REDSTAR....your 762-54 from AIM.......

[Flackjacket]

Did you fire it yet? I went out and zeroed my M-44 Saturday with it and all was well. No problem placing everything in nice little 2 or 3 inch groups at 100 yard. I returned today and couldn't even hit the target!!!! My boxes have a big blue 27 on some and a 28 on others, don't know what that means but it seemed the 27 was better. I'm wondering if I bought a batch of really inconsistent ammo. Can a batch of ammo vary that much from box to box? It was really frustrating to say the least. I had to switch to firing my SKS and some Barnaul to get a little satisfaction. What was your experience with the stuff? TIA.

Flack

[REDSTAR]

I haven't got out to shoot mine yet. I know M44's can vary quite a bit with different types of ammo but the same manufacturer shouldn't make that big a difference. Check the head stamps on the 27 and 28 and see if they are the same dates and the same in general. The headstamp is the stamps on the back of the cartridge above and below the primer, in case you didn't already know that.

Maybe they are two different bullet weights if the headstamps are different. That's just a guess there.

I know these rifles can be very finiky. Did you clean it really good from the first outing? Also did you shoot with bayo extended or folded both times? That can make a difference.

Could it be you just had a bad sight picture today?

Are you sure the sight leaf didn't get off the mark? ie- 100m?

Did you happen to totally dismantle the rifle after the first time, take off the wood that is?

Hard to say. I'd recomend buying a box of some other type somewhere and try again and try different boxes of the Yugo stuff.

[Flackjacket]

All I did was run a bit of hoppes through the barrel, I knew I was going to be shooting it bright and early the next day so I didn't do a heavy cleaning. I shoot with bayo closed that's how we zeroed it. Everything seemed tight. I don't know what the problem was!!! I think my sight picture was good, I switched to my non-scoped SKS and was getting consistent 2 inch groups. Who the hell knows, lets see what happens next time out. Thanks for your input.

[REDSTAR]

I'll post when I take mine out as well. Could have just been Gremlins :)

[AKWARRIOR]

Originally posted by Flackjacket
All I did was run a bit of hoppes through the barrel, I knew I was going to be shooting it bright and early the next day so I didn't do a heavy cleaning. I shoot with bayo closed that's how we zeroed it. Everything seemed tight. I don't know what the problem was!!! I think my sight picture was good, I switched to my non-scoped SKS and was getting consistent 2 inch groups. Who the hell knows, lets see what happens next time out. Thanks for your input.

An M44 is not at its full accuracy potential unless the bayonet is extended.Take in to account these rifles were not meant to be fired folded hence the poor accuracy.I get 2" groups all day long with mine at 100 yards using 1980's russian corrosive ball with the bayonet extended.

Regards,

[Flackjacket]

We zeroed it with the bayo closed, then shot two-inch groups that day, all day. Next day couldn’t even hit the target! I understand they were originally meant to be shot with bayo extended but if you've zeroed it with bayo closed I would imagine that would be fine, right? The bayo just folded up should not affect it after it's been zeroed for that configuration? Anybody, anybody?


Flack

[TheBigCAx]

the rifle was designed to be shot with the bayo extended.

I find this rifle to be so accurate that I'm going to make it's ammo one of my next reloading purchases, so I can take an Elk this year with it, and not be busted for using military ammo. Everybody that's shot the thing agrees it's exceedingly accurate.

Extend that bayo... and try it again. Everybody has good and bad days.

[aliceinchains]

Originally posted by TheBigCA
the rifle was designed to be shot with the bayo extended.

I find this rifle to be so accurate that I'm going to make it's ammo one of my next reloading purchases, so I can take an Elk this year with it, and not be busted for using military ammo. Everybody that's shot the thing agrees it's exceedingly accurate.

Extend that bayo... and try it again. Everybody has good and bad days.

You won't be the only one reloading for it BigCa.;)

[Schuetzenman]

Originally posted by Flackjacket
We zeroed it with the bayo closed, then shot two-inch groups that day, all day. Next day couldn’t even hit the target! I understand they were originally meant to be shot with bayo extended but if you've zeroed it with bayo closed I would imagine that would be fine, right? The bayo just folded up should not affect it after it's been zeroed for that configuration? Anybody, anybody?


Flack

As many have stated the best accuracy should be achieved with the bayonet extended but . . . you still should get a reasonable grouping at 100 yds. even if it is folded.

Question 1: How big was your target?
Q: 2 How big was the backer or frame you had it hung on?

My point is that it probably shot high and you shot over the target never striking it. The M44's will shoot much higher without the bayonet extended. If you used the AIM ammo the 180 gr. bullet will also add some elevation to bullet impact as the M44's were designed with 150 gr. bullets in mind.

A heavier bullet travels slower (usually) so the weapon is farther into recoil with the muzzle rising before it exits . . . which makes heavier rounds strike the target higher.

[REDSTAR]

A heavier bullet travels slower (usually) so the weapon is farther into recoil with the muzzle rising before it exits . . . which makes heavier rounds strike the target higher.

Thank you shuetz, I never could make sense of why a heavier round hits higher. I've heard you say that before, now I will remeber. :D

[Flackjacket]

OK, I guess I don't understand. If it's zeroed with bayo closed it's zeroed? What does the bayo have to do with it anymore; it’s just a piece of pointy metal hanging on the side of the gun. What's an M-38? Isn't that the same thing as my M-44 without a bayo? Anyway, Redstar I went back to the range with my AIM Yugo surplus and everything was fine, nice groups at 100 yards. What I did was scrub the hell out of the barrel and all was well. I guess it was just dirty? I thought I had done a good quick clean but apparently not. New question..... Why does a dirty barrel affect accuracy? TIA.

Flack

[REDSTAR]

Thats good to hear. I'm no accuracy expert but the more fouled the grooves are, the worse your spin is going to be coming out. I never researched the subject though, I just learned over the years that a shot out or heavily fouled bore will reduce accuracy. Professional shooters clean the bore after every group I think.

[Schuetzenman]

Maybe I should have said sights are regulated to the rifle being fired with the bayonet extended. The bayonet being extended will effect the harmonics, how the barrel vibrates and will add some weight to the tip of it. Shifting the mass of the bayonet forward should deflect the barrel with a subtle down pressure.

Dirty bore, probably prevents a good seal of bullet to bore that is reliable. Probably resulting in gasses getting by the bullets and kicking the trajectory off in a random manor.

[Flackjacket]

Thanks for all the info guys. This board's great for a newb like me. What did people do before the Internet and forums? Butt-loads of knowledge instantly!!! I love it:D