Tag Archives: 308

Range time

Posted on by

There is not a single thing that is, pricewise, cheap about HK products. Even the clones are spendy. And the accessories as well.

Which is why I should not have been surprised to find that the PTR I picked up shot about 6″ to the left and 18″ low at 50 yards. Why? Because unless you’re willing to spend about $80 for a genuine HK tool, or $45 for a knockoff, your ability to zero your rifle is rather limited. (Yes, you can use snap ring pliers but the marks it leaves on that sight drum ain’t pretty.)

Fortunately, being an evil yuppie survivalist, I actually have an HK sight tool and was able to zero the gun properly. But I did learn something I did not know. The sight drum has three aperatures and a v-notch. The idea is that the v-notch is your quick acquisition sight, and the subsequent “2”, “3”, and “4” aperatures are for 200, 300 and 400 yards respectively. Ok, fine. What I did not know is that the v-notch is not a 100 yard sight. I just assumed it was. As it turns out, from what I read, the V-notch and the “2” aperature are the same elevation. Didn’t know that.

I’ve posted it before, but here’s one of the best instructions on sighting in your G3-type rifle.

Years ago, Cheaper Than Dirt (home of the $99 Pmag) had a sale on surplus G3 furniture kits…stock, forend, and pistol grip….for ten bucks. I bought a bunch of them and since I have so many spares, I could afford to whip out the Krylon and DIY some winter white.

Might send this gun out to be dipped or coated in a winter camo pattern.

Yup..thats the ancient WGerman snow camo. I desperately want the new Danish or Finnish snow camo but its a colossal pain in the ass to find that stuff here. I may have to make friends with someone overseas, figure out the Byzantine metric clothing size system, and ask them to hit the surplus stores for me. Didn’t wear the matching pants to the range because..well..I figured I was already looking a little tinfoil-y with the color-coordinated rifle and outerwear. Which reminds me…anyone know a vendor for white 3-point rifle slings? I suppose I could order up some white webbing and fab up my own, but……..

CZ .308 goal achieved

Posted on by

Took the CZ out for a spin the other day. I’ve become way too dependent on sandbags. Since we had no bags, I just shot off the bipod and rested my elbow and the riffles buttstock on my backpack. My groups at 100 yards were about 1″-1.25″. Craptacular. And, highly embarassing since I was at the range with a buddy of mine..an accomplished 1,000-yard shooter. “I know I can shoot better than this!”, I kept saying defensively. Down to my last five rounds I took a deep breath and stopped taking so long to make each shot. Concentrated, tried not to overthink things and boom,boom,boom,boom,boom. Buddy went downrange to retrieve target while I packed up our gear. Good thing he retrieved the target and not me, that way he’s a perfect witness that I didnt just run down there and poke the holes in the thing myself.

All five shots touching forming a ragged hole. And, this is the big one kids!, I can just cover the entire five-shot group with a quarter.Pictures later to be posted in the guns community.

Details? The usual load of Varget, in Lapua cases (neck sized) with a CCI BR primer and Hornady AMax 168 gr.

Dude! Covered. With. A. Quarter.

And thats with a basic 3×9 scope too! A bit more magnification and it will be teh aW3s0m3.

.308 range report

Posted on by

Took the .308 CZ550 out for a spin. All data is for 100 yards. Temperature of 29 degrees. No wind.

Using:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Win. WLR primer
R-P brass 2x fired trimmed to 2.010 and neck sized
46.0 gr. BLC2
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Four shots: 1.5″ Remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 15/16″
Four shots: 1.6″ – remove flyer: 1″
Four shots: 1 3/4″
Four shots: 1.5″ – remove flyer: 3/4″

BLC2 has a rep for being temperature sensitive. I wanted to try some just to see how it goes.

Next group:
Speer 165 gr. boattail
Rem 9 1/2M primer
R-P brass new trimmed to 2.010 and full length sized
46.0 gr. Varget
Overall cartridge length: 2.800″

Three shots – 1.25″
Three shots – 1.50″
Five shots – 1.75″, discount flyer – four into .75″

The Varget seems to be the way to go. I need to get a premium bullet (Sierrra MK or Lapua, although Im thinknig about trying the Hornady SST) and some much better quality brass (Either Lapua or Horn. match or Norma)

Posted on by

I hadnt planned on taking the CZ out for a spin yesterday, but one of the LMI and I went shooting and he brought along his .308 to try some loads and I figured I’d bring mine along.

Only shot 20 rounds. Heres how it broke down:

Case: Lapua .308
Bullet: Lapua D6 170 gr.
Primer: CCI BR
Rounds were too long for the magazine and were chambered singly.

Group # Charge 5-shots Remove flyer
1 44.5 gr. Varget No data No data
2 44.5 gr. Varget 1.375″ 1.000″
3 45.0 gr. Varget 1.250″ 1.250″
4 45.5 gr. Varget .600″ 0.500″

Group 1 was hitting the very edge of the paper so groups couldnt be measured since some bullets had struck the backer board rather than the paper. However, if I were to guess, Id say it was about 1.5″ or so. Nothing remarkable.

It should be noted all groups, inc. the best group of .600″ , were shot by my LMI buddy and not me. I wanted to let someone else shoot it to see if it made a difference. I think the results pretty much parralel my own shooting experiences with this gun.

Im not done with the IMR powders though. I think a switch to a more premium bullet (Hornady SST or Sierre MK) along with some more tightly manufactured brass (Lapua or Horn. Match) might make a difference. And, of course, someday I’ll get the bloody scope I want. (In a sidenote, the GunPimp told me someone came into his shop and pawned the exact scope I want…so if he defaults on it, the GunPimp said he’d make me a deal on it. Love the Pimp.)

Once I find a load I like I’ll have to chronograph it and start doing the ballistics to make a range card and cheat sheet for holdovers and such at various ranges. Goal = 1 MOA out to 600 yards.

CZ .308 shooting experiences

Posted on by

Non variable background:
Rifle: CZ 550
Caliber: .308
Barrel: 26″ heavy
Optics: Leupold Varix-II 3×9
Stock:H-S Precision Kevlar, barrel floated
Rings: Steel CZ

Todays variables:
Temp: 58 degrees
Weather: overcast, some wind
Distance: 100 yards, shooting seated from bench using ammo box as rest

Load data:
Cases: Rem. once fired, fireformed and neck sized, trimmed to 2.010″
Bullet 1) 30 rounds using Speer 165 gr. BT SP
Bullet 2) 10 rounds using Nosler Ballistic Tip 165 gr.
Powder: 41.5 gr. IMR 4895 run through a Redding BR3 measure
Primer: CCI LR
OAL: 2.807″ with Speer, 2.812″ with Nosler

I measure from the two most distant holes in the paper, inside edge of one to outside edge of the other (which averages to a center-to-center measurement) in fractions. For figuring mathematical averages Im converting them to decimal.

Group # Four shots Three shots
(omit flyer)		 Comment
1 1.875″ 0.75″
2 1.25″ 0.50″
3 2.25″ 1.25″ Horizontal stringing
4 1.125″ 0.50″
5 2.25″ 0.938″
6 1.75″ 1.625″ Nosler load
7 1.75″ 0.50″ Nosler load
8 1.25″ 0.75″
9 1.75″ 1.50″ Horizontal stringing

And, just for fun:
Average 4-shot group using Speer: 1.37″
Average 3-shot group using Speer: 0.884″

Average 4-shot group using Nosler: 1.75″
Average 3-shot group using Nosler: 1.0625″

Yes, hardly scientific since the sample groups were different in size, I know….

Some of the horizontal stringing, esp. group #3, came when I shifted my grip and rest.
If youre doing the math, that leaves four rounds unaccounted for. I took two Noslers and two Speers and shot them at the steel tanks at 300 yards. Missed the first two until I recalled that I needed to holdover about a foot..at that point they rang quite nicely.

Im annoyed at the flyers. I thought they were from being the first rounds off the magazine but that wasnt it. Im betting the problem is me. Im going to order upo someLapua brass, some Fed BR primers and some Sierra MK’s and see where it goes from there. I also want to try some Varget and and some BLC-2. I think this rifle has good potential, it just needs to be played with. At this point it has about 140 rounds through it. Also need to go through it an make sure all the screws are tight….that horizontal stringing pisses me off.