Don't you hate it when this happens...

[flintlock]

My buddies and I have been getting ready for our annual week of camping out and huntind deer on our farms in eastern NC...For the past 5 years or so I have been shooting the Federal Premium 85gr BTHP in my Ruger .243...I have owned this rifle since 1980, and felt like I knew it pretty well...It threw a monkey wrench into the equation this year...For some reason, with certain lot numbers it won't group as well as it has in the past...I checked out everything I could think of...Then went back to Remington CoreLokts...With these it groups under an inch...In fact, I sighted in with a box that was 10 years old and then bought a couple of new boxes and shot it twice...Both bullets were touching and 2 inches high at 100 yards...Looks like I'm going back to them...

In the meantime I sighted in both of their guns with the Federals...Tried 3 different lot numbers...Both grouped well...That's what they are going to use because I have about 8 boxes left...

I amazes me how guns teach you something a little different from time to time...

My point being...Its always good to check your gun, I do it several times during the hunting season, and its always good to have another loading that you know your gun likes...Finally...guns can have a mind of their own, it pays to listen to them and not try to shoot what you like, but what they like...

[Don Fischer]

I bought a new Ruger 77 in 7x57 when they first made it, about 1971 or so. I had decided it was going to shoot 160gr speers, it wouldn't do it. So I went to 140gr Sierras, they wouldn't shoot well enough to out shoot my buddys rifle. So I tried 154gr Hornady spire points, still wouldn't shoot. Them tried 139gr Hornadys and 145gr Speer hot cores, no luck. Finally gave up but decided to shoot up some 154gr Hornady RN that I had around. Boy oh boy did that rifle like them! Became one of my favorite rifles.

I hate it when the damn rifle won't shoot what I think it should!