Results with Haenel/Aydt Schuetzen

[sharps4590]

Well....I have been dinking around with this rifle and its red headed step child of a cartridge for a bit. Diz graciously ran some loads for me on his Quickloads.....and we're experiencing some curious results with it. As that is all black magic to me I'll leave the interpretation to Diz.

Tuesday evening I decided to try a load of 18 grs. of IMR-4227, a powder heretofore untried. Same Accurate Molds bullet at .347 and 175 grs. cast of 50/50, lead/lino, Lee Alox lube, Rem. 9 1/2 primers in WW formed cases. I also tried an increased load of 21 grs. of RE-7 wondering if the 1/2 gr. increase might improve the group from 20.5. Nope, didn't happen. If anything it was a little worse. Then to the IMR-4227 load. First shot from a cold barrel was out of the group, which is pretty much expected, then the next 4 went into 0.344 as best I could measure with the calipers.

Being a cheapskate I'll use the same target for a couple loads and mark them with a Sharpie. The RE-7 loads are marked with a "7" are the top three in the 7 ring, then the one in the 9 ring at about 11:30 and the one closest to the center in the 10 ring. There was a "7" above it until it was obliterated. The first shot with the IMR-4227 load is on the line between the 8 & 9 rings. The next 4 are clustered near the top of the 10 ring.

The shooting was done at only 50 yards, benched and bagged as I am still collecting data at short range. Next step is to cast some more bullets and stretch the legs of the load and rifle and see if the results remain similar. Not too shabby for a 90+ year old rifle and a 60+ year old, fat, whited headed ol' varmint.....

[Diz]

Sharps,

Wow! very nice group. If the accuracy holds out to a hundred it will still be under and inch and all would fit in the 10-ring. Nice going for an old varmint!

Diz

[mike ford]

Vic,
Refresh my memory, what caliber is this rifle? Is the bullet body diameter .348, or is a bearing band/stop ring . 348? Can you do that at 200 meters, offhand? If so I'll buy you a COORS.
Mike

[sharps4590]

Thanks Diz...but it was pretty close range.

Mike, the groove diameter of the bore is .345 and I don't remember the bore size, .340 maybe? The bullet is .347 on all driving bands. It's the cartridge no one could find anything on. I probably couldn't do that benched with a scoped rifle at 200 yards. If I could do that offhand at 200 I'd have to pass on the Coors. If I still drank, offer me a Fat Tire Amber Ale and I'll start practicing!!!

[mike ford]

Vic,
I only mentioned Coors because they sponsor ( or at least did) a schuetzen match, out west. I'm not even really sure if I can buy it here or not, anyway. I don't think they used to sell it in the east. I hardly ever drink either, unless I eating German food.
Mike

[sharps4590]

Still want to work with the rifle today but just put 5 rounds in 1 3/8 in. at 100 yards. I believe if I had a bullseye 2 inches larger in diameter so I could line up the bead better the 1 3/8 could be beat at least a little. It was a bit challenging to keep that thin edge of black the same distance round the bead.

HA!!!! with the Husky in 9.3 X 57 it just put 5 rounds in 2 3/8 with the much more coarse open sights!! A really good thing is the load is centered at 100! 15 grs. of Unique, open cell foam filler, Accurate bullet mold at 262 gr. of 50/50, lead/lino alloy.

[mike ford]

Vic,
Just a suggestion, try a 6 o'clock hold, put the bull directly on top of the bead.
Mike

[sharps4590]

I was going to Mike but wasn't comfortable with what was or wasn't a gap between the front sight and the bull. Maybe if my 100 yard target wasn't in the woods and was brighter lit I could see it better.

[mike ford]

I have a hard time with all iron sights now, but especially open sights.

[sharps4590]

The aperture sight on the Schuetzen was pretty clear...I just need a bit more black around the bead. The Husky open sights...if I was careful and paid attention the bead just completely covered the bull. If there was black showing anywhere I knew I was off. Which would all be why I try to shoot early in the day before I get tired...like now after cutting a load of wood!

[Diz]

Sharps,

Is that a hooded front with inserts? I don't remember but 1-3/8" isn't anything to sneeze at with iron sights. I think the load is working for you. My recommendation is less wood cutting, more shooting!

Thanks, Diz

[sharps4590]

No sir Diz, it's just a very fine post & bead. The front bead has wings sort of like a military front sight except that they are round or ovate in profile and still open in the top 1/3. It seems evident to me that the front sight was interchangeable as there is a simple means for removing the post & bead. Unfortunately no other front sights came with the rifle.....which from the time and its age and how it probably got here in the first place doesn't surprise me.

I believe I still want to try some SR-4759 just to know how it will respond. Maybe this week.....

[Diz]

I guess the hooded style of sight was much more popular here than in Germany. I understand when you say you are covering the target with the front bead. That is nothing but hard to do. I've shot aperture front sights and I found it very difficult to hold light around the bull. Guys that can do that get all my respect. Is it easy to replace? Thanks, Diz

[Nathaniel Myers]

I apologize for this tangent, I was at a 1000 F-class in Colorado with some friends (I shot 600 & 800 Service Rifle) and was flabbergasted, enamored, and intrigued with an older gentleman shooting. He shot a gorgeous single shot, I couldn't decide what type of action it was. Enormous barrel.

I only got to speak with him for a few minutes, he didn't make much small talk.

The little I got out of him was the action was his own make, and as a tool & die maker, he had made it, in the Coors tool room. I never saw him again at another match.

I apologize! Carry on with the excellent discussion.

[sharps4590]

So far I can still hold light around the bead and bull but, the years they are accumulating!!! I do find it takes a bigger bull these days than it used to. Or it could be on my old range at the farm the targets were in full sun and this one is down in the woods in the shadows. Except for revolvers with Patridge sights at long range I never did become comfortable with the six o'clock hold. I suppose merely from not using a six o'clock hold with a bead front sight enough. Evidently the belief that "the bullet is to fall beneath the bead" is too strong....or I'm too lazy...

Interesting Nathaniel. There is some hugely talented guys out there who are completely unknown.

Yesterday I did load 5 rounds with 14 grs. of SR-4759 which I believe are going to be a bit on the light side. Chrono will tell the story.