My 404 is now ready for it's April 26 trip across the Pond. Yesterday, I cycled 500 live rounds through the action with no failures. Zero with both scope and irons is perfect for their respective ranges with both softs and solids. Sixty rounds of ammo are loaded and packed.

Right now, I've got copper solvent soaking in the barrel. Soon as I finish swabbing it out, the gun will be locked in the safe until it's time for SAA to lose it in route to Zimbabwe.

Now it's on to finding the perfect load and zero for my leopard gun -- my .300 Winnie (which I've already found, just need to go to the range and verify).

Life is good!

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
...until it's time for SAA to lose it in route to Zimbabwe.

Oh, Lord, I hope those words are not propetic!

George

I would urge you to shoot your rifle after cleaning it, before you go to Africa. I had to re zero mine when I got to Africa. I had zeroed it here, and then given it a thorough cleaning.
Peter.

Damn, how the hell are you guys cleaning the rifles that you are changing zero on them?

It is a good idea to rezero the rifle after a trip anyways because you never know. The one paid trip I have been on was only about 2.5 hours from my house and I drove so didn't check the gun that time. But long trip definitely.

Red

Have fun and let us know how it goes when you get back!

I would keep on shooting it to practice up for the trip.

At least another 100 rounds till then. Or as many as possible.

But thats just me.

Dago Red. Don't know how to answer your question. I assume it was the cleaning, but I will never know. I took 2 rifles over there. the 30.06 was still on, the 300WM was off by about 6 inches (at 200 yards). It was zeroed in the USA, but at least that far off at 200 yards. Perhaps the scope got jarred, I don't know. I suspect the cleaning, perhaps because I have been shooting the CT Nosler 180 partitions, which seem to have some kind of moly coating on them. This may have got cleaned off when I cleaned the gun. Honestly don't know. I would not have expected that kind of difference either. Having said that, there is a lot of difference between confirming zero (3 rounds) and rezeroing, which takes a lot more rounds!
Peter.

I was pulling your leg on the cleaning thing.

by rezero I was meaning to double check it. If the first group isn't as good as expected I'll fire another one or two groups to make sure it isn't me, since I am usually the weak link.

Red