My combi gun ammo is here

[njc110381]

Well it's about time. I've been waiting for nearly a month for these things to come! I've ended up with S&B 140grn SP. I can't wait to get out and zero them, I hope they shoot to the sights. The 7x57r is a funny looking round. I'm not used to seeing a rim on a case this size. It's a big old bullet, I recon it will work well.

 

The rounds are quite old and the boxes are well worn. I've bought the entire stock off of a chap in Scotland so I've now got 300 cases to reload with. I really hope they're boxer primed

[marky123]

Is the shotgun barrel in 12 and a half bore?

[njc110381]

Is the shotgun barrel in 12 and a half bore?

 

 

I must be having a slow day, sorry

 

I fired the first round through it today. It's bloody lovely. It's really mild, doesn't recoil hard and is quite quiet. I've put it down to the fairly low charge and long barrel, but it doesn't sound any worse than the shotgun barrel. No huge boom and flash like I've come to expect from an un-modded centrefire. I took a pot shot at a snow ball (not the most technical method but why not?) and it shoots a bit high at 50 yards. Not ideal, I'll need a taller foresight which could be an issue but I'm sure I'll sort it. Perhaps I need just a little more of the target above the bead? I'm sure I'll work it out.

[Harnser]

njc ,

As you are proberbly aware you can reload berdan primed cases , but it is a bit of a pain compared to boxer primed cases . If they are berdan primed you will need one of the little tools to remove the primers ,it looks like an old fashioned tin opener and I carnt remember what they are called or where you can get one from . I am sure fister will know were they are avaialable from .

 

Harnser .

[njc110381]

Thanks for that Harnser. I was aware that Berdan cases could be reloaded but had no idea how. I assumed the primer would need to be drilled out somehow? Funnily enough the first thing I did when I'd fired the first round was to shine a torch into the case and see how many holes were there! I'm pleased to report that there is one in the middle.

 

I took the gun to the range this morning. I beat my way through the frozen crust on the backstop and found some soft sand (took me ages) and took a few shots. I've found that it shoots about 1" low at 50 yards when sighted properly (with the target sat on the top of the bead). I can learn to work with that as it's not too far out. I can get a rested group of around 2" at 50 yards with the iron sights and I'm happy with that. I'm sure I'll improve with time, I've only fired seven rounds so far (two groups of three and my pot shot at the snow ball!).

 

I'm confident I could cleanly kill a Deer out to 75 yards with it. Where I shoot most of my shots present themselves at under 50 so it's certainly going to do the job I need it for. It's still a bit new to me though so I'll take more shots at inert objects before I take on anything living. My favourite trick is to place clays around my permission and then take pot shots at them. A clay is about the size of the kill zone on a Deer so if I can't hit them every time I wont take on anything living until I can! It's all good fun and I'd rather spend more time on inert objects than injure something by rushing into it.