August Rimfire Match:

[Maverick223]

Even "match-grade" shorts (there are only a few out there that I'm aware of) don't tend to do as well for me as their full-length (long or long-rifle) cousins. I don't know if it's the case length , the quality control, or simply not enough selection that's the problem, but I tend to avoid shorts for anything important.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

I think it's probably the case length. Shooting shorts in a chamber designed for Long or Long Rifle cartridges usually causes an accuracy problem as the bullet has to travel too far after leaving the cartridge before it encounters the rifling and may be off the center line by a bit when it gets there.

The bullet being soft lead anyway may deform a bit if it doesn't enter the leade (beginning rifling) straight and that would tend to alter the bullet flight by enough to cause erratic groups.


I've had several rifles (one Remington and one Marlin) that were listed for "Short, Long or Long Rifle" cartridges but always shot more accurately with Long Rifle ammo even though they would feed all three from the tube magazines. Shorts used to be cheaper, but now, it seems as if a box of shorts (if you can even find them) costs 1/2 again as much as LR.

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

I imagine that you're right. They don't have to jump that much, but it only takes a little bump to shave off enough to noticeably deteriorate accuracy.

The only shorts that I shoot now (on any regular basis anyway) are the Aguila Sniper Subsonics, and even those can't really be considered shorts in the traditional sense. Even the Super Colibris that I like to plink with use a long case IIRC.

 

[Chief RID]

I have to agree with the assessment of the shorts. What is the lowest velocity round available as far as you know in the long rifle?

 

[Wildcat_Charlie]

I've been having very good results with CCI HV Shorts. They do 1080 fps with a 29 gr. bullet. They shoot pretty accurate out of my Marlin XT-22TR. I load them in that rifle because I can put 25 of them in the tube and with that kind of power they would be fine as squirrel killers. Those are actually marketed as plinking/target rounds but I have little doubt they would kill a tree rat. There's also the hollow point CCI shorts which are labelled CCI HP Shorts. They are 27 gr. and travel 1105 fps. Those are marketed as varmint rounds.

These shorts do shoot more accurate than any other shorts I've shot but they aren't equal to the accuracy of LR's. Still it's a big jump up from what I'm used to getting from shorts.

 

[Maverick223]

The Colibris are longs (which is very close to LR length) and only 375fps IIRC and the Super Colibris are only 500fps. I've never had either lodge in a long barrel, but I use the Super Colibris because they are just as quiet (neither will cycle a SA at all in my experience, so you don't have to worry about stovepipes, but you will have to manually cycle). Neither are terribly accurate (which can be partially attributed to the trajectory and wind drift), but good enough for plinking and pest control (employed like a moderate-high powered pellet rifle) with a fun little pump rifle.

There is also plenty of other subsonic ammunition out there. Anything from Sniper Subsonics with their heavy bullet and unusually loud acoustic signature to Remington CBees which are very quiet and despite the low velocity seem to expand and kill small game quite well (but are not all that accurate).

 

[Centurian22]

Finally got out and shot this one. Not as good as I had hoped (at least in the optics). It must be the month for loose screws, my turrets on my OLD weaver 3-6x20 were loose. The elevation was so loose that it was changing with recoil (if you can even call it recoil from a .22lr). It took me 3 targets worth to figure it out, then about 25 rds to get sighted back in. Luckily I literally had all day, spent about 6 hours total there (wife was at work). Anyways here they are:

Sporting - Optics - 50 yards:



Best Sporting - Irons - 25 yards:



Second best Sporting - Irons - 25 yards:



Posted the second because it had an X on irons.*

As always, Irons was shot with a single shot J.C. Higgins bolt action .22lr. Optics shot with a Marlin 989, semi-auto .22lr with a weaver 3-6x20, on weaver rings all shot with 40gr CCI Blazer LRN. Shot at an outdoor range, partly cloudy, light variable winds and about 80 degrees.*

 

[Maverick223]

Great shooting, particularly for the sporting division.

 

[Slapshot]

Great shooting, particularly for the sporting division.


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+1 on the shooting
Elmo

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Even a bad day spent shooting is better than a day spent working in my book!

You guys know my penchant for rescuing rifles. Been reading about making the little Crickett youth single shot into a really light survival type pack rifle. Guy on one of our local forums advertised one practically new in the box for $80 and he delivered it so naturally it's now mine.

Hollow stock can be made to carry all sorts of stuff including spare ammo. I gotta learn how to do the "cobra" braid with para-cord so I can make a sling out of the stuff. I've seen pix of one, but never was a boy scout so didn't learn to braid like that. The front of the receiver is drilled and tapped and I have a Vortex "StrikeFire" red-dot scope coming. Palmetto State Armory had them on sale for 50 bucks off with free shipping so I got one for $120 and it mounts using one ring. I'll have to find a base to fit the two holes so I can mount it on the Crickett. Funny, as light as the little rifle is, the scope may weigh more than the gun -

I have fairly short arms so even with the youth stock it's not uncomfortable to shoulder and even with the peep rear, it comes up and points naturally. I could order an adult size stock for it, but that would defeat the idea of a back-pack gun.

I've got to get it to the range tomorrow and adjust the opens so I'll try it on the match target with some of that Aguila stuff that the 10-22 doesn't particularly like. We'll see how it does.

I'll post pix after I get the red-dot mounted this weekend. (Assuming I can find a single base that fits the hole pattern.)

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

I have fairly short arms so even with the youth stock it's not uncomfortable to shoulder and even with the peep rear, it comes up and points naturally. I could order an adult size stock for it, but that would defeat the idea of a back-pack gun.

Perhaps you could figure out a way to modify a folder to fit, you'd loose your storage space, but it'd fit in a backpack a great deal easier (and you could add a side-bag for storage).

I've got to get it to the range tomorrow and adjust the opens so I'll try it on the match target with some of that Aguila stuff that the 10-22 doesn't particularly like. We'll see how it does.

Hope it does better for you this time around.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Perhaps you could figure out a way to modify a folder to fit, you'd loose your storage space, but it'd fit in a backpack a great deal easier (and you could add a side-bag for storage).

Hope it does better for you this time around.

There isn't a lot too it so I could possibly actually make a folder for it, but I never liked them. The little synthetic that's on it right now is hell for stout and I was quite surprised when it passed the dollar bill test. The barrel IS free-floated. I have heard that these little buggers are pretty decent in the accuracy department. I actually have several nylon slings around here and one of those might just find it's way onto the Crickett. Only reason I wanted to braid one out of para-cord was the idea of having that much para cord along in the field. Never know when you might need to make a bow drill fire starter or something like that -

Crickett makes a longer rail scope mount, but you wind up losing the irons if you use that one. It's cheap enough that I might get one and cut the back half off and just use the front part if I can't find a Weaver base to fit.

Jim

 

[Centurian22]

Are you thinking of doing the entire length of the sling as the cobra weave?!? Or just a portion of it for a wider 'shoulder' section? If you were to do the whole thing I can't even guess how much paracord that would be! ..... Wait I might be thinking of the 'double cobra'. I have one of the wide bracelets and it is about 15 feet of paracord just in the 8-9 inches. Sounds like quite the nice little project gun. I'm guessing it is in the sporting class? I left you plenty of room to out shoot me. Look forward to some pictures.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Are you thinking of doing the entire length of the sling as the cobra weave?!? Or just a portion of it for a wider 'shoulder' section? If you were to do the whole thing I can't even guess how much paracord that would be! ..... Wait I might be thinking of the 'double cobra'. I have one of the wide bracelets and it is about 15 feet of paracord just in the 8-9 inches. Sounds like quite the nice little project gun. I'm guessing it is in the sporting class? I left you plenty of room to out shoot me. Look forward to some pictures.

I looked up how to do it on youtube and not sure I want to tackle it. I'll just put a 20' coil of the stuff in the buttstock compartment and use a regular black nylon adjustable sling on it. I do have a 2000 foot spool of OD paracord though so not going to run out of it on one sling - I've set up a magnesium fire starter along with some other stuff plus a spool of 10lb monofilament and a handful of fishhooks in there as well plus a box of .22LR. All of this is in a ziplock baggie to keep it mostly waterproof.

Gonna zero the iron sights tomorrow and even though I don't see that well, I'll try one of the match targets anyway. 25 yards with the sling & elbow on the counter for support.

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

I tried doing a double-cobra for the strap on my shotgun, but gave up and created my own weave that went a lot quicker. If I really wanted the cobra style, I'd pay for someone else to do it, it just isn't worth my time. Additionally, I can't think of a good way to make it adjustable, and since I like to use my sling for shooting, that makes it of little use, so I decided to stick with the SuperSling-2s. They're strong, durable, and cheap...I can do without the paracord.

 

[Centurian22]

I recently 'stocked' the hollow stock on my .308 savage axis as well. Nothing major, just duct tape, string and a small bic lighter wrapped in cloth to help pad the stuff, fill the space, deaden the hollow sound and it will work well for wrapping wounds or as a fire starter. I like the ziplock bag idea and I meant to include a small knife but forgot. I may have to tear it apart again to make these couple of improvements.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

I recently 'stocked' the hollow stock on my .308 savage axis as well. Nothing major, just duct tape, string and a small bic lighter wrapped in cloth to help pad the stuff, fill the space, deaden the hollow sound and it will work well for wrapping wounds or as a fire starter. I like the ziplock bag idea and I meant to include a small knife but forgot. I may have to tear it apart again to make these couple of improvements.

If you have a Harbor Freight anywhere near you, get one of their miniature "box knives" with the replaceable blades. It usually comes with a 5 or 10 pack of extra blades and if not, grab some extras. They usually sell for less than 5 bucks and I grabbed a couple the last time I was in there. Handy to keep around the house as well. They usually have those magnesium block (with a flint strip on one side) fire starters in stock too. I like them because they come with a short chunk of hacksaw blade that can be used to scrape magnesium flakes onto the tinder pile and then act as the striker on the flint strip. Handy after the Bic lighter runs dry and they usually only cost a couple bucks too.

Hadn't thought about the duct tape - that's added to the "stock" now, THANKS!

 

[Centurian22]

No prob Jim! I just pull off a foot or so to get started and fold the duct tape in on itself (starting a new roll) about an inch long, and keep going until I think it's enough, or no more will fit where I plan to put it. Unfortunately no H.F. stores around here but we have a military surplus place which has the Magnesium/flint strips and other such items.

As of right now none of the places I hunt are Really Far out there so what I do bring is probably complete overkill but that's the Eagle Scout in me. If / when I venture further or if I see a good deal on the mag. strips I'll upgrade / add them to my kit.

Did ya get out with those iron sights today as planned?

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Yeah, I did. Forgot to take a match target with me, but once I figured out where it was shooting, I managed a decent 10 shot 25 yard group. It was actually 2 5 shot groups, but I couldn't figure out how to get On-Target to split the two groups and properly place the text so I just ran it as one.

Never did get the windage adjustment right though and they are slightly right of the bull and a little low. I WAS shooting off bags as I was trying to zero the mechanical sights.

I hate peep sights with Non-Vernier windage adjustments!

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

If you must (and it's in a dovetail, which I assume is correct) you can drift the sight to make corrections, just remember to move the rear sight in the direction you want the projectile to follow (and the opposite for the front sight). If there's no mechanical adjustment you'll have to modify the height of the front sight to change the elevation. In your case the front post needs to be filed down ever so slightly...if you try this work slow as it's much easier to remove metal than put it back.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

If you must (and it's in a dovetail, which I assume is correct) you can drift the sight to make corrections, just remember to move the rear sight in the direction you want the projectile to follow (and the opposite for the front sight). If there's no mechanical adjustment you'll have to modify the height of the front sight to change the elevation. In your case the front post needs to be filed down ever so slightly...if you try this work slow as it's much easier to remove metal than put it back.

Oh, it's adjustable, you have to loosen a screw and slide the aperture right or left, but when you tighten the screw back down, it tends to slide a bit and it's very hard to move it the thousandth or so needed to center it up exactly.

Sure wish somebody made an aftermarket vernier sight to fit it. The elevation part of the adjustment slides up and down in a vertical dovetail on the rear of the receiver, but that was right on for 25 yards with the Aguila and Wolf ammo so I left it alone.

Oh well, this thing wasn't designed as a target rifle anyway so I'm expecting FAR too much out of it I'll solve the problem by mounting a red dot on it that cost half again what I paid for the rifle

Even with the irons set where they are, it's perfect as a very small and light pack rifle. The accuracy is completely acceptable and it's going to be a fun rifle to plink with as well as a fine little SHTF gun.

 

[Slapshot]

Thanks to whoever it was that suggested getting a scoring pin. I shot a pair of targets this morning with my new mueller scope, 8-32X 40 target. I scored one as 100 7X and the other as 98 7X. Went to the post office and my scoring pin was there. I scored the targets with the pin and the 100-7X turned to a 100-6X. The 98-7X turned into a 100-7 X. Sometimes it gives and sometimes it takes away. I received it from www.hughesprecision.com , very nice people to deal with.
Elmo

 

[Maverick223]

Jim, what about loosening the screw, adding a little blue LocTite 242 to the bottom of the sight, then adjusting it to the proper position. Let it sit and cure for an hour, then tighten the screw. The LocTite will hold it better anyway, and if you need to move it in the future you can just give it a few light raps with a brass punch and it'll free up.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Jim, what about loosening the screw, adding a little blue LocTite 242 to the bottom of the sight, then adjusting it to the proper position. Let it sit and cure for an hour, then tighten the screw. The LocTite will hold it better anyway, and if you need to move it in the future you can just give it a few light raps with a brass punch and it'll free up.

Gotcha beat on that one Mav, Already had the blue loc-tite in the kit, but I have to wait for another range trip to complete it. I really need to move it, lock it down and shoot it to insure that it's where I really want it. That's what I'm grousing about - In the dim light at the range it's hard to see the index marks which ain't all that accurate anyway. The way it is right now, depending on which way the squirrel is headed, a back of the head hold will result in a head or spine shot. Either way, dead squirrel -

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Got the Vortex StrikeFire red/green dot in yesterday and mounted it on the Crickett for grins & giggles. (Scope cost half again as much as I paid for the rifle. $120 for the scope, $80 for the rifle.) Midway has a Millett red dot in the catalog for $56 + shipping and I think I'll actually get one of those for the Crickett. I plan on putting the Vortex on the .223 pump carbine and picking up the 2X screw in magnifier for it which will give it a bit more versatility.

Took it to the range this morning to sight it in and once I got 'er zeroed at 25 yards, I stapled up one of the match targets.

The green dot was the easiest to see against the target, but the dot diameter was just slightly smaller than the bullseye at 25 yards so it was really hard to keep it lined up! Sat on a stool, with elbows on the counter and used the sling for tension. I really went slow and tried very hard to keep that dot just covering each target. Good thing there were 2 throw aways as I had 3 of the 12 in the outer white rings and only had to count one of them! After I shot the target with the red/green dot I realized I could see through the rings and actually use the irons so I shot another match target with them, but it wasn't even close to the score with the little Vortex scope. Scores were 84 with the red/green dot scope and 49 with irons.

I was frankly very pleased with the inherent accuracy in that little Crickett .22 and I can see why it's become a real standard for teaching young children to shoot! I had several 5 shot groups under an inch at 25 yards from a bag rest when I was sighting it in.

It also has all the makings of a very light (around 2 pounds or so), accurate, survival rifle. Some people think that a semi-auto is better for a survival scenario, but I like the single shot platform. You tend to be a little more diligent in placing your shots rather than relying on the semi for a quick backup shot if you miss. Like Mel Gibson said to his kids in "The Patriot", "Aim small, miss small!" Good philosophy.

Midway has the "Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Pack" on sale for $37 and I ordered one to put in the stock. It has just about everything for a minimalist survival situation except for some band-aids and Iodine which was easily added.

Ala Centurian22, I also put in a few feet of duct tape and a 50 foot hank of Para Cord along with a full box of .22LR. Everything is wrapped in a micro-fiber towel for padding and to keep it from rattling. It all fits nicely.

Adds less than a pound to the weight of the rifle which slings over either shoulder nicely and I don't have to shorten or lengthen the sling to use it for a steady hold either. Fits me just perfectly!.

To quote old Hannibal Smith from the "A Team" just when everything was going to hell in a handbasket, "I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!".