Trip to the range over the weekend with some of the Nor Cal Arfcomers went nicely. I was shooting my RRA 20" Varmint gun (1/8 twist barrel) with some cheap reloads and was happy at what they would really do.

The bullets were 55 grain FMJBT (M193) from Hi-Tech Ammo (opening thoughts on those here). At $78 shipped per K, we didn't brake the bank on projectiles. Brass was once fired wwb and some Rem UMC brass. CCI small rifle primers. I was trying some Reloader 10x and Varget. Brass was run through a RCBS full lenth sizeing die and loaded to 2.255" coal +-.002 and no crimp. The charges we thrown out of a Uniflow and just weighed before and after the 20 rounds.

I was not trying to go for  sweaky clean match accurate loads. Just some toss together blasting ammo that might hit paper. Shot 80 reloads and 40 factory rounds with my varmint gun Sun. More of my money was shot out of my M4. I did learn I do not like these targets. I need a small bright dot to focus on. Enough talking, pics! Sorry I did not get any pics at the range. Too busy shooting.

Gun awhile back at my privet range. Ok, it just out back at my buddies house. Gun has a RRA two stage that Bill Springfield worked on. I don't have a trig scale but I'd call it 2.5 lbs and like a thin glass rod. The scope is a Sightron SII 4-16 x 42 mill dot. I put a buttstock weight in the gun to top the fat gun scale at 16.1 lbs......  Unloaded.



First group cold bore at a new range. Took a little bit to settle down and find a grove. I hate new ranges shooting with different guys. M193s on 25 grains of varget. 2.255" coal. Shot bags up front and shouldered at a bench on the rear.



Same ammo load after I slowed down my nerves and started to burn the cross hairs into my eye.



This was done with 21 grains of Reloader-10x. I tried a starting of 20.5, then 21, and finaly 21.5. The loads at 21 grains seemed to work the best. The other sat around 2-2.5".



Factory ammo was American Eagle 55 grain FMJBT and Brown Bear 62 grain soft point. The factory AE ammo groups usualy run from 2-3". UMC will do a little better. I will give that these were shot after the barrel was good and hot. But off shot bags front and rear. Brown Bear was piss poor and went in the trash.



This is my best group with factory ammo. It was 45 grain wwb hp last spring. It was a good day because I have never been able to replicate this with the same ammo since.



PS- three shot groups are for pansies.

I will attest to those groups !

Yeah guys..... I got 3K of those bullits... last time out running hot 3340fps load (to hot)  I got a 10 shot stripe 2.5 inshes tall and 1/2 in wide.  Off the bipod, not bench.

Amazing attention to detail.
I guess those are the qualities of a good reloader and shooter.
We have an AR-10 purchased from a guy who did not like the shot groups. I think it kicks too hard, but it is fun to shoot.
Do your -15's kick much when loaded like you were shooting there?
5.56mm with 1:8 Twist is an all purpose twist for mid weight projectiles, right? Any idea of velocity?

Thanks for reporting!  Those look like very realistic groups to expect from 55 gr FMT-BT projectiles.  Good job!

Really a bad idea to use that area as a shooting range unless you have absolute control over the land behind the tree for at least 2 miles because you have no backstop except that tree.  Using a live tree for a backstop is really bad form because:



1st - you'll end up killing the tree putting all that lead inside it.



2nd - really not an acceptable backstop as a flyer could sail right past it.

I do see your concern from the pic but there is a (small) backstop. That tree hasn't been shot since before my buddies dad bought the property. The white board in front of the tree is boxed and full of sand. It is made of 1/2" ply - 2x6" t&g - 7 1/2" sand - 2x6" t&g - 1/2" ply and I think 4'x 6 1/2'. My 7mm Rem Mag, 12 gauge slugs, and ss109s don't get through the target backstop. Any possible fliers would be stopped in his walnut trees.

That field (where the gun is sitting) is full of safflower now. I pushed up a dirt berm in another spot on his ranch to shoot into. His place is miles on three sides to a public road. And that's why I love shooting there. No dopes or range Nazis masters. When he needs a backhoe or skid steer, I'll head out to his ranch for a while. In return I get to shoot out there. Also hunt doves, pheasants, bunnies, ground squirrels, and yotes.

Thanks for pointing out your thoughts and helping other see the potential dangers in "shooting out back."

Thanks for the complements. I am liking how easy it was to get these cheaper bullets to do something. I always heard if you can get M193s to 2-3" your doing ok. I was surprised at the range to see how some loads did. So off to the reloading bench!

I'm done sizing and tumbling enough brass to load 800 or so M193 range ammo.