I went out and resighted my rifle with the PMC 350gr silverline ammo today. It had been previously sighted in with PMC 405gr ammo. Before I even left the house I droped the rear sight on my 1895GS because I thought that the ammo would print higher. Well I got off the first shot and saw that it was low. Then a couple more, low again. To make a long story short, if I want the bullet to impact where the front sight covers I need to have the back sight all the way up. The rear sight is as high as it goes and its still a bit low. Am I supposed to be doing something different? Does this sound normal?

[ 09-28-2003, 10:44: Message edited by: schapman43 ]

This is common. The lighter bullet, faster and possibly less recoil, is exiting the rifle muzzle before much muzzle rise, so it shoots lower than the heavier, slower, possibly heavier recoil inducing bullet ... because ...

The heavier bullet has a longer dwell time in the barrel and the muzzle rises farther before the bullet exits.

I first noticed this phenomenon with a Freedom Arms 454 Casull revolver, and have seen it with big bore rifles.

Barrel harmonics and internal ballistics in light, whippy barrels may alter this so that the faster, lighter bullet does indeed shoot higher in some/most sporting rifles.

You might have to get a lower front sight or higher back sight if you run out of elevation adjustment.

[ 09-28-2003, 11:48: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

DagaRon, that is one fine looking Buffalo in your tag line, what did he measure?

Dagaron, good post. Do you have any thoughts on this though. I recently took out my 416 Rigby, a CZ550, and sighted it in with 300gr Barnes X bullets. Muzzle velocity was 2750 fps +/-. This load printed ~ 6" higher than the previous load the rifle was sighted for, which was a 400gr Hornady at a muzzle velocity of 2400 +/-. Do you think that my CZ may have too light of a barrel? Would a heavier barrel improve accuracy, as well as, soak up recoil?