Recently, I hand-loaded some Alliant Reloader Powder I had in my lower cool dry garage cupboard.

It was for my 7mm Rem Mag rifle and discovered the powder lost some of its potency. It was an opened can and had about a half pound left. All of the loaded ammo fired fine but lost a couple hundred feet-per-second from published data. This powder had very little solvent smell and looked fine.

I was looking for a near max load.

I loaded rounds later in steps to see what I could wring out and did so just fine.

I would buy a new pound of Alliant Powder as soon as it is available and consider quickly using the older powder. 

I also loaded some rounds with a new can of IMR powder which had a potent solvent smell. These rounds followed published data very well. 

New powders often have a solvent Acetone like smell and over time the opened can will lose the solvent smell. Over longer periods, it will degrade to an acidic off smell.  When powder has that off smell it is time to dispose of the powder. Below is what Alliant says about storage and handling of modern powder.

https://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/safety/storage_handling.aspx

Another article I liked below.

https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/how-to-determine-gunpowder-shelf-life/83922

Good Shooting!

First, I like my new Browning X-Bolt rifle, but some of you know I had difficulty cleaning the red sealant out of the adjustment screw Allen wrench hole a few weeks back. Thinking my 2mm wrench stripped the hole. But I revisited the adjustment with a tool that I can put pressure on to get deeper in the Allen socket hole.

And it worked. The screw turned.

Thinking, now I can adjust it down to 3 pounds, but the adjustment screw did not lower the trigger to 3 pounds in fact just an ounce below 4 pounds, no matter what I did. And I am pretty good with tools!

Accordingly, frustrated I reassembled the trigger base and shot some snap caps for how the trigger felt. Nope, not much change. They say you can buy an adjustment spring and replace the existing trigger spring but it is not an easy job.

For me, I will test a Timney trigger when it arrives. It will adjust 1.5 to 4 lbs. Mine will be set at the factory to 3 pounds.

The only downside is that it costs around $200.00 and you have to take the stock off, remove and replace the trigger and proof the safety latch works. The Timney will no longer lock the bolt however. Many shooters see this as a minor loss.

https://timneytriggers.com/browning-x-bolt/

More Soon!

Shooting a semi-auto .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor AR for hunting can be done and done well. An AR example below. I prefer a bolt action but hey…this works. A great wild boar rifle too, where southern and western farmers are overrun with them.

The semi-auto AR 10 platform for hunting is a do-it-all rifle for protection, hunting game, and predators.

I personally prefer a bolt action rifle but in the right hands, this rifle works. In brown bear country, this reliable rifle gives comfort to folks living off-grid as does a 44 mag pistol as a side arm.

Ranchers use this tool like they use a hammer. If you have a nail, then the hammer is the right tool. If you have a brown bear sniffing in your direction, having a large clip of .308 cartridges at the ready can be comforting. Or live in Texas or Florida where they are overrun with pigs.

I am no expert on AR Rifles for hunting big game but I did find a great article on the web by Outdoor Life.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/guns/rifles/centerfire/2011/11/20-best-semi-automatic-rifles-big-game-hunting/ 

Check it out, they are fun to shoot.

Most all rifles shoot far more accurate than the hunter, but out in the field, things can happen fast. The hunter must be accurate and ready.

The honest truth is, shooting off a bench at a bullseye is not hunting…it is target shooting. 

In reality, accuracy is, for the most part, in the hands of the hunter, not necessarily in the rifle. It is common to see hunters shoot MOA or even sub-MOA bench rest groups with todays rifles and be happy, ready to hunt. Right? Not really! 

We must practice how we are going to hunt. Hunters that do not prepare physically out in the field, including me, or shoot their rifle enough to know it well, are kidding themselves.

For me, it is a self talk to get my butt to the range regularly, shoot standing off a tripod rest or offhand burning powder and sending bullets downrange. Thus having an intimate relationship with your rifle, its recoil and trigger time.

Once your rifle is sighted-in, it is time to get you “the hunter” sighted-in away from the bench. 

It is best to shoot at a target that does not have a bullseye, after all deer and bear do not have a bullseye on them. 

 A paper plate target can help give you some focus to keep bullets on it.   I often purchase near life size paper animal targets to put my crosshairs on. It helps greatly or create a cardboard left or right facing shoulder/chest to aim at. What if the game is facing you, and that is your only shot opportunity. Are you ready? 

Good Hunting!