R-15 update

[Frogman]

After a couple of weeks with the Remington R-15 here is an update.

The trigger on this rifle was about four to five pounds and very creepy and mushy.  I found a "15 minute trigger job" on the internet and decided to try it to see if it would improve the trigger.  It did reduce the pull weight but the rifle would no longer ignite the primers on military ammo.  I also had 2 of ten reloads fail to go off.  I was able to modify the hammer spring to give it more oomph.  I went back out to range today to try some more loads.  The reduced trigger worked fine with no failures to ignite any of my reloads.  It is lighter but still creepy and mushy.  There may be a Timney or McCormick trigger in my future.

In past range sessions I have been having trouble getting groups under an inch at 100 yards.  It's been windy at the range and the poor trigger on this rifle makes it hard to get good groups.  Today the wind was slight and the trigger was lighter.  I was able to shoot a few better groups, but still not what I was hoping for.  Seems like I can get  3 round in a nice tight group, but number four and five are really hard to keep in there.  Here are some photos:



This is an overall photo of my first eight target dots on a large piece of paper.  As you can see there are some good groups and some not so good.  Hornady 50 grain V-Max bullets and various loads of W748.  Here are some close-ups of the better ones:



This load shot well with one fair group and the best group of the day on the right.  9/16 of an inch for five shots at 100 yards!



This load was also pretty good.  Two groups of 7/8 inch at 100.  Not bad!



Here is my second set of eight target dots.  Only seven groups before it got dark.  Most of these were with 55 grain Sierra HPBT bullets with W748 powder.  Some nice groups here.



These two would have been really good except for one flyer that openned the groups up.



Group on the right was very good.  Shot by my freind who gave me hint to do better.  He said to put the crosshairs on the bottom of the red dot instead of trying to hold in the center.  My last group was shot this way.



I shot one 200 yard group that was 2 1/2 inch.  I think I'm confident enough to hunt with this rifle now.  I'm still hoping for some better groups as I continue to work up different loads and try different bullets.  I'm out of 60 grain V-Maxs which were my favorites in my Colt AR.  I have some ordered. 

I guess I'm going to have to start saving for a better trigger.  I think this rifle has the potential to really shoot tight groups, but the creepy, mushy trigger makes it tough.

Jim

[alscalls]

Jim if you change that trigger you should be real happy 9/16" @ 100yds improve on that with a trigger and WOW

[Hawks Feather]

While I don't know what power your scope is, I am assuming (always a bad thing to do) that the cross-hairs are blotting out the sticker.   The plus to that particular sticker is the vertical and horizontal lines that allow you to keep from canting your gun and allow you to get a more accurate group.  For example and even with a gun that would always puts the next shot in the same hole, by canting your gun very slightly you will have shots hitting left and/or right of center.  For lower power scopes they make a larger dot with the lines or you can make your own.  Depending on the power of your scope, use a ruler and make vertical and horizontal lines on paper that are wide enough that you can see a little bit of the line on both sides of the center of your scope.  Run the lines the full length of the paper or at least several inches so that you will be able to see if you have any cant in the rifle when you are shooting.

Here is a quick sample - you will need to vary the width of the lines

I am not trying to tell you what to do, just something that might help.

Jerry

[Frogman]

Hawks,
      Thanks for the tip.  I need all the help I can get.  I really appreciate how the guys on tthis board are always ready to help.  I have learned a lot and just hope I can give a little back in some way.  Thanks a gain I will try that!

Jim

[Nelson]

A "ScopLevel" attached to your scope also helps prevent canting.

Nelson