shot my 357 a with scope

[donhuff]

I had bought an El CheapO, NC Star scope a while back to see if it would help with consistency during load development. That was a pure waste of money as it is a %@*&$. I shot 2 inch groups @ 50 without the scope, and 6 inch groups with it.
So for Christmas< I ask Mrs Santa for a weaver like RD recommends. That is a nice piece of glass hardware, very clear and sharp. I did not know that Weavers were made in Japan now Like I have read RDs words before, you throw it up to the shoulder and act like it's an iron sight, and it's always right there. You may have to shift around a little bit, but it was always where I could see what I wanted to aim at. I could see how this would be a great hunting scope on the 92s.
Well, it took a few shots to get her zeroed in, and of course by that time I ran out of the particular load I was using and had to switch. But it was still close enough that I could live with it. I don't usually zero dead on the dot, cause if you hit it a few times, it messes up your aim point. That's why you rarely see holes in my bullseyes

I had a few good groups with my 358156 bullet. It did really well at 100yds w/17.0 300MP, but 18.0 opened it up some. These bullets are SS (slick sided) now as I took a reamer to the mold and cut all the grooves out of it, even the crimp groove (got carried away with that reamer). I just use a Lee 9mm taper crimp die to hold the bullet, and it works well. The 158 JSPs did good too with a very little 100yd group and the same charge of 17.0 300MP. Then I finished off the rest of what I had loaded in the big group shooting as fast as I could get it on the dot and squeeze. I did use a bigger dot, and I actually hit it a few times, for a change. As you can see too, it did not like the 110 JHC bullets or maybe it was the blue dot, but that load was terrible.

[Ranch Dog]

Looks great Don! Next thing you know, you start thinking about a synthetic cheek piece...

[akuser47]

lol RD yep I bet it's around the corner now that the scopes in play keep u posted don.

[Tuco Ramirez]

This is going to be good.... I just love psychic ops missions.

[donhuff]

Looks great Don! Next thing you know, you start thinking about a synthetic cheek piece...

I thought those things looked out of place on your guns............now I understand. You do have to remember to shoulder a little higher than normal or bend your neck down a little extra. I'll bet with that cheep piece, it's dead on.

[Ranch Dog]

I thought those things looked out of place on your guns............now I understand. You do have to remember to shoulder a little higher than normal or bend your neck down a little extra. I'll bet with that cheep piece, it's dead on.

Pretty much dead on. I did try shooting both the 454 Casull and 480 Ruger without it, but I had the same problem that I did with my Marlin Guide Guns (35 Rem, 44 Mag, 444 Marlin, & 45-70 Govt). I had to give just a slight pause for alignment and my head needs to tilt back just a fraction. The cheek piece does provide the immediate, positive, and consistent alignment.

As you start pounding the rounds out of your rifle, watch the security of the base. I had a lot of problems with the 44 Mag and 45 Colt using my "hammering" loads. Rossi must "dip" their base as the paint is thick. Aluminum bases are usually anodized because paint creates security wear points. This wear is not so much found in the ring to base fit, though it is there, but mainly in the screw holes that are used to secure the base to the barrel. I started to notice that I continuously had to tighten these screws. I thought that despite the Loctite they were coming loose so I continued to tighten them until they bottomed out and stripped. When I examined what happened, I found that the holes in the base had wallowed out from recoil and the constant tightening. Not only was the paint worn and creating the need to tighten the screws for the secure fit, the aluminum was wearing as well.

The "why" in anodizing aluminum is not so you can have a base in hot pink or some other fancy color, it is because it makes the relatively soft metal tougher. Just keep all this in mind and you won't have the problems I did.

[donhuff]

OK RD, thanks for the tip. I had read about that in an old post of yours, but had forgotten bout it.

The scope is mostly for load development, to take out some of my inconsistencies with iron sights. So I'll be moving it from gun to gun.


I might just remove the paint from the base as I don't care what it looks like. I know what you mean about the anodize being hard. It's actually aluminum oxide, the grit that they put on good sand paper. I did a little bit of home anodizing on some of my homemade rocket motor parts with limited success. Mostly for corrosion resistance. It's a bunch of trouble to do but you are right, it does make the part harder (on the surface).