Accuracy test of the M1903A4.

[HRFunk]

Hi all! I felt a little guilty after I posted the video a couple of weeks ago where I was comparing accuracy from a sling against accuracy from a bench. Specifically, I felt like I did a disservice to my M1903A4 Vintage Sniper rifle. So here's a better look at it's accuracy potential. Enjoy!

Howard

[Carolinaman]

Hello Howard,

Excellent video and a great follow-up to the one you previously posted! It was really neat to see the accuracy of the '03 with your latest load! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Chris

[Mister Coffee]

Good video, Howard.

As someone who only rarely hits what he's aiming at, I would like to ask this question: When shooting from a rest, the rifle jumps quite a bit on recoil because nothing this holding down the fore end. Does this affect accuracy, and is shooting from a rest the preferred method for sniper work? I saw your other video comparing shooting from a rest and shooting using a sling, and I am still not clear on this.

Thanks.

[HRFunk]

Ill answer the second half of your question first. When it comes to Sniper work, whatever it takes to make a shot strike where you want it to strike is what you do. Rests, bags, bipods, tripods, improvised rests over your spotter’s shoulder, and/or anything else that puts the bullet on target.

With regard to the rifle’s point of impact being effected by recoil, the short answer is “yes” it does. Barrel dwell-time is the interval from the point where the primer detonates to the instant the bullet exits the muzzle. Since the rifle begins to recoil when the bullet is forced out of the case mouth, the muzzle of that rifle will raise slightly if the forend is resting on a bag. Assuming the same ammunition is used for consecutive shots and that ammunition is consistent enough to develop the same nominal muzzle velocity for each bullet, the barrel dwell time will be the same as will the degree of elevation imparted to the muzzle. Therefore, all the shooter needs to do is apply the necessary sight correction to bring the bullet’s point of impact into correspondence with the point of aim and the rifle is “zeroed” (but only for a specific distance as dictated by the bullet’s trajectory).

Once the rifle is zeroed for a given distance, if anything restricts the movement of the muzzle during the bullet’s dwell time (such as a tight sling, or the shooter’s non-shooting hand grasping the forestock), the muzzle will not raise as far before the bullet departs. This will show up as shots hitting low on the target. On the other hand, if the rifle is zeroed using a tight sling from a shooting position, and that rifle is then fired over a sandbag rest, the freely recoiling muzzle will elevate to a greater degree and the shots will strike high on the target.

There is also the phenomenon of “barrel harmonics” which can be impacted by anything that touch’s the barrel. With a non-free floated barrel, they can also be effected by a rest under the forestock or a sling.

At the end of the day, accuracy is always a measurement of consistency. Anything that enhances your consistency will improve your accuracy. Anything that detracts from your consistency will have a deliterious impact on your accuracy.

I hope this answers your question. Sorry it’s so long.

Howard

[Mister Coffee]

Howard, thank you for that thorough and patient explanation. I was fascinated. Do you have a preferred rifle for sniper work? Sport shooting, vintage rifles and range work are one thing, but in a life-and-death situation, what would you use?

[HRFunk]

May 21, 2018 23:04:50 GMT -5 Mister Coffee said:

Howard, thank you for that thorough and patient explanation. I was fascinated. Do you have a preferred rifle for sniper work? Sport shooting, vintage rifles and range work are one thing, but in a life-and-death situation, what would you use?

Call me "old school" if you must, but my preferred rifle for Sniper work is the one I used from the beginning of my Sniper assignment in 1996 until I left that position (and simultaneously retired from the department) in 2014. It is my 1990 manufactured Remington 700P with the 24" barrel and the dreaded "Walker" trigger. That rifle served me for as a Sniper for 18 years, it took all the abuse that comes from bouncing in the back of a SWAT van, being dragged through brush, deployed in all kinds of weather, and fired for over 4000 documented shots; and, it maintained an average group size of .6 MOA with 168 gr. FGMM. Only since my retirement has the accuracy started to drop off, and I'm certain the original barrel is getting tired (it was actually issued to another Sniper before me. He did not keep a rifle log, so I don't really know what the actual round count on the barrel is). My rifle was traded for a new one a couple of years before I left the department, and I was able to buy it back from the distributor who took it on trade. That's the only time in the past 22 years it was out of my possession, and it will never leave me again. It is topped with what would now be considered an obsolete Leupold 4.5-14X tactical scope that has also been a rock solid optic. 

Howard

[ruber]

Great shooting and some great performance out of that 1903!

I loved working up new loads for my M1 and K31, those classic military rifles really could get it done.

Thanks for sharing!!!

[Carolinaman]

Hello,

I would love to set up some loads for my K-31 as well.  I have the "original" and "new" slings for it.  Both were sent to me by a friend in Switzerland.

May 22, 2018 22:59:01 GMT -5 ruber said:

Great shooting and some great performance out of that 1903!

I loved working up new loads for my M1 and K31, those classic military rifles really could get it done.

Thanks for sharing!!!

I am glad that Howard really posted a follow up video of his first one... Its a joy to see him shoot the '03.

Chris

[ruber]

May 22, 2018 23:16:34 GMT -5 Carolinaman said:

Hello,

I would love to set up some loads for my K-31 as well.

7.5 x 55 is my favorite bolt action rifle cartridge for handloads. Using moderately slow powders and high b.c. bullets, I get load densities near or at 100%. 30-06 always seemed to still have too much space and I kept running into compressed loads with 7.62. I even like the Berdan primers once I built a little gadget to decap the Swiss brass easily.