Shooting the Hi-Lux USMC clone

[wolley]

Finally finished the rifle last night and took it to the range this morning.
Yes the mounts shot loose after the 1st 5 rounds. I tightened the dog snot out of them and consequently bent the studs(center screws) that the thumbscrews screw on to. Cheap Chi-com crap! I don't think I will ever get the center studs out as they are galled in the mounts. I have an RMA from Hi-Lux to return the scope and get the mounts fixed. Apparently this is known issue and they have new hardened studs in house.
Now for the good part. The optics are really good. The crosshair, while large, isn't overly large and I could see the edges of a 1.5" orange spot at 100yds. (not possible with the Weaver K2.5 on my A4orgery). The adjustment part of the mounts is good. Very positive clicks and with the 7.2" spacing of the blocks it was damn cose to 1/4moa.
As stiff as the mounts felt on the scope it still moves under recoil about 1". Don't worry about remembering to pull it back into battery. When you get on the scope for the next shot the eye relief will alert you that something is amiss. I saw no problems with repeatability from shot to shot.
The rifle is a 1903 Springfield from 1919 with an SA 9-43 barrel. Pre-war C stock( I love the thinner profile of this stock).
Once I got the rifle settled, sighted and the mounts tight I sat down and shot ten for group. The trigger is breaking about 7.5lbs and that made it a challenge to shoot with any real precision.
In spite of this it put 7 of the ten in a sub MOA group with 3 fliers that I knew were there when I broke the shot and saw the rifle move. Even the fliers stayed well within the 1 1/2" target spot..
A trigger job this week and we are set for Perry!

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Good luck. No pictures?

jt

[Jim in Salt Lake]

Wolley, your experience pretty much mirrors mine. However, it was my scope blocks themselves that came loose. I bought American made screws to re-attach them to the barrel and receiver ring. At least that part is now American steel on American steel. I would also like to replace the screws you had a problem with, as well as the lock ring screws and lock nuts. However, I caution folks doing that you'll still have Chinese threads that the screws go into. Its kind of like a high school hot rod. After you build up the engine, you blow the next week link, trans or rear end.
I shot mine at a 600 yard leg of a practice across the course match. It took a few shots to get on paper, after a quick and dirty bore sight. It was a pretty calm day and it wasn't a problem to consistently hit the 10 ring once zeroed. I still have to count clicks back to my mechanical zero and get that in my book. We have a mid range practice match (all belly, 300, 500, 600 yards) this Saturday and I want to use it to get a good 300 yard zero. I, too, found the sight adjustments to be accurate and repeatable. One of my buddies had a Unertl 12X scope he uses for small bore. I'd like to compare the feel of the Malcolm adjustments to his Unertl. I, too, also have no pictures. I'll try to get some Saturday, I've got two juniors who will shoot it, too. Easier for me to take pictures if they're involved! Also, if we three go through 180 shots plus sighters and nothing else shoots loose, I'll consider the build done.