It was a slower trip than normal to the SSAA rifle range this morning.  The weather is overcast with heavy mist and rain.  A few of the regular stalwarts were there, but the cold wet weather seemed to have deterred the rest.  There were only a few of us shooting, so it was a nice casual morning with cease fires whenever anybody required one.

I warmed up with my Ruger No 1 RSI in 7×57.  After a few rounds of my current standard load I shot a 3 group of the 140 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips.  As always, they shot well without any tuning of load or length.  Then I ran through a 3 shot group of the 140 grain Nosler Partitions.  The group was not nearly as good as the BTs, and will need some tuning effort.  However, I would happily take those hunting for game within 100 metres.

Then I ran a 3 shot group of the 500 grain Nosler Partitions through my Ruger No 1 Tropical in 458 Winchester Magnum.  Typically, it shot well, even allowing for the first shot which I pulled.  My excuse for that is that I have become used to the crisp, light Kleppinger trigger in my 7×57.  The standard trigger in the 458 Win Mag is fine, but not as light as the Kleppinger and with a tiny amount of creep.  That first shot put me off a smidge as a result.

In fact, I would have to say that the Kleppinger is the crispest trigger I have ever used.  It is totally devoid of creep and, as it should be, every shot is a surprise, so to speak.  The gunsmith I bought it from had actually been to Germany and met with Herr Kleppinger, who is now getting quite elderly.  I guess the day will come when he will no longer be making these excellent triggers and one wonders if that will be picked up by anybody else.