My fellow Buckeye gong clangers held an impromptu shoot yesterday. I was invited off the Peninsula to attend the requisite breakfast and shoot fest. It was fired at a range where a few silhouettes and gongs were put up at 300M for us to toss lead at.
We usually stick to something like a 45-70, 40-65 or 38-55, but I couldn't resist packing the Spencer (56-50 Chiappa Rifle) along. In some previous threads, I exalted (exclaimed?) the difficulties I encountered with the heavy trigger pull and misfiring. Having thought those issues were conquered, I thought a 300M test would be interesting. Previous testing was performed mostly at 50 yds and I had a rough setting for my improvised "peep" sight, but no idea for 300M. Fortunately, all the silhouette shooting we do is with a spotter so I was counting on that to get me on metal.
After some previous testing, I had settled on a load that appeared to be promising; 350 gr. slug dropped from an Accurate Mold (51-350S), SL Brass, Fed 215 primer, and 21 gr of BH209. One 0.060 veggie wad under the bullet. 1.5750" OAL and a slight crimp.
The ground was still frozen at the impact area so my initial shots were bouncing off the ice short of the target and impacting up the backstop berm making sight adjustments challenging. The rifle's ladder assembly is rather crude and fine adjustments nearly impossible ( I prefer a good Soule sight, but that's not going to happen on the Spencer
). Anyways, after several rounds fired at the "man size" silhouette we were able to get consistent hits aiming at the top of the left shoulder. A few of the Buckeyes were amused at the puny report and entertained themselves with hits at the 300M target taking turns with the Spencer.
I have to admit, I was skeptical of the rounds going 300m, but was proven wrong. Even better, we were able to get repeatable hits which was remarkable with the crude sights.
Even better, again; there were no failures to fire and the trigger pull has remained consistent and crisp.
In another week, there will be a "stand-up" match at breakable targets here on the Peninsula and I think the Spencer will be ready to be fired in anger
Report to follow............
56-50 Mike.