shooting my 04 sniper

just finally got to put the scope on the base and bore line it and then to the range and shoot it to zero at one hundred yards, wow. this 04 shot great with just an off the wall load fo H414 56 granis with a 168 grain lapua that I had a box of for years and the bullets seated with no concern for into the lands or anything else. I have to say the other guy shooting his 22 buckmaster? wasn't really impressed nor did he want to shoot this rifle, but when I got home, and cleaned and oiled this Remington 1903-04 I really think I might have to get serioous about testing the loads for accuracy on this gun. Anyone got any suggestions from there testing for powder/bullet? than s, duggaboy

I have a couple 03s which will shoot 56 grains of anybody's 4350 into 1 moa with 168 grain sierras.

That's with Lyman 48 sight. Should be good with a scope.

My A3 "clone" won't do quite as well with the Weaver 330, but with Lyman Alaskan, will do almost as well, about 1 1/2 inches at 100 yds.

OK. I will load that now, and am/will be on my way out there to the range just to see what happens, since things are quiet and guess who is out of town with here sister to go to a wedding in Napa, hah, hah, ha,

My favorite A4 load

well, I am back from the range, damn hot out there, thunderstorms around wuith lots of wind gusts, but that load shot very well from the get-go, with a first group of three , 168 grain lapua, H4350 56 grains, LC- 69 case, a 0.380inch measured group. this was the best group by .250 inches as it was a cool, clean barrel, and other groups were below one inch but the barrel heating up after three shots downrange spread the group out to 1.5 inches. The H4350 shot the best, thanks for the heads up, Duggaaboy

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Originally Posted by duggaboy

well, I am back from the range, damn hot out there, thunderstorms around wuith lots of wind gusts, but that load shot very well from the get-go, with a first group of three , 168 grain lapua, H4350 56 grains, LC- 69 case, a 0.380inch measured group. this was the best group by .250 inches as it was a cool, clean barrel, and other groups were below one inch but the barrel heating up after three shots downrange spread the group out to 1.5 inches. The H4350 shot the best, thanks for the heads up, Duggaaboy

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Duggaaboy, H4350 is an excellent powder for the Springfield 30-06 but usually only REALLY shines with 180 and above bullets. H4350 works especially well with heavy bullets out to 1000 yards. But for 100 yards, try 60 grains of Hodgon H-4831, a Federal Magnum Match rifle primer with a Sierra 168 gr. HPBT MatchKing bullet. Necksize the brass, seat the bullet just to the lands. If your throat is too long, seat the bullet to an OAL of 3.340. You will NEVER find anything that will shoot better too under about 600 yards.

interesting that you should say to seat the bullet to 3.340, with the sierra, 168 grain HPBT. This is exactly the overall length that I had seated the 168 grain bullets to today, because the throat on this gun is too long to engage the lands even a little bit. I must admit I am surprised with this info, and will try the powder and load you suggest tomorrow, thanks, I can't wait till tomorrow.

Mine likes Hornady 168 grain Match HPBT's(pricey things these days) with IMR4064. 45.5 grains, but you'll have to work up the load for your rifle. It's got a 2.5X to 8X Scopechief on it. Original scopes were out of my price range, 30 some years ago. Still are. Some people will have an excrement fit when you tell 'em you shoot it.

well, just getting to report on the H4831 load and how well it shoots. Indeed, this 4831 load, 56 grains, with 168 wt sierra hpbt match, shot the lights out. I don't think I can shoot this gun any better. I will now have to get two or three buckets of H4831 and be on the happy end of this 04 thanks for the load insight, duggaboy

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Originally Posted by duggaboy

well, just getting to report on the H4831 load and how well it shoots. Indeed, this 4831 load, 56 grains, with 168 wt sierra hpbt match, shot the lights out. I don't think I can shoot this gun any better. I will now have to get two or three buckets of H4831 and be on the happy end of this 04 thanks for the load insight, duggaboy

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Duggaboy, I thought that you would be happy with it. I see you backed it off to 56 grs. I have tried to back it off to as little as 54 grs. but any lower then that you really start to see a larger group size. Even at 54 it starts to open up. I usually use 58 grs. for a messing around load but if I want the absolute best grouping I stick with 60 grs. That will fill the case about all the way to the top of the case mouth and seating the bullet really compresses the powder. I have come to believe that the powder compression improves the accuracy in some way. Maybe it helps the burn rate to be more consistant, just don't know??? But it is a helluva good powder & bullet combination for the 1903 rifles. If you ever mount a nice Unertl scope on that rifle you just won't believe the groups you can get out of her. Enjoy!

The 3.340 ovarall length is the max spec for GI ammo, which is actually written as 3.330 +.01-.00. It is about all that will clear the magazine in some rifles.

In newer 03s and most A3s, the chamber will accept longer rounds, WWI era rifles apparently had less freebore, and will not accept longer rounds.

My 1909 era RIA rifle will not chamber the Danish ammo, for example, but WWII era rifles will.