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Practice, practice!!

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Honkytonk View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 30 2018 at 8:01am
A few of my friends have some pretty nice rifles. .308, .300 Win Mag. All factory tuned to shoot MOA. These rifles sport some pretty pricey optics. Zeiss, Night Force. They also shoot these at the range off a Lead Sled. Since my renewed commitment to Lee Enfields and shooting in general, I've probably put 400-500 rounds down range this year. Tweaking, finding proper loads, finding and remembering trigger break. I'm retired, buddy's aren't, so I can understand their lack of range time. The last three times out, I've out shot both of them. I shoot off a front adjustable rest and a rear Coldwell bag. 1.5x4 Leupold on my Sniper clone and L39A1 clone. My long winded missive isn't to blow my own horn, as I'm far from being a marksman, but more to emphasize the importance of practice. Thanks for listening. Were just heading out with the .22's to scout a deer site and maybe bag a squirrel or rabbit!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 30 2018 at 6:26pm
ive been shooting my 22s this year , i agree the time invested pays off in practice , im not practicing , i am shooting all the pones ive bought that habve never been shot or need shooting again due to neglect , im not really a target shooter - more recreational , but i understand those that do and hope to do more when i actually retire 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oldhand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2018 at 8:08am
Retirement is fine as long as you stay active, that said, I think shooting is fine. I try to get to a range at least once a week. Member of an indoor pistol range and outdoor rifle range that goes out to 1000 yards.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2018 at 11:33am
Practice is essential; I totally agree. Unfortunately it has become a big issue for my full bore shooting this year. Our club has closed the full bore range for rework, it reduce noise. So had 2 competitions this year with no practice at all. Not great!
So I am applying to a second club for membership for my full bore shooting. It's an hours drive; instead of 15 minutes; but they have a 200 metre range so should hopefully get some proper practice before next years competitions.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Honkytonk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2018 at 1:37pm
Myself, I'm a hunter. I totally can appreciate some of the marksmen (and women) on this forum! Incredible! My range time is for practice and testing. Bullet loads, trigger break, basically proving the rifle is in top shape and a miss hunting would be on me. Having been away from shooting for a while, I hadn't felt real comfortable out hunting white tails. I now feel really confident that given a proper safe shot, ideally broadside and standing, I would be able to harvest an animal up to 200 yds.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Whitjr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2018 at 3:51am
I am a hunter as well. Most of my shooting is to be reasonably competent while in the deer stand. Hat’s off to those here that spend time on a range for competitive shooting!

I spend my range time proving that the rifle is ready, and that I can still rely on it for putting meat in the freezer.

My hunting is usually only in NC. So, have two definite periods, early and late. I usually use one of two big bores for woods guns, my sporter No. 4,and my sporter Mauser 98. Those shots -when the Wiley whitetail is about- are usually around 25-75 yardsfrom a tree stand. Late period hunting I use a Remington 700 in .243 for the longer shots, and have taken whitetail at 400yds with it from a elevated blind.

After reading here what the Enfield’s are capable of, maybe, I should use the Enfield for that!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2018 at 6:34am
I would be completely confident on the ability of the No. 4 to take a deer at 400 yds.   Both my No.4's shoot the first shot from a cold barrel right into the subsequent group that forms. 
 
I don't have any experience with a sportorized No. 4.  Forend bedding is critical to top accuracy and puts upward pressure on the barrel to dampen the harmonics.  Somewhere I read that shooting without a forend (completely free floating the barrel) produces very large groups with the LE.  Do sporter stocks have a barrel bearing at the fwd end?  
 
Lately, I've been leaving the main screw tight since I shoot almost every weekend.  Not sure if this is a good idea as it may gradually reduce the pressure on the barrel.  Anyone have thoughts on this?
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2018 at 6:46am
Not usually. My Sported No5 has the first 1 1/4" or so bedded over the bottom 1/3 of the circumference, from there on in its completely free floated.
This was a 100yd test with 150 & 174 gr bullets, the 174 wasn't too bad but the 150 was horrible. It seems to indicate that barrels free floated are very sensitive to bullet weights!
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2018 at 2:18pm
No. 4 rifles prepared for target shooting will typically have a mid-bearing built up for the barrel (meaning at the middle band on the forend) and then free floating forward of this.  Another common configuration is "center-bearing" at the next raised platform aft of the middle band between the recessed pockets in the forend; one of my No. 4's is bedded this way.  My Dad's No. 4(T) has a barrel bearing built up in the pocket recess between the mid and center bearing locations and it shoots well.  All of these have free floating barrels forward of the bearing point. 
 
It would seem that a sporter stock could be configured to simulate a mid or center bearing configuration and made to shoot very well.  Barrel harmonics may require all the barrel to be free of contact with the forend except at the relatively short bearing support. 
 
   
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