Popsbengo

Any recommendations for a cheap but durable upper receiver vice block ? Would I be right to think 'airsoft' AR uppers are similar to firearms enough to share a block ?

do you have a tester or is there a 'rule of thumb' method ?

Our club is in the Midland League for various competitions which included .22 bench rest. Unfortunately not enough interest since Covid so now dropped. It's a team of four event, shot over ten rounds. Ten shots on 10 targets (see below image), two cards shot per round, so a competition is aggregate score of twenty cards. Marked and endorsed by the club and scores posted to the organisers. The teams are put into divisions based on aggregate scores, the teams get moved up/down according to performance against peers. Clubs can enter multiple teams. My average score was 98.5 using a CZ455 thumbhole 16" barrel with RWS Rifle Match shooting off a front and rear bag. I think my team was a Div B (may have been C, can't recall).

That's a very generous sale price. I'd have jumped at it but for already having a lathe. Model engineers perfect tool. Best of luck with it, someone's perfect Xmas prezzie

Redding bushing dies are available, and excellent quality. Just watch out for the case-head swelling near the web, Redding dies aren't particularly 'small base'. If I need to adjust the case from someone else's once fired brass I use a Hornady die which is pretty tight at the base. I made a gauge (Big Al's advice) to test at 0.5" up from the head - .338 running 93 gr N570 really work the brass! On 6.5CM I use a 21stC sizing mandrel to final size as it seems to give a touch better grouping, possibly due to neck tension optimisation (in my custom chambered Barnard Dolphin). I can hold ~1/4 moa elevation at 1000yds. Pity my wind reading is less than wonderful 😉 Tried mandrels with .338LM but no benefits realised at my usual >1000 distances.

Firstly an SD from say five rounds is statistically highly suspect. I'm not suggesting that's what your doing but it's not uncommon on shooting forums to get people claiming SD of groups of three to five shots ! Of course the less variation in muzzle velocity the better but to realise the benefit the barrel harmonics need to also be optimised. If your bullets exit the barrel while it's 'off node' then variations down range are amplified. Just to complicate matters, there's the effect of positive compensation where Mv variation and barrel harmonics work to reduce elevation errors at certain distances - Lee-Enfield .303 is the usual cited example. Bullet stability isn't necessarily optimised at 100yds so groups may give false readings that are shown at greater ranges. I zero .338 at 200yds as this seems to give me a better reading of my groups at long ranges. Obviously this means outdoors however I've not experienced any problems at that range with wind on typical weather days.

nice job

Also Fiocchi primers were (are?) in stock at the Range Office Bisley

Well Done ! I can confirm that an UPS are an equal opportunity courier - being a bag of crap delivering an Xmas parcel to me from my brother in the USA..

I've read through and not withstanding lead shot issues what else concerns you?

Problem is the eye relief on a high power scope is still comparatively poor on a lower mag setting. If it was me, I'd sell the S&B (plenty of takers) and get a ~ 25x FFP scope

My Dolphin chassis Barnard .338 seems tame enough, I have a Dolphin muzzle brake. I too use a skid footed bipod and shoot off a board. I do you want a 50x scope? I think you may struggle to see hits or indeed misses at any extended range as the recoil will knock you off target and getting back on with high mag is a bugger. I use a S&B PM2 FFP but at a maximum 26x mag. I have absolutely no problem hitting out to 2000yds (all else being in control). FFP also allows a quick and easy measure of my misses with a no-brain adjustment. I love my S&B. Any scope at 50x is going to have a micro eye-box, my Nightforce comp has as does my Delta Stryka. No problems though as they're on .308 & 6.5 respectively. BTW, I would suggest zeroing at 200 if you can, it'll give you a better 'reading' of your groups.

Pete, I suspect the shooting community demographic and pro-Brexit demographic overlap substantially. I think you and I are outliers on the Venn diagram. Still, that nice Boris Johnson has proven what a jolly trustworthy and honest chap he is. 😏

Brexit; the gift that keeps giving

PM sent

Where have you had this idea from that it's because of two accidents due to no powder? It's my understanding that there's been quite a number of issues over the years, on and off Bisley. One thing I would criticise NRA over is the lack of feedback to the shooting community following investigations. In the mountaineering world (where deaths are not unknown) when an accident is investigated (by experts in their field) there's a report published for general learning.

I seen chaps try 250gr at the mile at Eskdalemuir with no success and I certainly got nothing useful out of them from my 32" 1:9.5 barrel at +3,000 fps. I think you are unlikely to get 3,000 fps with 285 ELD-M. - I get 2,840fps with 92gr N570 but that's good to 2,000yds if the wind plays nice. Wind at a mile is hugely influential and field ranges have little indication. Best indicator is my mate's last shot !! I've shot with 5mil (~17moa) wind hold at the old Over-Cassock range, a right (and left) bugger

what's the twist rate Ralph? Forget 250gr lock-base at a mile, they go subsonic around 1600yds. If you have a 1:9 or possibly 1:10 then Lapua Scenar 300gr or Hornady 285gr ELD-M are good to a mile, slower twist (like a AI AW) and you can't stabilise the heavier bullets. I have 300gr Bergers to develop but I'm reticent as they're like rocking horse poo - probably stick to Hornady. Don't know about RS70 as I use Viht N570, I have oodles of the stuff ! Also, see this https://barrett.net/support/98b-recall/

It's never a simple ok/not ok with insurance. Ultimately if the ship that hit the fan was so serious then the courts will be making judgements, that's when having training and records will help. Also, I think you will agree, that if the correct processes are worked to with skill and diligence then it's highly unlikely one will ever need to trouble the courts. As a club secretary I do my best to ensure we don't have stupid dicks reloading dangerously, thereby complying with our insurers expectations - the fact that, should something go wrong, it could suggest our club has less than perfect processes but, importantly, that we were not negligent in ignoring the training requirements. We can do no more as a volunteer run organisation.

Well yes it is, who else is responsible? The point is that as long as due care and process is followed, insurance will be payable (third party risk unless personally insured)

Must be a better way? If there was wouldn't that most likely be 'the way' it is done ? The whole point of heavy sand is to hold the bag still so the butt is stabilised. When I'm carrying rather than carting I use an old sock full of walnut media instead of my leather bag. It's ok but not as good - better than nothing

As you say Laurie, apparently members of the 'Wassenaar Arrangement' (42 countries including UK) will be reviewed on a 'case by case' basis. Hopefully UK will be smiled upon.. Participating countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA

I think we must be lucky at our club, our members that load for long ranges (+600) are few in number and sensible. Interestingly we allow down-loading for cowboy loads and that brings a whole set of different risks such as double charging and flash-over over pressure spikes (more talked of in theory than observed with nitro it must be said).

Competition brings out the best and worst in our natures ! It also seems to override a healthy wish to avoid killing oneself 😟

According to news, the USA have placed a ban on all overseas sales of firearms and ammunition for 90 days: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-halts-exports-most-civilian-firearms-90-days-2023-10-27/