I in LOVE with an older lady (rifle)

[CarJunkieLS1]

So a few years ago I got a Winchester Model 100 in .308. I got it for a great price and I've been offered considerably more money than I paid, but I just gotta hang on to it. It is a 1962 Model and is easily in 95% or better condition. I cleaned it up when I got and got the new designed firing pin under the recall. After that I just let it sit in my safe.

Well a few months ago I decided I would see what the old girl was capable of doing. I mounted a spare Redfield 3-9-40 scope on it. Grabbed a box of the Hornady American Whitetail 150gr Interlock and headed to the range. I really wasn't impressed with the accuracy and the ammo seemed to be a little "warm" for this old lady so handloading was in order, but the feel and natural way it pointed was just perfect. I just had to try and see if I could get serviceable accuracy from it.

A suggestion from a friend lead me to try some heavier bullets. I took some LC brass I had laying around and some 165gr Speer BTSP bullets. With a minimum charge of IMR 4064 it was basically magic...like I had found unicorn poop at the end of a rainbow. I'll be carrying her into the woods this season






Those repair stickers are from my dad's AR-10 from earlier in the day BTW.

 

[bamaranger]

dandy

That's a neat old rifle and good for you. Seems like you've got all your bases covered.

I'll add that Winchesters twist rate for .308 in those days was 1-12", which is slow by todays .30 standard of 1-10". My experience with the brother of your rifle, the lever run M88, also so twisted, is that mine does not like heavy slugs, shoots 150 better........but no matter, as you've found the sweet spot for yours.

American walnut, hand cut checkering, real USA blue steel......enjoy.

 

[Old Bill Dibble]

Be careful showing that rifle to your friends. You never know who you can trust.

 

[Wyosmith]

My Friend Rich has one of those to sell right now.
It's in super nice shape, but has a small crack in the wood near the toe. Other than that it is in about 99% condition.
if anyone is interested PM me if you are interested and I'll give you his phone number.

 

[Mobuck]

That's a pretty lucky group from a Model 100 or you have a very exceptional specimen.

Regarding loving the "older ladies": sometimes they need a little extra lube in the right places to stay comfortable.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Mobuck I guess time will tell if it was a lucky group or not, but either way I'm sure it will be accurate enough for deer. And I'll take good care of her. It's been wiped down, cleaned, and lubes up. She's good to go

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Oh BTW Bill you are right about friends not being trusted...my brother wants this rifle so badly and that was even before we knew it shot this good. I'm gonna have to change the combo to my safe. A older man at the range offered me $450 for it on Saturday, but I just can't do it.

 

[TRX]

The M14/M1A were 1:10 or 1:11. Remington went to 1:12 with (at least some of) the 700s.

 

[badding0]

I have a model 100 in 308 just like yours, my (now deceased) uncle left it to my dad a few years before I was born, I was thinking of creating a load for it, it doesn't get shot much, it actually hasn't been shot since the new firing pin was installed. what were the specs on those reloads if you don't mind me asking?