Can a neglected and abused muzzle loader regain it's virtue?

Can a lightly pitted barrel garner respect on the range?

Find out on today's episode of . . . .
. . . All My Guns . . .
(Hum dramatically to yourself HERE. Dum, dum, dum DUMMM! is recommended.)



Back on November 1st. I reported on my one and only range session with the Rescued Remington (http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/blac...remington.html).

About the only things I was able to conclude in that short session was (1) the gun fires, and (2) the iron sights on it are about useless for my eyes. So I resolved to scope the tarnished lady to see if she would shoot.

Well hunting season came along and took priority, pushing aside any thoughts of shooting the Remington for the last few months. I got around to it today.

I mounted a $20 WalMart special end of season Tasco 3x9 scope with Weaver Top Mount Detachable Rings. Those rings are a tad on the "unattractive" side, but tough as nails.

After mounting the scope I ran its windage and elevation through the full range of adjustment as far as it would go three times to smooth everything out, then set each adjustment to the middle of its range.

A buddy had given me a partial pack of Hornady 240 grain all lead hollow point Cheap Shots with their supplies sabots and I decided to use up those ten bullets to get the scope adjusted.

I put a target out at 25 yards and loaded the Cheap Shots over 95 grains of Triple Seven FFG, which I figured to be a pretty stiff load. Here's what I got with the first five shots.



I was pretty happy with that, given that both scope adjustments were at the center of their range and I didn't bore sight it or anything. But I wanted to center the group a little better. So I adjusted the scope 24 clicks to the right and took five more shots at 25 yards. Here's that target.



THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT! Checked the scope mount and sure enough, the thumb nuts on both the front and rear rings were loose, with the front one being very loose. I must not have gotten the "hook" part of the rings fully seated in their recess when I mounted them. So I took care of that little problem and got back to the business at hand. I also adjusted the scope 24 clicks down because shot #1 on the last target was so high, and I figured the scope was probably still fairly tight for that shot.

The Cheap Shots were all gone, so I broke out a box of 250 grain XTP's and Harvester short black sabots. I put a target out a 50 yards and took five shots, making a scope adjustment after the first two. Here's that target.



About now I'm feeling pretty good. Good enough to give that load a try at 100 yards. Five shots later I had this.



After shooting that target I'm thinking "I may have to keep this gun".
Heck, that's with no load development at all - just picking a bullet and powder charge at random and blasting away.

Then I got to wondering what a 300 grain bullet might do. So keeping the powder charge at 95 grains I loaded up with 300 grain XTPs and took five more shots at 100 yards.



Yep! Might have to keep this one. She don't shoot half bad for a soiled lady.