ds1

I will say that you are better off giving the feature set you want some thought. For example 100moa of elevation in the ATACR 7-35x56 ticks a lot of LR boxes - plus you can get away with a 30 or 40 moa rail as well and around 7 mil more elevation from the reticle.

Turrets S&B are not quite the gods gift in all respects - mine came with double turn, mtc, lockable turrets. The MTC feature is a mixed bag - easy to count every 10th click but a pain to dial the 11th of 12th click. The double turn indicator is excellent. The turret lock - nice feature. The zero stop is not ideal as you cannot set a sub zero stop and the clicks are too close together to read for my aging eyes. I hate to say it but the NF clicks are more positive and tactile and better spaced so easier to read.  Overall I still prefer the S&B turrets I think but not in all aspects. How one weights each individual feature is personal choice. 

Hmm, The dedicated scope to go for would be the the March Genesis 60x. Do not go for the USO sn9 scopes though - (I went through that horizontal learning curve twice). 

With a conventional scope you are going to be near the extremes of elevation adjustment at 2km - consider an Ivey adjustable mount or Charlie Tarac mk8.

The best scope in my book is the S&B pm2    5-45x56 with LRR reticle. It’s an excellent optic in every respect. This is on my 338 AXMC. Also I’ve  just bough  a NF 7-35 x56 ATACR with mil C reticle. Initial impressions are that it is excellent. This scope has 100 moa of elevation which would be useful at 2km and is about in the sweet spot for magnification. NF seen to do very well with the USA ELR community.

Decided to tart my AXMC up - G Tac U.K. ( Alan Forster) makes a grip kit for AI AX and AT series rifles that replaces the original grip with AR type grips and alloy trigger guard.  The new plastic panels are AI ones and machined by Alan. The brown panels I have are not cerakoted as per my request but I understand  are usually cerakoted for a professional finish.

What you get is a standard A2 grip, machined alloy trigger guard, side panels and screws. I binned the A2 grip in favour of a FAB Gradus FBV. Price depending on postage is -/+ £275

Install is a 20 minute job with excellent instructions provided - step by step instructions with pictures and torques provided for each screw. Basically the AI trigger is a clamp in, the trigger plate is replaced by the alloy trigger guard. Also whilst the trigger is out it is worth taking the mag catch out and cleaning the mag catch spring - this has white lithium grease on it from the factory- most AI parts are very  well  protected from the elements but I have seen corrosion on this spring before so re-greasing it is a good idea.

AI trigger and trigger plate..

One tip replacing the trigger shoe after the trigger guard is installed it’s much easier if you push the rail the trigger shoe sits on back - as you would firing it - this creates an angle and let’s you slide the trigger shoe on easily.

The G Tac grip conversion is excellent - for me it improves on the original in terms of quality and function. The grip feels ver different- much thinner around the web of  the hand but I guess the idea is to have the grip you want - Ergo grips with zero angle also seem popular and Penguin grips have a built in thumb rest if you don’t want to wrap your thumb around the grip. It just gives so many choices.

Just for full disclosure I have met Alan at one of our Czech competitions ( he’s been here a few times) and liked his attitude. I was very confident ordering the product. I know the product is doing well in the USA ( good reviews on Snipers hide) but I found it by a chance comment on another thread here. I thought that it deserves its own thread. 

Between me and a mate we have seven or 8 sets of Spuhr mounts - excellent and excellent customer service - I’ve only had one issue the side clamp cracking on a cantilever mount. I emailed Spuhr, had a reply within the hour asking for my shipping address and number stamped on the part. Replacement arrived in a couple of days. Noticed the new part had been beefed up.

Mr Kolbe,   your internal ballistic  calculator is an excellent resource. MV was spot on using 338  250 grain Bergers and rs76. Will try again this  week with Hornady 285 grain  eld-m bullets. There is not a lot of internet data on rs76 so really appreciate your calculator.

Hi Derek, try Duchy ( Zelah).

https://www.duchyshooting.co.uk/

Done., but sounds more like your designing a collimating than scope.....if so:

If you are thinking about making a ‘device’ then base line would be it needs to be as good or better than a commercial collimator- I have a USO one and use the Spuhr wedge on their mounts You can check tracking (not under recoil) and scope cant indoors without needing a range. I believe engineers wedges are also offered by the Shooting Shed.

Meopta test scopes with collimators ( seen it at the factory). 

Limiting factors include temperature change affecting tolerances particularly in Sfp scopes, engineering tolerance use of materials.

If you are designing a scope........LOW ( Light Optical Works) Japan is the industry manufacturer for the the vast majority of non European branded scopes......Nightforce scopes started out there.....fairly simple - the better the materials used the more expensive the scope - the customer sets the specifications.

Andy, I used solids in 50g but could not get a decent supply in 338. Just  been having a look at these:

http://www.topstrely.cz/kategorie/celomosazne-strely/cal-338/225gr-tactical/

I will get more info (bc and length) and availability cost about 50p a pop. Also I noticed something similar from a French manufacturer. Stuff from the USA ( badlands etc) is a non starter. Mag length also becomes more of an issue. 

Thank you for the replies Pops and Catch. More or less decided to try the 285 ELDs first - just making my mind up about which powder (RS80 or N570). Anyway 1 kg of either or both is not the end of the world.

Southern Gun Company made a LA 9 ( lever action) ar15 9mm that was hinged grip cocking. Nice bit of kit. Therefore technically like any other lever action. This was prior to their LR ( leaver release) AR’s.

So, standard load for me over the last 10 years has been Vhit n165 with with a 250 grn Scenar  or Berger. Time for something new and hopefully better. It has to work in an AXMC mag with a 20”,25” & 27” barrel for distances from 10m to 1O00m and very occasionally to 1500m. Banging steel and paper comps. Primary barrel will be the 20”.

Boutique bullets - badlands, Lehigh and flatliners are a non starter. So what are people’s thoughts, recommendations and experiences with the following combinations please:

powders: n170, n570, RS 80

bullets: Berger 300grn hybrid OTM, Hornady 285grn ELD-M

Gut feeling is that n170 will be slow, n570 will toast the barrel and RS 80 could be a good compromise.....but I have no experience of this powder.

Bullets: 300grn Berger are proven and still popular but the Hornady 285grn ELD-M seem a better option on paper and  particularly for the 20” barrel - are they winning anything? 

Just an update  - in the end I went with the Casio gpr  b1000. It does what I want and need. Mainly solar charging, decent gps for occasional trekking and abc features. Also the display is very readable for my 50year old eyes. Very happy with this watch as an outdoor tool and as an ABC aid to Lapua ballistics app. It’s also made of quality materials.....and the strap does not self disassemble when sliding a rucksack on and off ( me and Seiko have bad experiences like that). Decided to put the Shadow 2 in the pic, I even need a red dot on a pistol these days. Really the display clarity is what sold me on this - despite being a reverse display.

Another vote for Bradley Bourner. He usually stops by our stand at the BSS. He is good.

There’s  ‘longshot’ competition in Poland. Max distance seems to be1500m though. Not shot it but a link below. The classes for modern and historic seems interesting.

https://www.longshot.pl/1en/rules.html

Got to play a bit with the 527 ZCO today. Initial impressions are on par with a S&B pm2. Very nice tactile  turrets, clicks, more modern for want of a better description than the S&B. I much prefer the LRR reticle on the S&B though. I should get a side by side out to 800m at the end of May. Price is S&B territory at €3740 for the 527. 

Well when I was younger I put my money where my mouth was and moved to CZ - best thing I ever did. A large part of that was due to U.K. restrictions on firearms. 

The worst thing that I did not do was moving to the USA when I had the opportunity (before moving to CZ).

Point is find a place in the world where you are happy as you will never change the system in your lifetime. I got it a bit wrong with CZ as I did not foresee it becoming part of the EU at the time. At least in the USA it is so diverse that you can find a place that is more  likely to meet your lifestyle / values / beliefs and freedoms so that you do not feel that you are forced to comply with draconian values that you do not believe in.

My 2p, I had an AW 50 bmg and have an AXMC 338. The 50bmg was a complete PIA, too heavy to cart around, ammunition too heavy and a pain to reload - dedicated reloading kit. Expensive to feed unless you use crappy mil surplus to which there is no point. The must have related kit for ELR is also very expensive- Vectronix laser, top grade spotting scope and tripod. Ivy mounts....the list goes on. 
 

OTOH the 338 can be used very nicely out to 1500m and you can carry it, shoot it as any other normal rifle including ( kneeling, standing, sitting). It is suitable for  everything from tactical to LR / ELR with readily available quality reloading components from Berger and Lapua  It is just much more versatile and much easier to live with.

Best production - Accuracy International- choose your flavour to suit your wallet.

Best value for money - Tikka Tac

Best ( for me ) Gucci - Kelbly NYX

Hint  - I have an Accuracy International AW and AXMC. If I was buying new now I would buy a Kelbly NYX in 6.5 creed or 6.5x47.

link added:

seaMonkey, thanks for the info. The TruFlite  ballistic app is a big plus for the F6. After the lockdown is over I will be having a look at the f6 solar - see if my eyes can see the screen or not.

I am thinking of a new watch. I want ABC and GPS but without all the fitness and social media crap. Solar charging is a must. The Casio GPR -B 1000 would seem perfect but does not have maps - just basic gps point to point tracking and track back so is somewhat dependent on the mobile app to upload routes or input cords.

Does anyone have a Casio GPR-B 1000 that they can share their thoughts on please. 

https://youtu.be/hiGE0O9Ft3c
 

The  other option would be a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro solar but this gives me more of what don’t want in order to have off-line maps. Not even sure with aging eyesight how useful the maps would be on a 1.4” screen as i just about cope with my old hand held Garmin e-maps gps.

Thoughts appreciated.

Delboy, SLR manufactured by FN ( original).

Best way to improve a Sa80......buy a HK 416 :)

TopScots, Cz seems to be doing well, not many cv 19 cases and the range has been open since last Tuesday. Shops should open during May. I am not sure that this is not premature though. 

There  seems a glut of SLR ( L1A1’s) here -refurbished 308 semi autos for +/- £600 retail. I don’t think them prices make it an attractive proposition for anyone to re- manufacture as a straight pull or .22 semi though.

11 hours ago, topscots1 said:

The SA80 has been proven woefully incapable. On now it’s third rewrite it does indeed work.  However all a little late, the procurement system of the UK MOD is flawed.  It has taken years to not only improve a failed rifle.  Create some abortions of PPE all instead of buying off the shelf kit that works.   The Royal Marines move away from using he same kit as the Army is a telling sign.   To many backhanders and ex senior Officers working for defence companies. 

The Sa80 was the gift that kept on giving for HK in terms of upgrade packages. Now must be about end of life cycle.

There is a bit of history to .22LR Gatling guns - one of the most impressive things gun wise that I have seen is a couple of full size original Gatling guns with accompanying 1/6 scale models of them in .22 LR all fully functional. The thing was back in the day of US railroads and salesmen it was a bit difficult to lug a full size Gatling gun around so salesmen had 1/6 models in .22LR as demo pieces. Superb craftsmanship.

Sorry now sold