Took my old Winchester Model 1876 to the range today. My first priority was to tweak the sights a bit so they would be bang on at 100 yard and then I wanted to see how the old Winchester did in offhand shooting. I have a theory that heavy guns with long barrels (i.e., long sight radius) are the cat's meow for shaky old geezers like myself who can't get that front sight in focus worth a hoot. The heavy Model 1876 slows down the shakes and that front sight at the end of the 28" barrel makes it so I can almost get it in sharp focus in the notch of my open iron rear sight. I figured it might be a good recipe for those of us who are getting too old to see our sights, but still want to shoot open iron sights. At least, that was my theory.
I was shooting a 318 grain cast GC bullet over 26.2 grains of 5744 for 1,337 fps. After I had adjusted my sights to shoot bang on at 100 yards (which took the most delicate little taps of my brass punch and hammer along with 17 rounds of ammo), I figured it was time to start practicing up for deer hunting this fall. This meant free-standing, offhand shooting (no leaning against anything and no resting my left elbow on my chest). Range was 100 yards.
I took my first five shots. I felt that I did not shoot as tight as I could have and went down to take a look. Four of the shots were within 1 & 3/4" of dead center, then there was then dad-gummed flyer almost 3 & 1/4" to the upper right. Still, all 5 shots would have put the deer in the freezer. Here's a photo of the target ....
I then went back to take my next (and last) 5 shot string, again, free-standing offhand shots. I knew I was sloppier this time around and knew I was hitting all over the map. Sure enough, when I went down to take a look, the holes had really loosened up and the flyer, required by the laws of nature that govern the universe, was even further away from dead center at almost 4 & 1/4" from the center point. Still, 4 of the shots were in the black, within 2 & 7/8" of center, and all 5 would have dropped the deer. Here's a photo of the second target .....
My two, 5-shot groups could have been a lot worse, considering this was my first practice session with this rifle and I'm an old geezer trying to shoot with open iron sights offhand at 100 yards and for whom it is an accomplishment to get that front sight in focus. I certainly can't take the credit for getting these shots on the paper given how sloppy I felt I was shooting, especially at the second target. I give the credit to two things:
1. the heavy rifle slows down the front sight, which normally has a tendency to weave and stagger all over the place like a drunken sailor in heavy seas and,
2. the long sight radius, especially the fact that the front sight is so far down that 28" barrel that when I really try, I can get it focused up pretty sharp.
With a gun like that, you have to work hard to miss!
So for all you shaky old geezers like me who are half blind but don't want to put a scope on yer rifle, but still want to shoot a lever gun with open iron sights, I highly recommend getting a Model 1876 with a 28" barrel. The added bonus is that since it is so heavy, it keeps you fit lugging it around in the bush looking for a deer. Life can hardly get better!
By the way, whenever I get to thinking I'm old, I just look at my old '76, which is 123 years old. Here's a photo of the real old timer ....
I was shooting a 318 grain cast GC bullet over 26.2 grains of 5744 for 1,337 fps. After I had adjusted my sights to shoot bang on at 100 yards (which took the most delicate little taps of my brass punch and hammer along with 17 rounds of ammo), I figured it was time to start practicing up for deer hunting this fall. This meant free-standing, offhand shooting (no leaning against anything and no resting my left elbow on my chest). Range was 100 yards.
I took my first five shots. I felt that I did not shoot as tight as I could have and went down to take a look. Four of the shots were within 1 & 3/4" of dead center, then there was then dad-gummed flyer almost 3 & 1/4" to the upper right. Still, all 5 shots would have put the deer in the freezer. Here's a photo of the target ....
I then went back to take my next (and last) 5 shot string, again, free-standing offhand shots. I knew I was sloppier this time around and knew I was hitting all over the map. Sure enough, when I went down to take a look, the holes had really loosened up and the flyer, required by the laws of nature that govern the universe, was even further away from dead center at almost 4 & 1/4" from the center point. Still, 4 of the shots were in the black, within 2 & 7/8" of center, and all 5 would have dropped the deer. Here's a photo of the second target .....
My two, 5-shot groups could have been a lot worse, considering this was my first practice session with this rifle and I'm an old geezer trying to shoot with open iron sights offhand at 100 yards and for whom it is an accomplishment to get that front sight in focus. I certainly can't take the credit for getting these shots on the paper given how sloppy I felt I was shooting, especially at the second target. I give the credit to two things:
1. the heavy rifle slows down the front sight, which normally has a tendency to weave and stagger all over the place like a drunken sailor in heavy seas and,
2. the long sight radius, especially the fact that the front sight is so far down that 28" barrel that when I really try, I can get it focused up pretty sharp.
With a gun like that, you have to work hard to miss!
So for all you shaky old geezers like me who are half blind but don't want to put a scope on yer rifle, but still want to shoot a lever gun with open iron sights, I highly recommend getting a Model 1876 with a 28" barrel. The added bonus is that since it is so heavy, it keeps you fit lugging it around in the bush looking for a deer. Life can hardly get better!
By the way, whenever I get to thinking I'm old, I just look at my old '76, which is 123 years old. Here's a photo of the real old timer ....
