Originally Posted by
Mop
I'm @ 41.5 grains of LeverEvolution powder with Lee's 200 grain RCBS clone and good accuracy. I started at 36 and had sooty necks (my limited understanding was there was insufficient power to seal the chamber), got consistently better accuracy till I hit 41 gr. and best at 41.5. Over that was no improvement and 43 was going the other way. The Lee mold drops smaller diameter than I'd like so I think I'm in the ball park of the best I can do with this mold. I don't have any idea of velocity as I don't have a chrony, but it should be doing pretty good.
I have shot 2 deer with this load, thru the chest behind the shoulder. One was a doe @ 80-100 yards that ran maybe 20 yards.
The other was a buck chasing a doe @ about 40 yards. The buck however ran the 40 yards straight to me, made a circle right below me, blood coming out both sides, and laid down. I thought he was done so I let my hammer down, when he jumps up, runs under my tree and into the thicket behind me. I take my time coming down the tree, ease into the thicket only to find him laying down, looking around about 35 yards in. As he's gotten close to our property, I want him NOT to run any more and the only shot I have is a chest shot thru the thicket which seems to put him out. When I get to him he turns and looks my way so another to his neck is in order.
This kill still haunts my memories as this is not the norm. I shoot for the lungs/ heart area behind the shoulder. Some run more than others but this is one, I don't know what was going on to allow him to live as long as he did. Some chalk it up to testosterone. Who knows? But it still haunts me.
I shot a nice buck chasing a doe @ 35 yards this year with a Remington Corelock and he was down in less than 30 yards. Go figure.