Shooting the 470 Nitro

[Mike70560]

We have not had any DR post in almost a week so I will share what I have been up to.

First of all I am suffering from DRW (Double Rifle Withdrawals). My K-Gun is in Pennsylvania for a minor adjustment. When I dump the spent rounds it closes slightly on the rims of the fresh rounds hit the receiver. Krieghoff said no problem and no charge.

I am withing 60 days of leaving for Zim so I am getting a little excited. The shooting has been going well. Still want to get better, but I think another 100rounds fired and about 1000 dry fires (with snaps caps) and I will be there.

Here is a video from the other day.

Practice II video by Mike70560 - Photobucket

 

[BryceM]

Cool video.

About doubles, did you find it difficult to make the adjustment to open sights? I'm assuming you're like most of us and use some sort of telescopic sight 99% of the time, especially for hunting. I haven't really done anything with open sights since learning to shoot a .22.

 

[DUGABOY1]

I feel for you Mike, id be absolutely lost without at least one double rifle within easy reach!

BryceM I beleive it is easy for anyone who doesn't have an eye problem to transition from a scoped rifle to irons sights on a double rifle that fits it's owner.

The simple fact is the properly fit double rifle when slammed to the shoulder the sights align automaticlly. The ony thing is the sights may need customizing some for the individual's personal likes. Things like fiber optic inserts in the front sight, and/or a qhite center line up the rear face of the standing sight from bottom to the bottom of the "V" to place the front bead on top of.

I have always had several types of sights on firarms I own, and have had zero problem junping from one to the other. This is mainly because all my firarms are made for the sights that are afixed to them, and they fit me as well. When I mount the rifle in a shooting stance, the sights are aligned automaticlly.

Most get hung up on the eye haveing to focus on three different distances at one time with iron sights. This is not a worry because the human eye, no matter how young cannot focus on more that one distance at a time.

What happens with age is the eye doesn't change focus fast enough, jumping from back sight, to front sight, and the target, without you realizing it has happened. This is when one statrts to benefit greatly from the single plain of of a scope's crosshair and the target.

There is absolutely no argument that a scope is a far better sights for most purposes, but the double rifle with Irons, or scope are rifles made for instinctive shooting, and the only time the irons are use in a precise manner is when you need to place a bullet through a tight spot in the bush, or between your target and another animal, and you have some time. For the shooting Mike is practicing for the instinctive factor is the main thing, and is not hard to accomplish if your double fits you. The real need for transitioning to a double rifle, from a scoped bolt rifle, is simple practice with the double rifle at the instinctive ranges. The percise aiming is the same for any rifle regardless of the sights involved. :thumb:

 

[Mike70560]

Plus one with what Dugaboy posted.

Actually there was no transition for me as I have fired far more rounds with iron sights than scopes.

I even test loads with my .308 with irons if I am so inclined. Have shot 10 shot groups at 100 yards under .70". You just need to concentrate a little more.

Other than some specialty rifles I own, the scopes I buy now are 2.5 by 8 Leupold VX III. I feel that is way more magnification than I will ever need to hunt.

 

[Skyline]

In general I agree with all of what Mike and Dugaboy have said. Proper stock fit is essential really and so few shooters ever actually go through that process. Then, as Dugaboy said, get the right sites and customize them if necessary to work for you.

Another case in point.....I have seen a lot of scattergun shooters over the years that were absolutely flabbergasted at how they were suddenly hammering birds left and right when they took the time to get a shotgun fitted and were not just trying to make things work with a shotgun off the rack.

Looks like your having fun with the double Mike.

 

[Big5]

Most get hung up on the eye haveing to focus on three different distances at one time with iron sights. This is not a worry because the human eye, no matter how young cannot focus on more that oen distance at a time.

What Dugaboy is saying here is extremely important when using iron sights. Many people keep attempting to transition their focus between the object of aim and both sights apparently not understanding that only one plane can be in clear sharp focus at a time. That is not only confusing, it will also lead to poor shooting. Learn to concentrate your focus on the front sight thereby leaving the other two a bit out of focus. Again, all three planes will never be in focus at the same time anyway, so forget trying. By doing so your iron sight shooting will not only improve in accuracy it should also become quicker

 

[chemarq]

practice

Cool video, really good. Excelent training for hunting with the double rifle... you really have a good reloading speed... and i am sure your buffalo will drop on his knees inmediately.

Good HUNT !!!

We want your pics with the bufflo bull in the forum !!!!

Jose

 

[TerryR]

Nice shooting on the video. Are you using factory loads in you K 470 or do you reload? If you reload what is your load? I have a K 470 and would like to work up a load and need a starting point. Obviously I would start below your load and work up, but it would be nice to have a reference point.

 

[Mike70560]

Cool video, really good. Excelent training for hunting with the double rifle... you really have a good reloading speed... and i am sure your buffalo will drop on his knees inmediately.

Good HUNT !!!

We want your pics with the bufflo bull in the forum !!!!

Jose

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.africahunting.com/zimbabwe-hunting-reports/1515-tuskless-buffalo-martin-pieters.html


TerryR you have a PM

 

[AkMike]

Nice shooting on the video. Are you using factory loads in you K 470 or do you reload? If you reload what is your load? I have a K 470 and would like to work up a load and need a starting point. Obviously I would start below your load and work up, but it would be nice to have a reference point.

Terry, Get a copy of G. Wright's book Shooting the British Double Rifle 3rd edition. It'll show everything you'll need to know. Huntingtons has it.

 

[.416 Rigby]

My Krieghoff .470 came with their "see through" sights which have a luminescent orange stripe down the center of the rear sight and a large orange bead of the same material on the front. very easy to see and quite instinctive to use.

My riflemaker fitted the rifle to me and increased the LOP so that when I shoulder it with my eyes closed, the sights line up when I open them.

I brought the rifle to my opthamologist and he made a set of glasses that enabled me to see the sights crisply from my right eye.

When learning to shoot the rifle, I bought reduced power lead bullet loads from Larry at Superior. They regulate to the same point of aim as full power loads and have moderate recoil.

I practice with the rifle regularly and hunt wild pigs with it as well. Thus far, it has been on four safaris and has stopped a charging elephant and taken a huge Buff. Hunting with a double is a lot of fun.

If you really get to know your rifle, the recoil will not bother you. My training drill with full charge ammunition is two rounds offhand at 50 yards, followed by a speed reload and two more shots at 50 yard. Then I repeat the drill at 50 feet. About 8 rounds of full charge ammo in an afternoon is enough for me.