David Sinko

I have used jacketed bullets ranging in weights from 90 grs. to 165 grs. and also 150 gr. cast bullets. I will look up exact charge weights and post later. I had planned on buying a pound of IMR 4895 (which I hear is the best powder for the M14/M1A plaform) but the closest local retailer was selling it for $27.99 a pound! I'm not THAT desperate, at least not yet. I don't know where this will lead me, but it has already cost me a local Multigun match later this month. I had planned on shooting Heavy Metal but I can not do it with a rifle that won't cycle properly. Both entry fees and component costs are high and Heavy Metal would be my strongest division. I'm kind of bummed out because Heavy Metal doesn't get much support (only one shooter signed up for it so far) and I'd like to contribute. I'll be lucky if I can get squared away for the Area 8, which would be a local match for me. My brother has offered to trade me a new unfired DPMS LR308 for the SOCOM. I played around with his other LR308 and it cycled my handloads perfectly and was much more accurate than My SOCOM. Good brother that I am, I'm reluctant to pass off a rifle that just might have "issues." I need to really think about this. Dave Sinko

I don't crimp when I load rifle ammo but I remember having installed the powder bar activator upside down in the die of the 550 and when I had it set too low it would bottom out and bulge the shoulders. This happened with the .223 and I caught the problem immediately and was able to correct it. I am not bulging with .308 as far as I can tell. I am going to buy a pound of IMR 4895 and shoot some 150 gr. bullets through this rifle. If this doesn't work, I may have a good gunsmith take a look at the chamber (too tight?) and gas system. I'll probably get rid of it and buy a short bolt action, but I really want to know why my loads don't work in it. Dave Sinko

I have a later production Savage Model 99E with the rotary magazine which exhibits that rare trait of perfect reliability and I'm wondering if leaving the rotary magazine fully loaded for extended periods will eventually compromise reliability. I believe that well made box magazine springs can be left loaded indefinitely, but would this apply to the rotary magazine too? Is there anything different about how the rotary magazine spring performs its function? And yes, I'd like to keep it loaded as a house gun. With its perfect reliability it has earned that right. So don't laugh. Dave Sinko

I am using Remington and Federal brass that has been reloaded two times already. I screwed the small base sizer die down as far as I can so that it bottoms out as much as possible when there is a case in the shellholder and I can't get it down any farther. I figure that the case is being resized as much as possible and that the shoulder is being set back as much as possible. The resized empty cases seem to fit freely into the chamber. I acknowledge that the Federal brass is rather soft and maybe it's at the end of its service life when used in an auto, but I can get many more loadings out of it in my lever action. I was wondering if there's a problem with the gas system, but the factory loaded ammo I have shot through it (Austrian surplus) functions just fine. This is the first time I can not figure out why my ammo will not function in my firearm and it's a very disconcerting feeling. What's really frustrating is that the gun feeds everything I put into the magazine without fail, but ejection is problematic. Given the escalating cost of factory ammo and components, I just don't want to keep playing around with it anymore. Dave Sinko

I went with the RCBS Small Base Sizing Die and I'm still not satisfied. It's a huge improvement but the gun still does not run 100% like it did with surplus ammo. I do not want a rifle that will not function perfectly with my handloads, heavily utilized brass and all. I realize that my handloads are not perfect, but there are plenty of manually operated rifles that DO function with my ammo. The SOCOM will be sold or traded. Dave Sinko

I need to get a small base sizing die to load proper ammo for my SOCOM 16. I have already sized and trimmed about 700 cases using an ordinary RCBS die and now I'll need to resize them again using a small base die! Since they have already been trimmed, I'm presuming I can just spray them with lube again and then reload them in true progressive fashion on the 550B without worrying about having to trim them again. Whose is the best die for this? Are there any special tricks with the Dillon die or does the RCBS work just the same? I have noticed that some of my RCBS dies need to be screwed down pretty deep to work in the 550B and I don't know how compatible their small base sizer would be. My SOCOM is the first rifle that I've owned that really needs a small base sizer to function properly and I'm trying to go about this the right way. Dave Sinko

I am theorizing that my cycling problems are a direct result of my NOT using a small base sizing die. I need to get a good small base sizing die and I expect all my loads will perform much better. I suspect that my ejection problems are due to improperly sized cases and NOT gas pressure. This is kind of good news, but I feel foolish for not figuring this out sooner. Dave Sinko

I noticed that I am getting leading between the muzzle and the muzzle brake. The ports themselves do not seem to be affected. The gas cylinder lock, front sight and muzzle brake are an integral unit that screws on to the end of the barrel and it is not a perfect fit. It is here that the lead decides to deposit. I'm not sure how bad it will become after an extended amount of shooting. I will have to keep an eye on it. I have learned that this rifle is very particular in regard to cycling and proper gas pressure. Some jacketed bullets (especially the very light ones) refuse to cycle properly. I have yet to pin down what works and what doesn't work. But it's clear that this rifle does have potential as a cast bullet shooter. Seating the gas checks is a very simple matter when sizing the bullets. The only problem is that the cost of gas checks has risen dramatically along with the cost of all other components. As for why they are necessary and work so well, I really don't know. It is generally accepted that they are necessary for high velocity loads. I have had great success loading loading plain base bullets sized .312" into the .30-30 and .300 Savage at reduced velocities, but these would never cycle the action of the SOCOM. At least not with the loads that I tried. Dave Sinko

Yes, a gas check is necessary at the velocities I desire. Bevel base bullets do not work well at all and I have not yet tried plain flat base bullets, though I wouldn't have high expectations for those either. The fouling issue is not as bad as most assume. I do not have any problems with bore leading. Other shooters report no leading of the gas system, but in my case time will tell. So far results are very positive. With my very first load all my shots will group into the A Zone at 100 yards, which is actually better than some jacketed bullets I have tried. I think I am in the vicinity of Major PF and will break out the chrono soon to confirm. They seem to cycle reliably but more testing will be needed to confirm that. Dave Sinko

My 550B has been spilling lots of BL-C(2) ever since I started loading rifle cartridges on it. It was bad with .223 and now it's even worse with .308 and nothing seems to help. I never had this problem when I loaded handgun ammo on it, no matter what the cartridge or type of powder. It was "tolerable" with .223 but I don't even use the machine to seat primers when I load .308, choosing instead to hand prime them and use the press for powder charging and bullet seating. Dave Sinko

1. I currently shoot USPSA, ICORE and Steel with a revolver. 2. Frequency depends on the work schedule, but twice a month is the goal for local matches. Some local clubs hold matches year round in the winter. 3. The only major USPSA match I shot was Summer Blast last year. Major illness of a family member forced my withdrawal from Area 8. I do not have the time or inclination to travel, so all major matches are generally restricted to the eastern half of PA. In recent years I shot numerous IDPA State and Regional matches but have since quit IDPA. 4. I will probably never attend a national championship unless it is held in eastern PA. 5. I have lost interest in IDPA because the rules have become ridiculous and/or are unevenly enforced. I enjoyed shooting Pins and would happily do so again but local matches have dried up due to lack of interest. I have tried Bullseye but I'm not cut out for that kind of work. I am now starting to shoot more USPSA Multigun (a new Match Director takes it much more seriously) and that will probably cut into my Revolver participation. 6. I compete with a revolver because it is always my first choice in a defensive handgun. All my revolvers have short barrels and heavy trigger pulls and I do not own a dedicated match gun. I feel that USPSA is certainly the most noble and fair revolver game, though I do not view it as "racing." Lately I find myself competing with the revolver simply to better myself, with competition being far less important. I no longer get upset when I'm the only Revolver participant at a local match. Dave Sinko

Yes. There is a thread on castboolits.gunloads.com that deals with the M1A in particular. My concern is getting the velocity high enough with 150 gr. bullets in the 16" barrel. Dave Sinko

Is anybody out there actually using cast bullets for .308 and Major Power Factor? I have been studying the castboolits fourm and it seems that cast bullets can be loaded to Major with decent expectations, at least in the M1A platform. I'm just not sure if it can be done in the 16" barrel of my SOCOM 16. Does anybody have any suggestions or opinions? I am casting some 150 gr. bullets and will start load development over the chrono shortly. I concede that I am doing this mostly to save money, though not having to depend on the availability of jacketed bullets is also a consideration. Dave Sinko

The problem is with S&B brass, but not all S&B brass is problematic. I have a terrible time seating primers into S&B .38 Special brass no matter which press I use. On the other hand, S&B .45 ACP brass is easy to prime in both my 550B and XL650. The common denominator here is the S&B brass and not the press that is used. Dave Sinko

I came very close to buying a Sadlak scope mount for my SOCOM 16 but then my brother loaned me a used Bushnell 2-6x EER scope and a set of low rings. I had never tried the Scout Scope concept and figured I had nothing to lose. After my first range session I was astounded by the accuracy, since I ordinarily shoot aperture sighted rifles very well but for some reason struggled with the M1A. The cheap scope and rings work very well for now and I am willing to pay extra for a better scope and rings, but I confess that I have nagging doubts about Springfield's scout scope base. Just how good is it? Do they loosen up over time? I have never removed mine or actuallly taken a peek at how it is attached. I see a bunch of Allen screws and something that wraps around the barrel, but I don't know exactly how they do it. Does anybody have any long term experience, good or bad? Dave Sinko

You can easily and safely make Major with the .38 Special. Some very experienced reloaders are claiming to actually make Major with their 2" J Frame .38 snub revolvers, using 158 gr. cast bullets and heavy charges of SR4756 that were published in the old Speer #8 manual. In any event, it seems SR4756 is the ideal powder for heavily loaded .38 Special. Dave Sinko

I just got the email. Looks like there will be no major matches for me this year. Area 8 is looking doubtful since that will be out of state. Last year's Summer Blast was my one and only major USPSA match and I was truly impressed by what I saw. I can't begin to understand what it takes to organize and run a match like that and I regret that at this point in my life I do not have the time to contribute. Thanks to all who made it what it was. Dave Sinko

I for one am all through with Rugers. I wore out an expensive Redhawk Alpine Conversion from Hamilton Bowen. This was strictly from heavy DA manipulation of the revolver. Bowen told me it was the first one he had seen that was actually worn out from heavy DA use and NOT abuse. In reality it saw about as much use as my 625 match gun and developed some very troublesome ignition problems. Ruger DA revolvers have some potentially serious pitfalls that nobody is willing to talk about or criticize. Ruger simply does not sell certain revolver parts to anybody, and even though Bowen is one of the best revolversmiths the world has ever seen, he can not work miracles if he can not get the parts. My Redhawk was finally repaired and it IS a great gun but I now shoot it sparingly because if it ever develops the same problem again Bowen is not sure he can find the parts to fix it. I do not like the direction S&W is taking with their revolvers but I will buy a new S&W before I ever buy another Ruger. On the other hand, if you buy a GP-100 and keep it completly stock, Ruger would be happy to service it for you if it breaks. And how many USPSA shooters use completely stock revolvers? Dave Sinko

I own an M1A SOCOM 16, Glock 21 and three 625s but no shotgun. For the last match I borrowed a Mossberg 590. I also have access to a Mossberg 500 and Remington 870, though the 870 is currently set up with a fully rifled slug barrel for the deer season. The M1A is new and I am (desperately) trying to find good magazines for it. I can shoot aperture sights rather well but our last match had clay birds at 100 yards, and the thought of facing that with iron sights makes me nervous. Still, I do plan on shooting Heavy Metal at the next match, as long as my equipment will be compliant. Dave Sinko

My match gun has a set screw installed and it works very well. If I had any of the necessary skills I'd do this to all my S&W revolvers. All the others have the screw sucked all the way in with lots of Loc-Tite. I tend to run my actions rather heavy to fire all primers and I never take the guns apart unless they have mechanical or function issues. The strain screws on all my eight or so revolvers will loosen if not secured. Another method I have seen was done to a revolver with a grooved frontstrap. The screw slot happened to coincide with one of the grooves and the groove was punched so that it went into the screw slot and prevented the screw from turning. This is certainly not the best or most versatile way to do it, but it was very effective. Dave Sinko

I was just advised by LaRue that their SPR-E mount installed backwards would work fine BUT it is not compatible with the OEM rail, which would have to be replaced with a 1913 Picatinny rail. What would this entail? Has this suddenly become a gunsmith only proposition? It seems to be getting a bit more complicated. Dave Sinko

My 940 generally functions fine with all standard pressure ammo. I find that I do need to sort my brass very carefully as even one piece of cheapo inferior soft imported brass loaded to moderate pressure will tie up the gun. Many +P and all +P+ factory loads will also be problematic. In a match gun, I know that nobody here will care about how the gun works with the hot stuff. My S&W moonclips (all 30 of them) are quite springy and can readily be bent back into proper shape if the brass needs to be pounded out of the cylinder. I usually have no tolerance for such fickle attitudes in any of my revolvers but the 940 is a neat little gun and definitely a keeper. But I would NOT be interested in any full size gun that has these same problems. Dave Sinko

What is an IMGA match? I am primarily a revolver shooter and I have asked this question previously in the Revolver section. Cliff Walsh said he uses the 625 in multigun type matches, but I didn't know there were different kinds of matches. Since I know own a .308 rifle I'm taking this all a bit more seriously and would like to do this if possible, but not with a 1911. Dave Sinko

I'm trying to sort through the rules. I thought Heavy Metal allows one optic. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. And I had planned on using a Glock 21, but it seems that might not be allowed either. I am looking into the LaRue mount installed backwards. Has anybody actually tried this? I do remember the smiley face pic but never noticed the hardware the shooter was using. That's an interesting solution too. Dave Sinko

I used 4.1 grs. of Clays and a 230 gr. plated RN in my Mountain Gun and was embarassed to go Minor at the chrono. It works fine in my other 4" 625 though. You need to chrono your ammo and not make any assumptions. Dave Sinko