your dies resize cases
straight is to buy a concentricity gauge. I have two on
my bench, one from RCBS and one from NECO, and
use them both for various purposes, as one is generally
handier than the other for particular tasks. When
fooling around with a new set of dies, one gauge or the
other soon appears, because dies are almost as quirky as
people.
In making straight ammo, there are better tools and
methods than the average neck-sizing die. All the fulllength dies I've tried in the past decade size cases
straight, but more often than not, the expander ball pulls
the neck crooked. Sometimes this is because the "ball"
(actually a cylinder of some sort) is mounted crooked
on the decapping pin. Expander-ball/decapping-pin
straightness can be measured with a concentricity
gauge, and corrected with the judicious use of pliers.
Sometimes, however, even a straight expander ball
pulls necks crooked. The only solution I've found is to
unscrew the expander, fully size the case, then screw
the expander assembly back in the die and "push" it into
the neck of the sized case. For some reason, this almost
always results in straighter necks.
On the joyous occasions when a new set of full-length
dies sizes cases quite straightly, with no more than
.002" runout at the case mouth, I mark the die box
"OK," so I know cases can be resized without pulling
the expander ball. Otherwise the expander-ball
assembly lies loose in the box, letting me know an extra
step must be performed. This is why I prefer dies with
easily-unscrewed expander assemblies, such as those
made by Redding and RCBS, to those that require two
wrenches and some sweat to remove, like those made
by Hornady and Lee. (Both the Hornady and Lee dies
usually make fine ammo, but if they don't the only real
solution is to buy another full-length die and remove the
decapping pin. Use this for resizing, the other for
expanding necks. Don't laugh. I've got a couple die
boxes with extra sizing dies minus their decapping
pins.)
You can also buy match-grade dies, which compensate
for all of these factors. Normally they're neck-sizers,
but with more precise bodies than standard neck dies. I
mostly use these for varmint ammo because they save a
lot of time when loading several hundred rounds,
eliminating lubing, de-lubing, and (usually) case
trimming. I am particularly fond of Redding's
Competition Bushing Style neck-sizing die, but Lee's
Collet Dies also work very well.
When loading big game ammo, however, I use dies just
like those you can buy in any sporting-goods
store. With the above tricks, standard dies can produce
cases just as straight as those sized in match dies, and
the extra time doesn't amount to much when making 40
rounds of ammo.
Check for this condition by inserting a bullet into the
neck of fired, unsized brass. If there's any slight hitch,
the brass either needs to be discarded or the neck
turned. Bulk brass is cheap enough that I just toss cases
in common calibers, but expensive brass (either off-theshelf or in forming time) gets outside-turned.
My big game ammo is normally full-length sized in
order to chamber smoothly, but that doesn't mean it
doesn't fit the chamber precisely. Unless you use a
special small-base die, full-length sizing doesn't restore
brass to factory dimensions. Instead it sizes just enough
for easy chambering.
Brass fired several times also tends to work-harden, the
result of being stretched and resized. This particularly
affects the neck, because it's sized twice, once when
squeezed down, then again when pulled over the
expander ball. Work-hardening also causes erratic
bullet release. Again, I generally toss common calibers
after a few loadings, but anneal more expensive brass.
If you've got a tight chamber, fired brass may not affect
accuracy, but most of the time, fired brass headspaces
more precisely and has straighter necks. After "fireforming" brass in your rifle's chamber, set the dies so
that the action closes on a sized case with just a slight
amount of extra effort. Many methods can be used,
including specialized tools such as Redding's "Instant
Indicator" headspace comparator, or blacking the
shoulder area with match or candle smoke. I usually
just run the die into the press, with the ram up, until the
die butts against the shell holder. Then I back it off half
a turn and resize a fired case. Normally this lightlysized case takes some effort to chamber, so I keep
turning the die in, perhaps 1/20th of a turn at a time,
and resizing the same case until the desired slight
"crush fit" results.
This firm headspacing helps center the round in the
chamber, even it the case body is sized small enough
for easy chambering--and not only with typical modern
steep-shouldered cases, but also gently tapered
rounds. My own modest rifle collection includes a
Marlin 336 .30-30 WCF, a C. Sharps Winchester High
Wall .30-40 Krag, a Winchester Model 70 Classic
rebarreled to .300 H&H by the Wells Gun Shop, and a
couple of .375 H&H's, a Mark X Mauser and a Ruger
#1. Chambers are both custom and factory, the rounds
both rimmed and belted, but all shoot better with fired
brass full-length resized just enough to allow easy but
firm chambering.
Forward of the chamber body we find the neck. This
rarely causes problems, except in odd instances where
brass is too thick to allow the bullet to release easily on
firing. This almost never occurs with new brass, but
thick necks can develop after brass has been fired and
resized several times. Brass starts to flow forward,
thickening the neck, particularly at the shoulder/neck
junction. If the neck "grows" enough, chambering a
round slightly crimps the neck around the bullet. This
not only increases pressures, but does so
erratically. The normal symptoms are unexplainable
fliers and occasional signs of high pressure.
The traditional annealing method suggests heating the
necks "cherry-red" with a propane torch, then dousing
in cold water. But cherry-red makes the necks too soft.
The melted-lead dip method is much better, as is
Hornady's annealing kit, but I use a simpler method
perfected by my friend Fred Barker. With Fred's
method you hold the case in your fingertips, halfway up
the case body, then heat the neck in the flame from a
common wax candle, turning it constantly, until the
case gets too hot to hold. Drop it onto a water-soaked
towel, then use the towel to wipe the case off, which
finishes the annealing and gets rid of the black soot
from the candle. The Barker Method is fast, cheap,
easy, and anneals just the right amount.
The next part of the chamber is the throat, or leade,
where the rifling begins. Most factory throats are cut
far larger than bullet diameter, at least at the mouth of
the case, the reason many handloading gurus advise
seating bullets as close to the lands as possible. Close
seating doesn't allow the bullet to turn slightly sideways
in the throat before slamming into the rifling.
However, most custom chambers (and even some of
today's factory rifles) have throats only slightly larger
than bullet diameter. With these, seating the bullet
close to the lands really isn't necessary, except perhaps
with light varmint bullets that have very short bearing
surfaces.
A good example of a precise custom throat is the one in
the .300 Winchester Magnum Charlie Sisk (400 County
Road 2340, Dayton, TX 77532, 936-258-4984) just
built me on an old-model Ruger 77 action (chosen over
the 77 Mark II because of the tang safety and better
trigger). This rifle has a ".30-06 length" magazine that
only allows bullets to be seated out to the standard .300
Winchester overall cartridge length of 3.34". I mean
this quite literally; I've tried seating bullets to 3.35" and
they jam in the magazine. The throat, however, allows
Nosler Partitions to be seated out to an overall length of
nearly 3.5". In theory accuracy should suffer, but
because of the tight cylindrical throat all the handloads
I've tried so far grouped under an inch at 100 yards.
The throat of the .300 Winchester Short Magnum (and
the other WSM's) is interesting, mostly because it
doesn't exist. The rifling starts right in front of the
chamber's neck, which not only keeps overall length of
cartridges short enough to fit in a 3.05" magazine, but
eliminates any worry about inaccuracy resulting from
"bullet jump." This non-existent throat is one reason
factory-model WSM's of any caliber tend to shoot very
well. (It's also why chambering a WSM in a longer
action is mostly a waste of time. A local gunsmith has
already built several .300 WSM's on Mauser and other
longer-magazine actions, because the boys want to "seat
the bullet out to the lands." But they won't be able to
seat bullets out any farther, because the non-throat
won't let 'em. If you want to use a longer action, why
not use the .300 Winchester "Long?" It achieves the
same ballistics, or slightly better, and despite what
you've read, doesn't kick any harder than the .300
WSM.)
The next step is the case itself. Over the years much
advice about "uniforming" cases has been printed. I've
tried it all, from reaming primer pockets to weighing
cases to removing the little burr on the inside of the
flash-hole. All these details may have some slight
effect on benchrest ammo, fired in rifles capable of onehole groups, but even some benchrest boys have given
up on most of 'em.
Why? They don't make any difference. The only case
dimension that seems to help shrink groups is uniform
neck thickness. Ideally, necks shouldn't vary more than
.001" in thickness. Before measuring, most bulk brass
must be run over an expander ball to remove
dents. Otherwise you'll be measuring dents, not brass.
All of this takes time, but you only have to do it once. I
buy most of my brass from Midway USA (5875 Van
Horn Tavern Road, Columbia, MO 65203) in 100-500
round lots, and sort necks on any batch from Remington
or Winchester. The reject rate usually runs between 520%, and you can use the rejects for offhand practice or
dummy rounds--or neck-turn them to the same
uniformity as the "good" cases.
I used to turn necks, but no more. As a general rule
brass with bad necks is lopsided all the way down
through the body. It may be straight after it's fired, but
won't be after full-length sizing.
I don't bother weighing brass anymore, either. Most of
it's just too uniform these days. The first time I've
weighed brass in a couple years was yesterday, just for
this article. The only batch that varied more than 2%
was some Winchester .300 Savage brass, at 4.8% still
only plus or minus 2.4%, which matters not at all in the
real world. I use the same brass for handloads in both
of my Savage 99's, one peep-sighted, the other
scoped. The peep-sighted rifle (a takedown) will
average a little over 1" for 3 shots at 100 yards, the
scoped rifle under .75".
Here are some other weighing results from recent bulk
brass:
.223 Rem.-(Rem.brass): 1.10%
.250 Savage (Win.brass): 0.09%
.257 Roberts (Rem. brass): 1.20%
.30-40 Krag (Rem. brass): 1.10%
.300 H&H (Win. brass): 2.00%.
This is plain old everyday brass, the same that's used in
Remington and Winchester factory ammo, and fired
Federal factory brass varies about the same. Federal
Gold Medal, Lapua or Norma brass varies even less,
usually less than .05%, and you also don't have to
bother checking their neck thickness either. I still do
occasionally, though why I don't know, since it always
measures .001" or less.
I don't deburr or "uniform" flash-holes anymore, and
very rarely ream primer pockets to uniform
depth. Most primer pockets these days are extremely
uniform, varying much less than average "depth" of
primers themselves, even match-grade primers.
But just to find out how much effect everything except
uniform necks has on practical accuracy, I performed a
experiment last summer. My most accurate rifle is a
Remington 700 in .223 Remington, with a heavy
chrome-moly barrel and laminated stock. Aside from
minor tuning, it's out of the box. With the right load it's
a genuine quarter-inch rifle. (Hell, it may be better than
that, but I'm not.)
The experiment involved 40 rounds of experimental
ammo. All the brass was once-fired Winchester, shot in
the same rifle on a recent prairie-dog shoot.
Twenty of the cases were perfectly matched. They
weighed within .2 grain of each other, had their primer
pockets and flash-holes uniformed and deburred, and
were selected for necks within .001" uniformity.
The other 20 cases were only selected for .001"
necks. They weren't weighed, and their primer pockets
and flash-holes were left as-is.
All 40 cases were resized and decapped in a Redding
Competition Bushing-Style neck die. Then their necks
were trimmed in an RCBS bench tool, then carefully
deburred so there wasn't any ridge either inside or
outside. Primers were CCI 400 Match, seated using an
RCBS hand tool. Then 26 grains of Ramshot TAC was
measured into each case, and 50-grain Nosler Ballistic
Tips seated.
I waited for a very calm day to shoot. The barrel was
cleaned to bare steel beforehand with JB Compound,
and I fired 2 fouling shots with Winchester factory
ammo before testing. I started with the "uniformed"
loads, shooting a 5-round group, aiming with a 6-24x
Bausch & Lomb Elite 4200, set on 24x and adjusted to
eliminate all visible parallax at 100 yards. After letting
the barrel cool, I shot a 5-shot group with the random
brass, then let the barrel cool again. Groups were
alternated between the uniformed and random brass
until all 40 rounds were gone.
The results? The entire average was right around .25",
the smallest group just under .2", the largest just over
.3". The average difference between the two "lots" was
a few thousandths of an inch--in favor of the random
brass. Now, maybe if I shot 100 groups the uniformed
brass might have done better. And maybe not.
Such results are admittedly unusual, and almost solely
due to the most important factor in accurate handloads:
the bullet. The Ballistic Tips had all been run over one
of
Verne
Juenke's
Internal
Concentricity
Comparators. About 1 in 5 tested perfectly enough for
my experiment; 5-shot groups fired randomly selected
bullets from the same box average between .5" and .75"
with the same load. But "perfect" Ballistic Tips shoot
better than any other bullet I've tried in this rifle, even
benchrest bullets that have also been run through the
Juenke machine. I cannot emphasize how much this
machine has changed the way many shooters look at
accuracy. Before using the Juenke machine
extensively, I believed that certain rifles "liked" certain
bullets better. Like most shooters, I'd try different
powders in order to get a desired bullet to shoot better-and sometimes even a different primer. This didn't
work very often. Now I know why. Without good
bullets, uniform neck thickness and consistent ignition
all the rest of it doesn't amount to a pile of popcorn.
Today finding an accurate load is much simpler. I
carefully resize some neck-sorted, fired cases, charge
'em with an appropriate powder or two, then seat some
Juenked bullets and go to the range. If the rifle's set up
correctly, almost every load shoots acceptably.
machine, and match-grade bullets from other companies
get spot-checked over them too. I'm guessing they'll be
used in the manufacture of more bullets in the near
future.
One thing I've found through the use of the machine is
the fatter the bullet, the less difference small
manufacturing variations make. It's a lot easier, for
instance, to make a concentric .30 caliber bullet than a
balanced .25 caliber bullet, one of the reasons many .30
caliber cartridges have a reputation for accuracy. But
the most consistently concentric bullets are those of .35
caliber and up. In fact, I rarely test any bullets of .35
caliber or more that don't check out essentially matchgrade. Which is why so many .375's and .416's shoot
little tiny groups--if their owners can take the recoil.
But even if my Juenke machine disappeared tomorrow
I'd waste less time in my handloading. Trying a halfdozen powders in hope of getting a certain bullet to
group, reaming primer pockets, weighing brass--all
those things have become obsolete around my loading
bench, because accurate handloads mostly boil down to
starting a good bullet straight down the barrel.
(VIII) UNFINISHED 9.3 x 62 mm PROJECT
The Association needs to take a decision as to whether
or not they wish to complete the 9.3 project, which is
now in its last leg, being the pressure tests that need to
be done at the SABS. R7,000 is needed.
220 rounds have been loaded and are awaiting pressure
test. The Reloading Association should do more in
respect of load development, research & development
and original work in our field that we profess to be
specialists in.
Many people belief that the 9,3 Mauser is not
susceptible to high pressure, but this is a mistake, as
you can see from the following 2 e-mails between
myself and Lapua.
Janne Pohjoispaa,
Sure, different powder charges can result in smaller
groups, and very occasionally a powder just doesn't
agree with a certain bullet. One recent .300 H&H
loathed IMR4350 with 180-grain bullets, and one batch
of .22 Hornet cases needed their primer-pockets
reamed. But 85% of the time, I find an accurate load on
the first try, without all the nit-picky stuff we've been
led to believe makes a difference.
Of course, very few of us own Juenke machines. I
believe the existing total is around 500--but they're
already making a difference in the bullets we
shoot. Swift's Sciroccos are made with a Juenke
I would appreciate if you could give me an update on
pressures with N150.
What velocity does your current load with N150 give
and what is the pressure?
Is N150 a single base extruded powder?
Your assistance is much appreciated
Best regards
Chris Bekker
Reloading Association of South Africa
Janne’s reply:
Chris,
(IX) Hunting Classics
.375 H&H Magnum A Hunting Classic
Clair Rees
We have tested the following charges:
Load 1:
N135 3.20 g/49.4 grs
660 mps/2,165 fps
3,838 bar/55,665 psi
Load 2:
N135 3.45 g/53.2 grs
699 mps/2,293 fps
4,532 bar/65,730 psi
CIP maximum pressure for the 9.3x62 is 3,900
bar/56,564 psi.
Factory load is tuned for each powder batch and
51.9 gr was only nominal value, yet the 9.3x62
factory loads are quite hot from pressure
viewpoint.
We have currently switched to N150 which gives
better performance. I hope this gives you some
view to Quickload capabilities; it gives very good
values for muzzle velocity yet pressures can be all
wrong. In this case not bad, but with some others
they can be c. 1,000 bars away from real values.
Best regards,
Janne Pohjoispaa
Nammo Lapua R & D
As can be seen from the above, we need to do some
work in the South African context as reloaders are using
a variety of propellants such as S321, S335. S341, S355
and S365 and bullet weights now vary from the lightfor-caliber 180 gr Impala bullet to the 330 gr Rhino
Solid Shank heavy-for-caliber bullet, with the following
bullet weights in between:
235 gr
250 gr
270 gr
286 gr
300 gr
320 gr
Frontier Bullets now even offer 396 gr copper-plated
lead bullets
From Africa to Alaska, this tough old cartridge can
handle nearly any creature that walks the face of the
earth.
The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is a cartridge
that stirs men's souls. It evokes romance and high
adventure, a reminder of exotic lands where hunters risk
death or dismemberment from tusk, hoof, fang or claw.
When the cartridge was introduced in 1912, African
hunting was still basking in its golden age. The .375
H&H was the first cartridge to deliver real big-game
power and performance from a medium-bore bolt rifle.
It soon became an all-around favorite for African
hunting.
While the .375 is considered underpowered for buffalo
and elephant today, it has killed countless numbers of
these big, hardy beasts. This time-proven magnum
continues to enjoy widespread use in Africa and is a
popular choice for hunting Alaska's huge coastal
grizzlies.
A milestone in cartridge development, the .375 H&H
introduced the magnum concept to an eager world of
power-hungry riflemen. It wasn't the world's first belted
cartridge. That distinction belongs to the .400/375
Belted Nitro Express introduced in 1905. Less potent
than the .375, Holland & Holland's belted .400/375 was
never very popular with African hunters and was
discontinued in 1938.
Stretching The Belt
Why was a belted cartridge needed? When the .375 was
being developed, most British rounds were loaded with
Cordite, an early smokeless propellant that tended to
deteriorate in the African heat. Such deterioration could
escalate pressures when the ammo was fired.
To minimize such problems. H&H wanted a cartridge
large enough to generate desired velocities at moderate
pressures, providing an important safety margin.
Originally loaded to mid-40,000 c.u.p. pressures,
modern .375 H&H Mag. factory ammunition can safely
reach industry-standard maximums of 53,000 c.u.p.
To insure trouble-free extraction, the case was designed
with a long, smooth taper. This left the cartridge with a
minimal shoulder, creating a headspacing problem. The
long, tapered round couldn't be counted on to headspace
reliably on the shoulder alone. If a cartridge was
chambered too vigorously, the shallow shoulder might
fail, causing the round to move forward in the chamber
and preventing the firing pin from striking the primer
with a solid blow.
Misfires aren't acceptable in a dangerous game rifle, so
another answer had to be found. A rimmed cartridge
would do the trick, but that presented feeding
difficulties from a box-type magazine. The solution was
an encircling belt the company had already invented.
Used on a rimless case, the belt rode just forward of the
extractor groove. When the cartridge was chambered,
this raised band rested against an abutment at the rear of
the chamber to provide positive headspace.
The .375 H&H Mag. was an extremely successful
design. It functioned reliably in bolt-action Express
rifles and quickly proved deadly on all but the largest
game. It also delivered flatter trajectory than other
cartridges intended for serious African hunting.
The .375 Goes West
Almost immediately after it was introduced, the .375
H&H Mag. was a big success with British hunters on
the dark continent. Its popularity soon spread to the
United States. Enough American sportsmen adopted the
round that the Western Cartridge Company began
offering .375 H&H Mag. factory ammo in 1925. A
dozen years later Winchester produced a .375 H&H
version of its Model 70 rifle, becoming the first major
American arms maker to chamber the round.
In 1925, Holland & Holland necked the big, belted .375
case down to accept .30-caliber bullets. The .300 H&H,
or "Holland's Super 30" was born. After winning the
1,000 yard Wimbledon Cup Match in 1935, the .300
H&H Mag. became a favorite of longrange shooters.
By the early 1940s, Roy Weatherby had begun
experimenting with the .300 and .375 H&H cartridges.
He gave the case a more pronounced shoulder, then
necked it down to accept smaller caliber bullets. The
resulting .270, 7mm, .257 and .300 Weatherby
Magnums delivered sizzling velocities and launched
Weatherby to fame and fortune.
Weatherby's success in promoting his powerful highspeed, flat-shooting cartridges set the stage for all the
belted magnums that later followed. The .270
Wthby.Mag. was the first American magnum. It
wouldn't be the last.
Half-Ton Bears And H&H
While Weatherby, Winchester and other manufacturers
have developed a growing variety of domestic
magnums, Holland's big, belted .375 has long been the
cartridge of choice for hunting Alaska's giant grizzlies.
Alaska bear guide Ed Stevenson likes to get his clients
as close as possible before they pull the trigger. He'll
guide hunters who show up in camp carrying a .338
Win. Mag., but he's a lot happier when they're toting a
.375 H&H, the cartridge he always recommends. It's
also the round he relies on to prevent annoyed bruins
from chewing up paying clients.
As a deer-hunting teenager, I longed to travel north in
search of half-ton bears. I dreamed of the day I could
hunt with a .375 H&H Mag. rifle. The long, belted .375
was the cartridge that automatically came to mind
whenever I thought of hunting gargantuan grizzlies on
Kodiak Island or anywhere along the Alaskan coast.
Two decades passed before the dream became reality.
My first brown bear rifle was a .375 H&H Mark X
Mauser. It wasn't a fancy firearm, but it was priced
right. It also offered the famed Mauser controlled round
feeding and reliable extraction. I was happy with my
choice, and it performed well.
The rifle kicked harder -- a lot harder -- than my .30caliber deer rifles, but that was part of the mystique.
Like many machominded males, I once considered
recoil a way to check your testosterone level.
The .375 didn't knock you down and stomp on you, but
you knew you were shooting a serious rifle. A 9 1/2 lb.
.375 H&H rifle delivers some 38 ft./lbs. of energy to
your shoulder. That's more than twice as hard as you'll
get kicked shooting an 8 1/2 lb. .30-'06 with 180 gr.
factory loads.
While .375 H&H recoil was manageable (you're hardly
aware of it when you've got a bear in your crosshairs), I
didn't enjoy shooting this round from the unyielding
benchrest position. Whenever I sighted this rifle in, I
always wore a strap-on recoil pad or placed a bag of
shot between shoulder and buttstock.
One .375 Is Enough
I've owned a handful of .375 H&H Mags., but never
more than one at a time. While it seems perfectly
reasonable to keep a small battery of 7mm-08, .308 or
.30-'06 hunting rifles, having several .375 H&H Mags.
stored in your gun safe seems somehow excessive. Deer
rifles get regular use, but the big, belted magnums
suited for North America's largest, nastiest game are
only occasionally called upon.
The .375 H&H Mags. I've used or owned include the
Mark X Mauser already mentioned, a Sako and two
Model 70 Winchesters. I also briefly had a .375 Ruger
No, 1, but eventually decided a big bear rifle really
should be a repeater. If you're shopping for .375 bolt
rifles, a true magnum-length action is needed to
accommodate the oversized Holland & Holland
cartridge.
The Last .375 (Not Really!)
My first Alaskan bear hunt took place in November a
few miles inland from Prince William sound. The
weather was miserable. Each night, heavy snowfalls
weighted the branches along our path nearly to the
ground. We couldn't pass underneath without triggering
an icy cascade. Daily snow and sleet added to our
discomfort.
We taped rifle muzzles to keep bores clear, but the
rifles themselves were constantly drenched. We did our
best to dry and oil our guns each night, but rusting was
inevitable. I had to have my rifle refinished and reblued
after the hunt.
When Winchester finally introduced a stainless steel
Model 70 in .375 H&H Mag. chambering, I quickly
acquired one. "Here," I thought, "is the perfect Alaskan
bear rifle. It's the last .375 H&H Mag. I'll ever need."
Then Coni Brooks, a good friend and co-owner (with
her husband Randy) of Barnes Bullets, took a very nice
brown bear in Alaska. I was startled to learn her custom
.375 H&H Mag. weighed only 6 lbs. before a scope was
added. A petite, attractive, highly experienced hunter,
Coni Brooks weighs maybe 100 pounds soaking wet.
My stainless factory Model 70 scaled 7 lbs. 10 ozs. out
of the box and weighed more than 9 lbs. with a 1.25-4x
Swarovski scope in place. I wasn't fond of toting that
much heft, but also wasn't sure I could shoot a 6 lb. .375
without flinching off target. "Still," I thought, "if Coni
Brooks can handle that kind of recoil, maybe I can,
too."
After discussing my needs with Lex Webernick, I sent
my stainless steel Model 70 to his company, Rifles Inc.
in Cedar City, Utah. Webernick told me he could
whittle my rifle down to 5 1/2 lbs. or even 4 3/4 lbs. if
we started with a Remington Model 700. I took his
advice to go with his "Lightweight 70" configuration,
which tips the scales at 5 3/4 lbs.
The customized Model 70 arrived a few days before my
hunt. The stainless steel barrel and action had an
attractive soft matte finish. The rifle also sported a
synthetic, camouflaged stock with a 1" thick Rifles Inc.
recoil pad. The forward sling swivel projected at an
angle from the forend tip, where it wouldn't tear my
hand under recoil. The trigger broke crisply and
consistently at 3 1/4 lbs.
The hinged floorplate had been replaced with a blind
magazine that held four .375 H&H Mag. cartridges. The
33 percent extra capacity was a real plus. Thanks to
Webernick's handiwork, bolt cycling was markedly
smoother.
The muzzle brake so seamlessly integrated with the
barrel I first thought it was non-removable. The joint
was invisible. I mounted a lightweight Leupold Vari-X
III 1.5x scope, keeping the rifle's ready-to-hunt heft to
an agreeable 6 3/4 lbs.
Using Barnes' 270 gr. X-bullets loaded to 2,700 fps, I
zeroed the rifle at 100 yards. Three-shot groups
measured just under 1" across, vindicating Webernick's
minute-of-angle guarantee.
I was startled at the difference the muzzle brake made.
Shooting the lightweight .375 felt more like firing an 8
lb. .300 Win. Mag. My computer said the featherweight
.375 should be punishing my shoulder with a 48 ft./lb.
rabbit punch, but that kick had been seriously softened.
The ultralight rifle was a pure pleasure to shoot. There
was no way I was going to remove that brake!
In camp, I handed Stevenson a bunch of foam ear plugs
and told him to put them in when a bear showed up. He
grumbled, but pocketed the ear plugs. I've yet to fire my
superlight .375 without the brake in place, and I have
no intention of ever doing so.
Webernick agreed with my choice of a Model 70 action
for a big bear rifle. Controlled-round feeding is a good
thing to have when you hunt dangerous game, and I like
the Model 70's three-position safety. Besides, a 4 3/4 lb.
.375 H&H Mag. sounded like too much of a good thing.
Like most professional hunting guides, Stevenson hates
muzzle brakes. They produce ear-splitting noise
guaranteed to permanently ruin the hearing of anyone
standing near the muzzle with unprotected ears. I talked
him into shooting a few rounds through the rifle, and he
was astonished at the powder-puff recoil. He also
appreciated the rifle's lack of heft. A convert, he tried
talking me out of the rifle as I boarded the bush plane
for home. I left him my hip boots instead.
At my request, the barrel was shortened to 21".
Webernick suggests .375 barrels an inch longer, but he
graciously complied. Wimping out, I also ordered a
removable muzzle brake. I promised myself I'd use the
brake only for shooting practice and leave it home when
I headed for Alaska.
I now have the perfect rifle for hunting Alaska's largest
game. It's rust resistant, accurate and carries like a
dream. I must wear ear plugs to shoot it, but that's a
small price to pay for greatly reduced recoil. Best of all,
it's chambered for the perfect big bear cartridge - the
classic .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.
That's The Brakes
PS:
Technical Data:
Bullet Diameter: .375" (9.525 mm)
Maximum Case Length: 2.850" (72.39mm)
Trim-to Length: 2.840"
Maximum Cartridge Length: 3.600"
Shoulder Angle: 15 degrees
Industry Maximum Pressure: 53,000 cup
SAAMI Maximum Pressure: 62,000 psi
Case Capacity: 96.3 grains of water
(X) Die Sales
RCBS top 50 rifles ito their 2004 Die-sales.
RCBS has kindly supplied the top 50 data for their 2004
die sales. The 7 mm Rem Mag is no. 5 on their rifle die
list.
Column 1 is rifle only ranking.
Column 2 is rifle rank in the top 50.
2004 TOP 50 DIE SETS (IN DECENDING ORDER)
Rifle RCBS only ranking
1 1 .30-06 SPRINGFIELD
2 2 .22-250 REMINGTON
3 3 .270 WINCHESTER
4 5 .300 WINCHESTER SHORT MAGNUM
5 6 7MM REMINGTON MAGNUM
5 9 .223 REMINGTON
7 10 .308 WINCHESTER
8 11 .204 RUGER
9 12 .243 WINCHESTER
10 14. 270 WINCHESTER SHORT MAGNUM
11 15 .45-70 US GOVERNMENT
12 16 .300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM
13 20 .30-30 WCF
14 21 7MM-08 REMINGTON
15 22 .223 WINCHESTER SUPER SHORT MAGNUM
16 23 .300 REMINGTON ULTRA MAGNUM
17 24 .308 WINCHESTER
18 25 .25-06
19 26 8 X 57 MAUSER
20 27 6.5 X 55 SWEDISH MAUSER
21 28 .222 REMINGTON
22 29 .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM
23 30 .300 WEATHERBY MAGNUM
24 31 .243 WINCHESTER SUPER SHORT MAGNUM
25 32 .22 HORNET
26 34 7MM WINCHESTER SHORT MAGNUM
27 35 .375 H&H MAGNUM
28 36 7 X 57 MAUSER
29 37 .260 REMINGTON
30 38 7.62 X 54R RUSSIAN
31 39 .25 WINCHESTER SUPER SHORT MAGNUM
32 40 .220 SWIFT
33 41 .257 WEATHERBY MAGNUM
34 42 .300 REMINGTON SHORT ACTION ULTRA MAGNUM
35 44 7MM REMINGTON ULTRA MAGNUM
36 45 .257 ROBERTS
37 46 .17 REMINGTON
38 48 9.3MM X 62 MAUSER
39 49 .444 MARLIN
40 50 7.62MM X 39 - .308 / 311 RUSSIAN
Die 375 steek nerens eers sy kop uit nie ... wil jy nou
meer !!!