New Long Ranger in .223/5.56

[Mags]

Got mine this afternoon. . In the box, 2 piece Skinner scope mount and a one sided hammer extender.

Drew first blood with it when I got it home. Stabbed myself in the back of the hand when I racked the bolt back

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[PT7]

Very nice-looking wood on your new Henry, especially the richness of the stock grains. Henry done ya proud!
Sure glad you didn't splatter all over the rifle!

[Mags]

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Thanks! Nice looking wood is the first thing my wife said. I was afraid after the .30-30 shiny brass she'd think it anticlimactic. Everything on this Long Ranger looks well done. Wood meets metal smoothly. The white diamond in the buckhorn is centered under the notch. Front and rear sights centered on the barrel and snug. No defects evident in the bore or crown. No defects in bluing. Just got to get out and shoot it now.

Very nice-looking wood on your new Henry, especially the richness of the stock grains. Henry done ya proud!
Sure glad you didn't splatter all over the rifle!

[PT7]

Have a great range time.....be safe!

[ESquared]

Very nice, Mags! Absolutely beautiful furniture, front and rear! Look forward to reading your range report. Don't know how far you can reach where you shoot, but I'm thinking it will do well no matter what.
Nice accessories, as well, and thanks for including the Uberti. Al will appreciate that!

[BigAl52]

I didnt know Uberti made a 223 six shooter. Nice Rifle Mags Congrats. Wood looks great I hope you like it. Im looking forward to seeing how you like it and what those ditch rats might think of it.

[North Country Gal]

Love the wood, too. As always, have to hand it to Henry on the wood they supply on their guns.

[Mags]

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Remember I'm a renegade to the adhoc same caliber in picture rule. So the picture includes my Uberti .45. (and my pink gun towel).

I didnt know Uberti made a 223 six shooter. Nice Rifle Mags Congrats. Wood looks great I hope you like it. Im looking forward to seeing how you like it and what those ditch rats might think of it.

[Mags]

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At my place I'm setup for 75 yds. I could do maybe 90-95 in my current setup, but would be shooting though low hanging branches. Another spot I could do beyond 100yds but it is mostly underwater this time of year. I was thinking I might try to do my first shoot today, but not sure I'll have the time. The Long Ranger opportunity kinda interrupted other things I had going on. And I need to stay focused on getting those other things done. So although getting the Long Ranger won out in priority, getting to shoot it is a waffling priority. Later I'll put a Brass Stacker sling on it and a scope. Those have to wait. It was $ stretch to get the Long Ranger, which will take a while to recover from.

Al has certainly shown his appreciation. We PM'd about it

Very nice, Mags! Absolutely beautiful furniture, front and rear! Look forward to reading your range report. Don't know how far you can reach where you shoot, but I'm thinking it will do well no matter what.
Nice accessories, as well, and thanks for including the Uberti. Al will appreciate that!

[ESquared]

There's gotta be a range report, right?

[Mags]

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Of course! But wasn't planning to shoot it for a few more days. Anyway one of my sons was by impromptu. So spur of the moment we went out and shot it, 10 rounds each. Write-up forth-coming....

There's gotta be a range report, right?

[Mags]

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[continued from previous post] Not yet having a scope for the Long Ranger, we went out to shoot from the 50yd line. He shot from there, standing off hand. He's ex-military Sgt. He shot well, consistently hitting the platters on the shooting tree. Me? I couldn't shoot from the 50 like that. Too wavery. There is a nice large Russian sage bush about 40yds out with a nice elbow crook branch at the right height. So I was shooting standing with a branch rest. Sorta as expected the buckhorn sight does not work well for me. I was able to focus on the white bead front sight and get it into the out-of-focus notch of the rear sight, but the distant white platter target was indistinct and very out of focus. That was how I chose to shoot. I managed to hit the 6 inch platters most of the time, though inconsistent grouping.

Some observations.

o The ammo used was American Eagle military grade 55gr FMJ. Did not notice the military grade on the ammo box when I bought it, only after shooting it. One of the rounds that missed the platters hit the center support angle-iron post and shot a hole through it. Shots that hit near the edge of the platters, took chunks out of the platters. Hmmm, maybe not the best ammo for plinking.

o Long Ranger sights. Before shooting I was wondering how the sights were going to work out. Front and rear are fixed sights. No adjustment for elevation. I need not have worried on that. From my son's shooting I would have to say that the Long Ranger sights were perfectly zero'd from the factory.

o Long Ranger action. Not so sure about it. Lot's of room in there for a .223/5.56 round to slop around. Dry racking seems fine, but loaded, doesn't really pickup and feed rounds that smoothly. Maybe just new and needs more breakin. The rounds come up out the magazine at an angle and the bolt kinda chokes/binds on the rounds as the bolt goes to chamber them. If I don't get the lever all the way forward when racking, the bolt will jam on the round. Then backing off the bolt causes a 2nd round to come up out of the magazine for a double round jam. Reminder to self - get the lever all the way forward, continue to monitor the round binding during normal operation. Get some snap caps to get a closer look at what's happening.

There you have it as I see it so far.

[JEBar]

very nice indeed .... looking forward to your range reports

[ESquared]

Still sounds like a great start, Mags! So, no more 5.56Nato for plinking! Sounds like a zippy projectile! Based on my 308 and what you're saying about the lever throw/feeding, I'd say it's just an adjustment to the difference in the mechanics of it all vs. a "regular" lever on a tube-fed Henry. You still have to be "swift and authoritative" I've found.

Don't know what you're doing about ammo, but found this offer in my email this morning. Don't know a thing about Federal/American Eagle's "Black Pack" (although all the other Am Eagle I've shot has been fine), but this 223 is about $.23/round after the nickel rebate from Federal (and Natchez's free shipping). I think the Black Pack is just 600 rounds in a big, study plastic bag. Anyway, for you or any others than might happen by, here it is:

https://www.natchezss.com/federal-ameri ... 6312722433

What are you going to do for a scope?

[wingnut]

The 223/5.56 ammo can really surprise you due to its speed. Here are a few identical loaded rounds shot from the same spot from two different rifles, 1 with an 16" barrel and the other with a 20" barrel. The thru&thru holes are from the 20". The distance was about 30 yards, the bullet was a paper puncher 70g Nosler Custom Competition (no longer made), the steel is 1/4" AR500 armor plate.

holesinAR500.jpg

The ammo used was American Eagle military grade 55gr FMJ. Did not notice the military grade on the ammo box when I bought it, only after shooting it. One of the rounds that missed the platters hit the center support angle-iron post and shot a hole through it. Shots that hit near the edge of the platters, took chunks out of the platters. Hmmm, maybe not the best ammo for plinking.

[Mags]

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Ya, I'm a little timid with the "swift and authoritative" because of the binding feel as a round is chambered. 'fraid I'm going to pinch/crimp the round. Guess I shouldn't be penny wise, but pound foolish. See if it actually will happen. Maybe it is just 'feels like' thing. Thanks for the ammo lead. Sounds like what I'm using now (55gr FMJ). Don't know if they make a softer bullet, but that is what I'm hoping to find. Scope is going to have to wait for quite a while. Getting the LR took too big a bite too soon.

Still sounds like a great start, Mags! So, no more 5.56Nato for plinking! Sounds like a zippy projectile! Based on my 308 and what you're saying about the lever throw/feeding, I'd say it's just an adjustment to the difference in the mechanics of it all vs. a "regular" lever on a tube-fed Henry. You still have to be "swift and authoritative" I've found.

Don't know what you're doing about ammo, but found this offer in my email this morning. Don't know a thing about Federal/American Eagle's "Black Pack" (although all the other Am Eagle I've shot has been fine), but this 223 is about $.23/round after the nickel rebate from Federal (and Natchez's free shipping). I think the Black Pack is just 600 rounds in a big, study plastic bag. Anyway, for you or any others than might happen by, here it is:

https://www.natchezss.com/federal-ameri ... 6312722433

What are you going to do for a scope?

[Mags]

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I see that. Makes me think I've got armor piercing rounds.

The 223/5.56 ammo can really surprise you due to its speed. Here are a few identical loaded rounds shot from the same spot from two different rifles, 1 with an 16" barrel and the other with a 20" barrel. The thru&thru holes are from the 20". The distance was about 30 yards, the bullet was a paper puncher 70g Nosler Custom Competition (no longer made), the steel is 1/4" AR500 armor plate.

holesinAR500.jpg

The ammo used was American Eagle military grade 55gr FMJ. Did not notice the military grade on the ammo box when I bought it, only after shooting it. One of the rounds that missed the platters hit the center support angle-iron post and shot a hole through it. Shots that hit near the edge of the platters, took chunks out of the platters. Hmmm, maybe not the best ammo for plinking.

[wingnut]

Ya, I'm a little timid with the "swift and authoritative" because of the binding feel as a round is chambered. 'fraid I'm going to pinch/crimp the round.

I agree with ESquared wherein its the spring pressure of the loaded magazine on the bolt that you are feeling, I felt it also. You may even feel it when operating the lever with an empty mag inserted. Some easing can be accomplished by greasing (Gunslick or other gun grease) the top of the action area above the mag and backside when the bolt is open, also greasing the gear teeth at the bottom of the bolt. Hope it helps.

[Mags]

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I was having similar thoughts. I did gun oil, but after shooting was thinking grease would have been better.

... Some easing can be accomplished by greasing ...

[ESquared]

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I was having similar thoughts. I did gun oil, but after shooting was thinking grease would have been better.

... Some easing can be accomplished by greasing ...

Yep, "if it slides, grease it, if it rotates, oil it." Light greasing it good for the action you're dealing with.