7.62 hand loading for L42s

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Last time I looked at PPU .303 factory "ball" loads, they were using a 174gn BOAT-TAIL. This may have something to do with the results downrange. Because of the minimal contact with the "generous" dimensions of your average mil-spec .303 barrel, the bullets tend to "precess" a bit on launch.; describing an "orbit" around the nominal trajectory. This actually become proportionally smaller, the further down-range you get, because the spin rate stays pretty much the same whilst the bullet steadily loses forward speed.

Thus, it is not unknown for the groups at 300+ to be proportionally smaller than those shot at 50 or 100. Then there is "spin-drift" wherein the trajectory curves to the right or left of the anticipated flight-path. This stuff matters a LOT for those indulging in 1000 yard-plus shooting. My hunting rifle in .308 is zeroed to be "dead-on" at 200 yards with a 150gn bullet as hand-loaded. This means the bullet is roughly three inches high at 100 and about nine low at 300. In over fifty years of shooting, I have NEVER tried to take a shot at serious game at 300 yards with a .308 Win. If I can, I will happily walk as close as I can get before pulling the trigger. Sneaking up to rock-throwing distance on a hat-rack is at least as challenging as nailing one with a light field-piece at 400 yards.

In my wilder, younger, service days, I did my share of 600 to "zero" run-downs / 'fire and movement" shoots. On the trusty old L1A1, start with the rear-sight set for the first range to be fired and go with it. By the time you got to 300, the pace was picking up and thus, the rear-sight was pulled hard back to the 200 stop and hold-over / under applied as required for the rest of the ranges. Taking your eye off the targets popping up and down would lose valuable aiming time. The final rounds were snap-shots fired at briefly appearing "Hun's Head" and similar targets at ranges of under 25 yards. Not a relaxed day of bench-resting, by any means. KNOW YOUR RIFLE AND AMMO.