The weather here broke last night and I was going nuts not shooting... So this morning I grabbed the MK and headed to Little Boulder Rock Pit....

It was really kinda sunny here in Moscow when I left and the temp was a balmy 34* - when I got to the pit out by Helmer - no sun and 32*... Way good for shooting.

My mission was to continue to learn about the MK, get a a good site-in with the Lehigh Sabotless bullets, and I wanted to move to 110 grains of T7-3f to see if the gun would handle that load with that bullet. My last range session - I had moved the load up 100 grains and it was very good... so will the 110 work.

Here is the setup at the Rock Pit....



I gotta tell you shooting the little MK is really fun. I guess I never really appeciated how good that old gun really is and howe well it shoots. The other thing I am re-thinking, and I have been lectured a bit about this from the 'Dirty White Boys' because I use a 209 in my my White U-Mag, shooting the #11 cap does not seem to handicap this gun at all. Shooting the 110 grain load and the moderately heavier 270 grain bullet - back pressure is not moving the plunger back at all. It certainly is not clean in the breech - but it is not a real mess and it does clean up easily.

I started out shooting the paper because I had never shot the gun at 100 yards and it is a good thing I did - it was way low. Shot 3 shots for a group to get a base (wish I had popped a couple of caps and dry patched the bore but not bad for open sites for me. Made sight adjustments up - then moved to the clay pigeons.... First 2 pigeons at 25 yards were not much of a challenge then the pigeons on the wall were great... one shot - one bird. I will use this gun for Idaho ML season, but I will have to switch to Dan's .5045/460 grain Bull Shops...

The paper target you see out there is not much to show but here is the pic...



After telling you about how well I liked the #11 setup, I am hoping to get out with the gun again tomarrow - this time with a 209 setup installed - got some really interesting testing to do. Problem weather is suppose to go to heck tonight...

Well that shows there is some good promise to the rifle. All I ever read about the MK-85 was how accurate they were. I am sure that you will prove that.

FWIW My mk-85's seem to shoot best with a load that isn't quite that hot. I usually use between 90 and 100 grains of triple 7 2f. I have shot 100 grains of goex 2f with good results also.

i'd really love to see the full pattern on that stock, How about putting it up against some green pine trees and snow?

Great shooting though with open sights!

I know I don't have to tell you this Sabotloader, but a 2" 100 yard group with iron sights is excellent. I hope for 3" with my peeps on my very best days.

But I'd sure like to see where all the shots between #2 and #33 hit.

Pete, have you shot the bullshops out of that rifle yet?

flounder33

Yes, i did a couple of trips back... I had to knurl some .504 Bull Shops to get them to fil good going down. They shot very well from the gun...

Eventually because of Idaho rules - I will end up shooting them for ML hunting.

Yes, but I am stubborn... if it will not shoot what I want i to shoot then I do not need the gun... but then, I am quite sure 100 grains would do all that I need done - but then I always think what if...

And a 2" group isn't to bad with open sights and 110 grains... the other thing is I am not recoil conscious so I do not even notice... The thing that makes the difference I think is this gun sits so well in this thumbhole Extreme stock.... no float at all on the barrel - just snug as a bug in a rug....

Nice Shooting Pete

I really was surprised when I measured it because to the naked eye it looked terrible - but I can live with 2". The other thing had I done my normal thing it might have been even better.

May be next trip... but I think I am going to use a 209 next trip just installed a the 209 conversion in case I can go in the morning.... I doubt that I will leave it that way but I do want to try it.... but like I said i was really happy with the #11 ignition.

OK the next time I get into the woods I will try to get a picture of on a stump or something... All I have around here is grass. And when I go to the farm all there is there is snow and stubble.