Shooting some 30+ year old Eley and Winchester T-22

ericrose

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Wheat Country
Back in the day I did a lot of target shooting. Eventually making it to the National Smallbore Rifle Team. Specifically on the ISU prone team. I also shot a lot of sporting rifle using a CIL/Anschutz 190. But before that I used a CIL/Anschutz 310. I think I got my 310 in around 1970 and either shot it at targets or gophers until the late 80's when I gave up shooting.

My 310 was the only rifle I kept. What a mistake! I use to have an Anschutz 1413, 1407 and 1411 in addition to the 190. I sure miss the 1411! Anyway to get back on topic. I also kept a brick of Eley Red Box and a brick of Winchester T-22. I use to use the T-22 for indoor practice. These two bricks spent many years getting either frozen or cooked in various garages. All under lock and key of course.

My shooting buddy and I decided to take our old .22's out last Friday for some 100 yard shooting. The only ammo I had was some new CCI target and the old bricks so I broke out a box each of the Eley Red Box and T-22. The farm field we went to had very high grass which made it very difficult to both see the target and shoot through it. Suffice it to say the groups were terrible.

I wasn't sure what the root cause was. Maybe the ammo being past its prime, the grass or me. I figured the grass wouldn't have that much effect so I chalked it up to the ammo. I decided I needed to find out one way or the other so spent this morning down on the Shooting Edge's 50 yard range and shot the Eley Red Box, Winchester T-22 plus some Eley Club I found in the bottom of my locked storage box. Shooting was done off my cheapie rest. On top of the rifle was a cheap Bushnell 3-9 scope.

Before I went I cleaned the 310 the same way I would have in my old competition days and made sure everything was torqued down to the proper degree. Once I put ten rounds down the pipe the groups started to settle down.

Here are the groups. Not what they should be but for really old ammo that hasn't been stored in the best conditions not all that bad.

https://flic.kr/p/2gqw4xF

https://flic.kr/p/2gqw4Jx

https://flic.kr/p/2gqvQd3

I might have to go out and buy some new Eley Red Box and see how the 310 does. Maybe this is as good as the old gal can do.

Eric
 
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