OK, I'm going for it.... I think.

[Any Cal.]

Bought a cheap 4x scope and mounted it. Was only a couple bucks more than shipping the wgrs, and I figured it would eliminate 1 more variable. Loaded 20 patched over the nose w/ 22g 2400 and Dacron. Shot them @ 50 yds w/ a slightly better rest.

At first, the shots walked right in when dialing in the scope. Called shots went where they had been called. Then I got 2 5 shot groups of 2 1/8" or so. Starting to wonder if the stock is touching, and the shots walk after the barrel gets warm. Will probably try the same load again, but keep checking for barrel clearance. Maybe my best groups lately have been from a cold barrel and I wasn't making the connection?

[Any Cal.]

Checked for clearance on the barrel and everything looked good when cold. With the action out of the stock I found a rub mark on the stock at about 4:30 position, with a matching mark on the barrel directly under the barrel mounted rear sight. There was also a rub mark on both at the foremost tip of the stock. A snall blade on a Swiss Army knife and some 320g paper may have fixed it. Will know before long...

-Edit- Tried out new set-up. Last night my 5th shot started walking, tonight the 7th went wild, though I had slightly increased the powder charge to 24g 2400. First 6 went 1 5/8" @ 50yds, then they started moving.#7 was a oerfect shot, but hit 2" away, then you can see what 8,9,10 did.

Adjusted the scope slightly, then shot the next 10 with a warm barrel. The first two were low right, but then they all started grouping. Discounting the first wild shot it is less than 2" for 9 rds. I think I will open the barrel channel up a bit more. Starting to get close!

[Any Cal.]

Took a bit more off the barrel channel for good measure, and loaded up 20 more identical except upped the charge to 25g 2400. 1st target had 3 in a cloverleaf. Couldn't coorelate any change in group size with barrel warming up, on to other things I guess.



Also shot 5 at 100yds. 4 went into 2 1/2", but not sure where the fifth went. There was one hole that opened the group to 3 1/8", but I'm not positive that was the #5 shot from that group.

Will try lubing the patched boolits next, and possibly opening the sizer die another half a thou. These are getting close to being good plinking rounds as is, fast to load, low recoil... if I could get them close to 2" for all 5 they would be great.

[303Guy]

I'm seeing boolit yaw there. The last one is pretty good. Most of the 50yd shots show yaw. Perhaps that's where you should be looking. Boolit bases deformation could cause it as could nose slump. The patch not coming of evenly at the muzzle could do it too. You could try some very light loads so as to be able to capture the fired boolits for examination. That won't show up patch jettisoning and likely not nose slump but will show id the boolit is launching into the throat straight. Boolit base condition could be a result of base bump up and swaging down again in the throat so may not show up with light loads.

[Any Cal.]

I am not sure where to go with this. I have tried another recipe or two with no better results. Switched to 4895 because it was one of the few powders I could get ahold of, and has a good record with cast boolits. 45g gave me hangfires on most rounds and poor accuracy, 50g gives very slight hangfires on some rounds and poor accuracy. I figured it may do better than the 2400 because of slower pressure rise, but that does not seem to be the case. It looks like my groups are falling apart with speed. If you are right about yaw in most holes, that would make sense.

Also rethinking what I am trying to accomplish, as 270g+ @ 2K+ fps from the bench isn't much fun in a 7# rifle anyhow. If I slow them down, there isn't much point in paper patching them, and I don't want to chase an elusive load when it shoots jacketed just fine for when it needs a bit more oomph. Any comments?

[303Guy]

Not knowing the twist I don't know what to say. Yaw to me indicates a problem with the boolit. Ignition inconsistencies should show up as poor accuracy, perhaps only as vertical stringing but not yaw. I don't get yaw with my Brits at whatever velocity, regardless of boolit base damage or nose slump. Perhaps its the twist rate of the Brit. The slower powders can be kick started with fast powder - best ask Nobade about that before trying it. I've tried it and have had good ignition and no over-pressure but I won't recommend just jumping. I used to load my hornet with a fast and slow powder mixed until I found Lil'Gun - never looked back.

Anyway, I digress - I suggested very light loads to be able to examine fired boolits to see what's happening. Those will not show what is happening at higher pressure but could show if there is a problem with boolit alignment or fit. I have tried loading shotgun powder and Trail Boss to matching pressure and capturing those boolits. That's where I discovered the nose slump.