Jimro

The more I learn about the history of our nation, the more surpised I am how things really aren't that different. Young LT's have always been a disrespectful and riotous bunch, young privates sometimes worse. The real difference now is that the percentage of "farm kids" joining the military is really low. The bulk of our recruits, in all services, are from cities. Also some of the things that were overlooked in the past as "just boys being boys" is now policed as if it were a serious problem. Getting into fights was once concidered "normal" not "anti-social". Wasn't that long ago either. Jimro

Hmmm...and in five years when Iran is on good terms with their neighbors they can all gang up on Israel, again. Jimro

Sounds like you had a tight neck, a tight neck can compress the brass which greatly increases neck tension on the bullet which greatly increases chamber pressure. It's a dangerous situation, I'm pretty sure your pressure problems will go away. Jimro

Did a preliminary cosmoline removal from my 24/47 and the bolt is pretty tight even with the gunk gone. There is binding unless the bolt is pressed directly forward. Weirdest thing I've noticed is that the trigger isn't standard, the engagement area was machined away a little almost as if someone was trying to reduce the lock time. Jimro

Tony I think guys like you and me are better off relying on personality instead of technology.... Jimro

I don't need another rifle, but like an addict I keep aquiring more... I was debating between a 1939 91/30 (loads of them still around) or a K31 (drying up fast) when I happened to check out the bore of a pair of 24/47's.... I asked the clerk to talk me out of buying a rifle, she didn't do such a good job. And since it's a yugo I just had to buy a 250 round can of linked Yugo 8x57... I have project rifles just waiting for me back in WA. I think I'll just shoot this one and keep stocking up on ammo for when the zombies attack (it's what I tell my wife for buying ammo in bulk, she nods her head and smiles). Gentlemen, it is clear that I have a problem. They say admitting that you have a problem is the first step to recovery. Now I have to break it down and clean off all the cosmo...hopefully that will subdue my addiction for another year, maybe. Jimro

This applies to the Army only, as much fun as it would be to fight lava monsters in the Marine Corps. I never felt that the TV adds were lies. They only showed one very small side to being a soldier; the group runs, obstacle courses, combined arms exercises with helicopter cover, all the cool stuff. The GI bill got me through college without having to resort to loans, so I have no complaints about the education benefits. What they don't show is stuff that nobody likes. The funerals, the long weekends, the short nights and long days, even in shape guys getting taped to pass the body fat percentage requirements (I've been taped for years now). And I have never had a recruiter lie to me, and I've only met a small few in the service who claimed their recruiter lied to them. I started out as a wet behind the ears private at 18, and ten years later I should be taking charge of my first platoon (pray that I finish IOBC and Ranger school with no injuries). Truth be told we probably wouldn't recruit too many people if we only used footage from Best Ranger competition to play on TV. Truth be told a normal day in garrison or in the FOB wouldn't sell too many people on the Army either. The Army is long stretches of boredom punctuated by brief moments of incredible terror. I think that kids today have a much better understanding of the current operating environment in Iraq and Afganistan than any previous generation, with all the coverage by the History Channel, Discovery, and even internet Blogs. The recruiting adds aren't lies, but they aren't the whole truth. The whole truth is just too big to fit into a TV commercial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_8iMj3Ij7I Jimro

Mine shoots 168 grain SMK's sub MOA to at least 200. These are very good for the price, and you can use the cheap 147 grain FMJ ammo with good results. Jimro

The 7mm Rem Mag is a very good choice for long range hunting, as is the 300 Win mag. I prefer the 7mm because the cheap Winchester White box ammo comes with 175 grain bullets which have a nice sectional density and ballistic coefficient. To get similar "performance" from the 300 you really have to step up to the 190 grain bullets. As is sits, if you have a magnum, you really need a 26 inch barrel. Anything less and you might as well use a 280 Rem or 30-06. However, if you ever plan on hunting in bear country, go with the 300 Win Mag, because it makes a bigger hole, and bigger holes bleed more. Jimro

Hmm, well I'd start by trying fast powders like IMR 3031 or Win 748. A quick powder under a medium bullet loaded for accuracy seems like the best bet for a handy deer rifle. I don't remember whether your action is a 98 or not, but as always load up with caution. IMR lists this as their max load out of a 24" bbl. 145gr SPR SP; 38.0gr IMR 3031; 2530fps; 46,000 CUP; Case Rem, Primer Rem 9 1/2 If you lose 25fps per inch of bbl length you are looking at 2380fps out of an 18" bbl altho in the load workup I'd just quit when the group gets tight. Accuracy is more deadly than velocity This is just my best guess, so as always take it with a grain of salt Jimro

Changing out the springs doesn't hurt. In my experience it only helps accuracy a little bit. That means that it will make a good rifle a little better, but won't turn a 3 minute gun into a sub MOA tack driver. A stronger spring reduces lock time, the time it takes from trigger break to primer ignition, therefore the less time the rifle has to "wander" off target. The downside of replacing a spring on a Mauser is that it makes bolt manipulation harder. A savage action (10,110,16,116) already have a faster lock time than the vaunted Rem700 action, so I wouldn't bother changing the spring. Jimro

Political correctness is the stupid idea that you can pick up a turd by the clean end... Jimro

Congrats, one of my buddies here at Benning did his last tour in Hawaii with the 25th ID. Definately do some pig hunting if you can. Jimro

I haven't bought one yet, but the precision reloading crowd loves the PACT dispenser/scale setup. Jimro

257 Roberts, and 6mm Rem/244 Rem are all based on the 7x57 brass. The 7.62x51/308 Win (and the 243 Win) lacks 6mm of case length that can be a problem, but generally isn't a big problem. I don't even use a magazine block in my 308 Mauser and it feeds as it should. You won't know if you'll have problems until you do it. Heck we haven't even talked shoulder angles yet. Jump in with both feet and get wet. Jimro

A pistol grip is a common feature on precision rifles as well, from the PSG-90 to the AI series. That being said, if you shoot better with a pistol grip on your rifle go for it, if you don't, then don't. There are plenty of carries that will keep you from getting stabbed by a pistol grip. Jimro

I've only seen clips, but what I have seen has poked more fun at Americans than any other group, playing on our stereotypes big time. Jimro

You know, the public trust rate for the military is 76% If you exclude LA, Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. the rate of trust goes above 90%. The public trust rate for Congress is less than 20%. I guess if Kerry were trustworthy he'd have retired from the Navy.... Jimro

http://www.realguns.com/loads/762x54r.htm Hope this helps. Jimro

uranium or is generally found as an oxide, either uranium dioxide or uranium trioxide. The ore will be "reduced" to it's metallic form, and then cenrifuged to increase the amount of U235 in the end product, and give off "depleted" very pure U238 as a byproduct. U235 is the isotope needed for either energy or weapons use, and U238 is the normal "less radioactive" common isotope used in armor and munitions. Jimro

Sharia law forbids earning interest on money, but not making a profit by buying and selling. This means not making money off of loans, or interest on CD's, savings accounts, etc. Therefore day trading, long term investing, and other such buy and sell endevors are perfectly legit. Jimro

"What Goes Around Comes Around".... The "Republican Revolution" came about because the Democrats couldn't deliver any of their promises, except the AWB (thank God for the sunset clause). Right now the Republicans are looking pretty good as far as policy, so the Foley scandal gets broken to take the spotlight off of the real issues. The problem with a democracy is that we get the government we deserve. Jimro

There is no "proof" of a coverup by GOP leadership, just a bunch of accusations by democrats. The incident that the leadership "knew" about was taken care of with the pages parents, and obeying their wishes they kept everything low key. Remember this story is old news recently leaked. Jimro

Cryo will generally make a good barrel "better" but not do much a for a poor barrel. What cryo treatment does is alter the barrel harmonics by relieving internal stress, heat also does this, which is why shot groups from a hot barrel are usually more "open" than a cold barrel. I have never heard of anyone having cryo treatment done on a sporter contour barrel, only varmit or bull barrels. I wouldn't recommend cryo treatment for a factory barrel or on a hunting rifle. For a varmit/tactical/benchrest then cryo wouldn't hurt. Altho I don't know if cryo treatment was available when G. MacMillan shot a .01 five shot group in 1971.... As in all things, your mileage may vary. Jimro

Ya know this is confusing to me, first the "Short Magnums" come out and the gun rags praise the short fat case design to no end, but Winchester doesn't market a 338 Short mag, they go 8mm (called an "orphan bore" by many)... Federal necks up the venerable 308 case and makes a very useable hunting round, sort of a little brother to the 9.3x62 Mauser. It seems to me that the firearm industry is moving in two directions at once, more Magnums (Short Magnums, Super Short Magnums, Short Action Ultra Mags, Ultra magnums, etc) but also moving back to the idea of "Modest Magnums" like the 376 Steyr, 9.3x62 (thank CZ for keeping it in their 550 lineup) and now the 338 Federal. Whadaya wanna bet that we see a new "Scout rifle" in 338 Federal in the near future? Any takers? However looking at the ballistics of the 338 Federal I think I'll just stick with my old standbys for a bit longer; 308, 30-06, 7.62x54 and 8x57. They all do the job on anything I'll be hunting. Jimro