The Goose
NES Member
I ate my lunch at the range today and took advantage of the nice weather. About a month ago I picked up a used Pedersoli Sharps Long Range Express in .45-70. I then discovered that the Vernier tang sight was damaged so I ordered a Montana Vintage Arms mid range Soule sight with a Hadley style magnum eye cup which I just received and mounted. So it was off to the range today to sight it in and do some banging.
I was a bit apprehensive due the combo of a new rifle with a newly mounted sight in a style totally unfamiliar to me coupled with not knowing if I even had a good bullet and load for this rifle. A lot of variables, but I figured I had to start somewhere. I had loaded up 60 rds with 12 grs. of Trailboss pushing a 405 gr cast lead bullet (Starline Brass case). I also loaded up 20 rds of the same, but with 12.5 grs of Trailboss and 20 more with 13 grs (max load). I bore sighted the rifle at 25' at home.
At 100 yards my first shot was about 6" high and just off the right side of the paper. This sight is wicked easy to adjust, much like a very fine scope. I just kept dialing it in until I was grouping pretty well into 3" - 5" . I switched out the target every 20 rds and finally settled on 12.5 grs as the best load. The target below was my last effort. I fired 10 rds. Five are low and too the right, I tweaked the sight a little and got four higher up to the left and then had a flyer. The set trigger is incredibly light and I touched it too soon. I used my range bag as a rest.
I have never shot this well at 100 yards without a scope. I was extremely pleased. Now I feel like I can really go to work working up some good loads and refining my technique. And I really had fun. I know that a lot of you guys shoot much better then this, but for me it was a triumph.
I was a bit apprehensive due the combo of a new rifle with a newly mounted sight in a style totally unfamiliar to me coupled with not knowing if I even had a good bullet and load for this rifle. A lot of variables, but I figured I had to start somewhere. I had loaded up 60 rds with 12 grs. of Trailboss pushing a 405 gr cast lead bullet (Starline Brass case). I also loaded up 20 rds of the same, but with 12.5 grs of Trailboss and 20 more with 13 grs (max load). I bore sighted the rifle at 25' at home.
At 100 yards my first shot was about 6" high and just off the right side of the paper. This sight is wicked easy to adjust, much like a very fine scope. I just kept dialing it in until I was grouping pretty well into 3" - 5" . I switched out the target every 20 rds and finally settled on 12.5 grs as the best load. The target below was my last effort. I fired 10 rds. Five are low and too the right, I tweaked the sight a little and got four higher up to the left and then had a flyer. The set trigger is incredibly light and I touched it too soon. I used my range bag as a rest.
I have never shot this well at 100 yards without a scope. I was extremely pleased. Now I feel like I can really go to work working up some good loads and refining my technique. And I really had fun. I know that a lot of you guys shoot much better then this, but for me it was a triumph.
![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
