Winter Warrior 2021-2022 Postal Match for Iron Sight Military Rifles

Did think about it...then wife and I went for a walk and couldn't wait to get back to the house. Just enough wind to make it difficult.
 
Finally was able to get to the range this weekend now that I'm over the WuFlu. I decided to take some rifles I haven't used for the Winter Warrior shoot yet. First up is an 1886 Portuguese Kropatschek with some handloads.

Target 1 - 82-1x
First shots getting my hold. Only 9 shots...I think the booger hook yanked one off to the left. Krop 1.jpg

Target 2 - 89-0x
Too bad I over-compensated my hold to the right and sent 3 in the 8 ring.
Krop 2.jpg
 
Next rifle is my 1932 M91/30. I decided to use some Tulammo I dug out from the back of the safe

Target 1 - 76
This was a sight in target where I was trying to remember where the Tulammo hit. Only 9 holes because one round went low left. I decided to include it with my targets just for kicks
Mosin 1.jpg

Target 2 - 93-1x
I thought I'd have a couple more in the 10 ring but whatever....
Mosin 2.jpg
 
Last rifle from this weekend was my Remington 1903A3 I picked up from a member here earlier this year. This is only my 2nd time at the range with the old girl. I used some handloads that I had loaded already that I use in my Garand

Target 1 - 89
Like my other rifles this was my sight in target. I forgot that it shoots pretty high at 100yds so I had to play around with my elevation hold 1903A3 1.jpg

Target 2 - 90-1x
Could have been better...I think the rifle can easily hold the 9 ring (maybe even the 10 ring) if I do my part. Too bad I had 3 fly high into the 8 ring. The first groups I shot with this rifle were tighter than this.
1903A3 2.jpg
 
Last rifle from this weekend was my Remington 1903A3 I picked up from a member here earlier this year. This is only my 2nd time at the range with the old girl. I used some handloads that I had loaded already that I use in my Garand

Target 1 - 89
Like my other rifles this was my sight in target. I forgot that it shoots pretty high at 100yds so I had to play around with my elevation hold View attachment 563396

Target 2 - 90-1x
Could have been better...I think the rifle can easily hold the 9 ring (maybe even the 10 ring) if I do my part. Too bad I had 3 fly high into the 8 ring. The first groups I shot with this rifle were tighter than this.
View attachment 563397
Check the action screws, my 1903a3 even with the new wood will start to “loosen” i run mine at 35inlbs
I snug the front one down with just 2 finger and thumb then snug the rear. Torque the front then the rear to final spec. You can play around with torque amount … my mauser 98k like a heavy torque 50inlb
 
Last rifle from this weekend was my Remington 1903A3 I picked up from a member here earlier this year. This is only my 2nd time at the range with the old girl. I used some handloads that I had loaded already that I use in my Garand

Target 1 - 89
Like my other rifles this was my sight in target. I forgot that it shoots pretty high at 100yds so I had to play around with my elevation hold View attachment 563396

Target 2 - 90-1x
Could have been better...I think the rifle can easily hold the 9 ring (maybe even the 10 ring) if I do my part. Too bad I had 3 fly high into the 8 ring. The first groups I shot with this rifle were tighter than this.
View attachment 563397

Nice shooting with the Mosin. Not an easy rifle to get a 93-1X.

I need to get out there with the 03A3 I picked up last year at Talladega and see what I can do. I've been fighting a little bit of warp in the Minelli stock. I have a USGI scant stock I may give a try. The straight stock it came in is awful for shooting prone.
 
Nice shooting with the Mosin. Not an easy rifle to get a 93-1X.

I need to get out there with the 03A3 I picked up last year at Talladega and see what I can do. I've been fighting a little bit of warp in the Minelli stock. I have a USGI scant stock I may give a try. The straight stock it came in is awful for shooting prone.
Awful for anything shy of from the trench!
 
Finally had conditions to go out to the range. 35˚ and windy this morning. Went with the Quality Hardware M1 carbine and one of the Swedes. All reloads and all shot from a front rest. Pics follow:
And on pic 4, I swear there are 10 rounds...😇
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3870.JPG
    IMG_3870.JPG
    374.7 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_3869.JPG
    IMG_3869.JPG
    372.3 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_3868.JPG
    IMG_3868.JPG
    363.4 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_3866.JPG
    IMG_3866.JPG
    373.7 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_3865.JPG
    IMG_3865.JPG
    351.1 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_3864.JPG
    IMG_3864.JPG
    364.7 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_3850.JPG
    IMG_3850.JPG
    663 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_3843.JPG
    IMG_3843.JPG
    586.4 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_3841.JPG
    IMG_3841.JPG
    581 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_3834.JPG
    IMG_3834.JPG
    386.9 KB · Views: 11
Supposed to have snow on the ground tomorrow here in MO, tough thing is deciding what to shoot.
Not a bad decision to make. I'll probably go shooting tomorrow. Local range 100 yards if windy, 200 yard range if not too bad. Going to be a bit nippy- probably around zero degrees in the morning.
 
What- no other shooters today? LOL 6 degrees F at the range (now 2) thumb still hurts a little from the cold. IHC M1 Garand shot well but after a while my eyesight went to crap and I started spraying a bit. 97-4X. Well, my warm up and sighter shots were grouping well...

edit- Thinking about it after the fact, could be lack of concentration as much as eyes starting to go. High winds and the wind chill was minus 12. Next time I might wear my ice fishing gloves- I think I can still handle the rifle well with those. No I don't want one of those goofy M1 winter triggers, or do I?

b8Ljx0jh.jpg
NjfMb7gh.jpg
 
Last edited:
Not an iron sight military rifle, but I shot the winter offhand league this morning with my AR-15. Car said 9? We shoot from a hut, still cold.

Rifle had been in my trunk all night. I think ice came out of the ejection port when I pulled back the charging handle for that first round.
 
Not an iron sight military rifle, but I shot the winter offhand league this morning with my AR-15. Car said 9? We shoot from a hut, still cold.

Rifle had been in my trunk all night. I think ice came out of the ejection port when I pulled back the charging handle for that first round.
RemOil turns to gum at about 13 degrees, and there are several other lubes that fail when getting close to zero degrees. Could have been your lube? There's an article somewhere about testing different lubes in AR's at sub freezing temps. I have used Marvel Mystery Oil with good results even in sub-zero temps, supposedly tested to work well down to minus 40.
 
RemOil turns to gum at about 13 degrees, and there are several other lubes that fail when getting close to zero degrees. Could have been your lube? There's an article somewhere about testing different lubes in AR's at sub freezing temps. I have used Marvel Mystery Oil with good results even in sub-zero temps, supposedly tested to work well down to minus 40.
I use "G96 lube" - smells great, try it sometime. I usually just keep a thin film on. No issues once I started shooting.
 
I use "G96 lube" - smells great, try it sometime. I usually just keep a thin film on. No issues once I started shooting.
I have a big can of it I inherited from a family friend, along with a medium size bin of ammo. So it was OK in the cold? Nevermind, found some links:

Are there other governmental approvals for G96 Products?​

G96 was approved by the Canadian Police Research Centre for use by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for use in cold weather in November of 1995.
You may view the results of Report TR-01-97: Evaluation of Gun Lubricant Operation at Low Temperatures by clicking here.

Canadians tested at -40C. US Army tested in -51C conditions (-60F).

I'll start using this during the winter and anytime once my can of RemOil runs out. 👍
 
That was a problem at Stalingrad; the German's oil froze while the Russians didn't.
t
I have friends from Volgograd (Stalingrad) who as kids were still finding artifacts anywhere there was fresh dirt and it had rained. Next time I go I should ask if there are any shops with historic stuff.
 
Welp, I went out, and did horrible lol. Shot from the prone, kept rounds on paper but thats about it. Targets were all soggy and wet, torn.

I tried.
No worries on the targets- that looks like an awesome outing!

Details on the rifles?
 
No worries on the targets- that looks like an awesome outing!

Details on the rifles?
Rifles are:

M16A2, palmetto did a repro run on lowers, sonits marked US Property M16A2 and has the correct selector markings of safe/semi/burst. I built it as correctly as possible with surplus parts, mostly Colt.

XM177E2, same as the M16A2, sourced OEM parts to make it as correct as possible. Its correct aside from the lower, which is an early Armalite, but it fits the theme.

M14, its an Armscorp receiver from when they were in Baltimore. USGI everything else mostly Springfield

FnFal, its an L1A1 build on an Imbel reciever, inch pattern of course, a commonwealth rifle down to the gas plug.

M48 Yugo Mauser. Picked it up at a hardware store in Texas for $75. Rifle, bayo, sling and leather ammo pouch. Shoots really well for what it is.
 
Rifles are:

M16A2, palmetto did a repro run on lowers, sonits marked US Property M16A2 and has the correct selector markings of safe/semi/burst. I built it as correctly as possible with surplus parts, mostly Colt.

XM177E2, same as the M16A2, sourced OEM parts to make it as correct as possible. Its correct aside from the lower, which is an early Armalite, but it fits the theme.

M14, its an Armscorp receiver from when they were in Baltimore. USGI everything else mostly Springfield

FnFal, its an L1A1 build on an Imbel reciever, inch pattern of course, a commonwealth rifle down to the gas plug.

M48 Yugo Mauser. Picked it up at a hardware store in Texas for $75. Rifle, bayo, sling and leather ammo pouch. Shoots really well for what it is.
Very cool, thanks!
 
That stuff eats finishes, no?
Who knows its low temp weapons oil , thats all I know. Think its made by Castrol
I must be one lucky guy I have not experienced any where near the problems I read about.
My marlin model 60 always functioned while Ice fishing. Yeah just imagine .
Early to late 80s bringing a gun ice fishing to dull the boredom …my dad would always find a way to keep us busy.
Im also in the camp from my dads teaching that firearms seldom need so much lube that it could be a problem.
I run on that hardly can tell its oiled.
Only exception is a light grease on the M1 and M1a op rod track and a touch on the locking lug recess.
 
Back
Top Bottom