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 10 Russian collusion (Read 8058 times)
madsenshooter
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Russian collusion
Sep 1st, 2017 at 10:38pm
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I admit, I did it, through the British.  The .303 British that is.  I purchased 100rds of Wolf Performance .303 British to try out, just for the heck of it. The ammo is Russian made. Shot 20 of them out of my cutdown Krag.  The cases are copper coated steel.  The neck and shoulder had been annealed, so with a bit of extra effort one can chamber them in a Krag.  Immediately, I noticed a delay in ignition.  I've been this route before, I think they have been primed with a DDNP priming mixture.  I accidentally bought 5000 of Wolf's KVB-7E DDNP LR primers once, I still have 4975 of them to do something with!  I used 10 to get on target then shot the attached group.  Not bad, considering the delay in ignition, which sometime happens, sometimes doesn't.  Enfield shooters are reporting misfires.     The bullet is a 173gr FMJBT, steel jacketed with a supposedly .005 thick copper coating.  Bullets mic .3105", but only back where the boat tail starts.  I'm in the process of pulling down the remaining 80.  Bullet weight is fairly consistent with a majority being 173.5 +/- .5gr.  24/60 are either side of the range.  They are 1.25" long.  I'm going to reduce the charge at least 1.5gr to start, the mildest of US primers produce about double the pressure of the DDNP primers.  Powder charges are averaging 39.5gr with some deviation, a high of 39.8, low of oops, 37.7gr.  I'll load some Krag cases using the US primers and report back.  I'd thought to make some Mexican match rounds using Russian components, the Wolf ammo is presently only $7 a box.  I'm not recommending you fire .303 in your Krag, though mine, with a .310 groove diameter showed no damage.  This was off the bench at 100yds, my rifle has an old Weaver 6x on it.  I don't know if the high ones were from the delay or the fact that the ocular bell was out of adjustment for my eye.  Up and down double of the elevation wire, and the lock ring was froze.
« Last Edit: Sep 2nd, 2017 at 1:33am by madsenshooter »  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #1 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 1:24am
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Some of our members live out west, so I thought I'd post this pic of 3.5-3.75" paw print I found at the range the day I shot this group.  Anyone other than me think this is a cougar track?  The range I shoot at is a state wildlife area with prime hunting for one.  I think it's a double track, the rear paw stepping in the print of the front paw.
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #2 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 2:01am
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Could be a Siberian Tiger .... Russian collusion .... eeewww, weird.
  
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Culpeper
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #3 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 4:07am
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Bobcat?
  

Deacon in the Church of the Mighty Krag. Member of People Eating Tasty Animals (PETA).  (You need to Login to view media files and links)
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #4 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 10:41am
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Too big for bobcat.  3.5-3.75" across.
  
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polska
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #5 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 11:34am
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Big foot sighting.
  
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psteinmayer
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #6 - Sep 2nd, 2017 at 12:23pm
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I thinking Puma...  Isn't that mountain soil??? 

I gotta go with Cougar (not the young man seeking type, unfortunately).
  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #7 - Sep 3rd, 2017 at 1:43pm
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The range is near one of the highest points in the area at about 1000ft above sea level.  Lots of fields for it to hunt, a couple ponds, and a creek.  Some of the fields are even planted with corn that's left solely for the wildlife.  Have a look around:  (You need to Login to view media files and links)
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #8 - Sep 3rd, 2017 at 6:42pm
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"Watch your Back", dem cats be sneaky!
  
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psteinmayer
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #9 - Sep 4th, 2017 at 12:09am
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I saw that cat last month at the range... bwaaahahahahahaha
  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #10 - Sep 7th, 2017 at 12:05am
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I loaded 38gr of the Russian powder into PRVI .303 brass that I'd previously used in one of my Krags.  Used Federal 210 primers.  Since the Russians left me a nice crimp groove, I decided to put a slight rollcrimp in them.  OAL is 3.065".  If I loaded the bullets in Krag brass and seated them to max magazine length, I'd only get .035" closer to the throat.  Hopefully the improved ignition and more consistent powder charge will help.  I've used the bullets from the light and heavy batches, keeping the 173 point somethings for later.  They were in the majority.
  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #11 - Sep 8th, 2017 at 7:56pm
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I'm afraid that US primers and slight reduction in charge didn't help much.  If my target would have been a groundhog or pop can, I'd likely have hit it.  The powder used wasn't what they use in 7.62x54R, seemed to be closer in burn rate to 3031 or Accurate's 2015.  ODNR responded to my cat track pictures.  They responded by disking, seeding, and putting straw over them!  Talk about a cover up!
  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #12 - Sep 19th, 2017 at 7:38pm
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I'm sorta having fun with these components, something to tinker with while the majority of my reloading equipment still sits in boxes.  Next trial was some of the Russian powder, 38gr, with the 173gr Russian bullets loaded in PRVI .303 British that had previously been fired in a Krag then full length sized, vs some max length 30-40 cases that I made from PRVI .303 British blanks.  Both were loaded to the same max magazine length of 3.10".  I used CCI #34 primers for both loads.  Bullets were +/- only a few tenths of a grain.  The 30-40 cases shot a slighter smaller group, but as you can see, both had a flier out of the group.  I was able to see by primer condition that the loads made from the full length blank cases produced a bit more pressure than those made from shorter .303. They were neck sized only after previously being fired in a Krag.  I noticed that the inside of the case necks were gray, rather than the black I saw with both the Russian DDNP and Federal primers.  For what I have remaining, I think I'll reduce the charge another grain, the bolt was getting sticky at the top of the stroke with the full length cases, which by the way are now over max length.  Pretty good 100yd performance from a 122yr old rifle, a 70yr old 6x scope, and non-match grade components!
« Last Edit: Sep 22nd, 2017 at 3:05pm by madsenshooter »  
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madsenshooter
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #13 - Oct 5th, 2017 at 9:36pm
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I had 46 bullets remaining, those with the least variation, and I have them loaded with 37gr of the Russian powder into neck sized cases from my Camp Perry rifle, which I know has the tightest chamber of my rifles.   The cases were from Camp Perry last year, and there's not much weight variation in them either.  Again I'm using the CCI#34 primers.  Before the temperatures drop I'll get out and use them for some position shooting from my .310" groove diameter long rifle and post the results.  I'd guesstimate velocity will be 2400-2500fps for the 173gr bullet out of the 30" barrel.
  
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reincarnated
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Re: Russian collusion
Reply #14 - Oct 12th, 2017 at 5:37pm
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While you were weighing the Russian bullets, did you check diameters?  Variations are not limited to weight.  One more variable!
  
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