Club's monthly Military shoot!

[Freightman]

This may or may not belong here! There was quite a few classes but the one I was more intrested in was the pre 50 bolt action class. There was a lot of 03 Springfields there, but they didn't win the match.
All rifles had to be as issued no modification to any part of the rifle, your choice of ammo so hand loads were OK.
A hex reciever M39 Mosin Nagant won the match. now I know the man who came in second with a perfect 03 Springfield and have seen him shoot it, not many "modern production" guns can out shoot it. so the Mosin Nagant must have been a pretty good rifle.
Do we need to go out and buy a MN? No but I just found it intresting that a 60+ year old rifle is that good.

 

[swingset]

I just hosted a postal match with milsurps of all stripes. What won? M39 Finnish Mosin. What came in 2nd? Finnish Mosin.

Guess what? The Finns knew as much about accuracy 60 years ago as many manufacturers today, and better still, demanded that kind of accuracy for their service rifles. When one didn't perform top notch, it simply was tossed aside.

Don't confuse them with Russian Mosins, which are seldom as accurate or I should say consistently so.

FWIW, I have many milsurps that shoot as well as a new commercial gun. It's not that uncommon.

 

[Freightman]

I hear that! and it was a Finnish rifle! I do not have a modern rifle it just isn't a chalenge to shoot them. The second place winner was a 03 Springfield.
I had a custom rifle that was a sub MOA , and liked it, but was at the range with it and the man watched me and offered me three times what I paid for it and it went home with him.
Saying that I had rather get a old military rifle and work it into a good shooter than have a new rifle. I don;t hunt I just shoot so that is what I do for recreation.

 

[Lawyerman]

Something you forgot to mention!

The Springfield was wielded by an almost 80 year old man shooting 40 year old milsurp ammo! If memory serves he scored in the 270+ range.

I will be out for the next match if I can get some ammo loaded between now and then!

 

[Freightman]

You are right he is one of the most intresting men I have ever met, a encyclopedia of reloading information and wildcat cartrages. His name is Roy

 

[Lawyerman]

A fine gentleman of the old school no doubt. An asset to our club and a dear friend. He is a published poet as well!

I would go careful though on his reloading advice. If you look over the Number 1 or 2 bench there is a hole in the roof. It was made by a piece of a bolt from a rifle that blew to pieces in his hands. He was reloading shells with some powder he bought at a garage sale in mason jars as I have heard it told. Not too good!

 

[Freightman]

I never pay any attention to formulas as the manuels are fine with me, never load the max, and never pay attention to internet forums on reloading, dangerious!
I should have put that in quotations as I ment it as a punn.
Sorry that I messed the statement up.