Some Picts from Today's Session

[oldracer]

Well as you have seen from my posts I am learning this BPCR stuff and while some of it seems like voodoo and witchcraft to me, a lot of it makes some pretty good sense. Today was about ideal, 60 degrees NO wind and 65% humidity. I loaded 40 rounds as follows: 68gr ffg Goex, 500gr Lee cast bullet with bhn of 17, seating depth .003 off the lands as measured with a bullet/case in the chamber, powder compressed 0.25 inches with milk carton wad and newspaper wad on top of that and finally hand seating the bullet and a slight enough crimp so the bullet would not fall out. The attached shots were all done at 100 yds and I think I can move on to 200 now?! There are 3 pictures, first shows first 3 shots down cold barrel and spread is 1" wide, 1/2" high but way off target. So I adjusted the front sight so rear would be centered and the second picture shows results of that. Third picture shows 12 shots continuous after letting barrel cool. 3 breaths were blown between each shot. The last shows a set I shot with all the above settings but 70gr ffg Goex and all else exactly the same. The spread was a bit more but I was getting cold (sorry to those guys up north) and was taking as much time as I probably should have Those shots were taken continuous with 3 breaths between each shot. The spread was a bit more but I'll see what happens at 200 yds. One other thing was I was using a Lead Sled rest as I needed to take "me" out of the accuracy equation and it worked pretty well for the load development.

[Tom-ADC]

Very nice, refresh my memory what rifle is that?

[montana_charlie]

I think he's working with a 45/70 rolling block.
CM

[oldracer]

Yes the rifle is a custom made original Rolling Block action with a Badger barrel, all 34 inches of it and hand made stock and fore end. I have no idea whose tang sights are on it and one of these days I'll remember to post a picture to see if anyone knows. The lower part of the mount has a slot in it and single hole in the front and multi opening eye piece. Very nice and accurate adjustment. Doug Knoell did a trigger job so the break is right at 2# now.

One thing I noticed was when the 1st shots were fired with the new loading steps I used as mentioned above, the shots were nearly 8 inches HIGHER than before so it appears that compressing the powder with a ram and then hand seating the bullet really does make a difference as I had to back the tang sight down from 75 to 71 on the hash marks!

[NickSS]

Looks like you found a load that will shoot well in your rifle and it is suprissingly close to one that shoots well in my Shiloh sharps LR express (500 gr Lyman over 67 gr of FFG GOEX). Right now I have been snowed in for three days with temperatures around 20 to 25 degrees. 60 degrees would feel like summer to me.

[oldracer]

Well that is the reason I put up with the stupidity of what is happening in CA although it is getting rough here. down to 59 today in my back yard!!!!!

One of the things I am going to try next is what my mentor said he did and that is to size the cases and bell the opening just enough so it scrapes on the chamber wall. I did some cases that I fired yesterday like this and the bullet will have to be seated with a die as he said he uses to do his but I will still compress the powder to the full dimension first. His reasoning is that the belled mouth provides a better gas seal and the interference of the case to 50% or so of the bullet provides a very accurate velocity spread, better than what I was seeing. So this will be next time along with a start at 200yds, if I can even see that far??!!

[SharpsShooter]

That looks very good to me. Write down everything regarding load, sight settings or you will forget. Don't ask me how I know that. Also don't be afraid to go down in charge weight if you are looking for that magic MOA at 100 55gr of goex cartridge does very well in a couple of my 45-70's It does not hold up much past 200 of course and that requires a little more fire in the stove to get on out there



I've also had some luck with 360gr castings on top of 68gr of goex cartridge and it is a dandy hunting load for eastern whitetails.





I like the rolling block too......enough to own three


SS

[Kenny Wasserburger]

It looks like your real close, if not there already.

Be careful with lead sleds, they are less then desireable my opinion, I have heard tell of 2-3 wood stocked heavy recoiling rifles busted stocks in them.

I pretty well can back up my opinon of them, you never see them at a bench rest match, accurate platforms they are not.

they are great for sighting in a hard killing Hunting rifle though in my opinion.

But then again thats my opinion, I can tell you I have never used one after watching them in use on quite a few occasions at our local gun club.

One other thing since your not using neck tension, you should seat the bullet into the lands a bit try .020 or so just enough to get a good bit of the first driving band some engravement.

That would help with the vertical I bet. The left and right is wind most like. It is putting real good in two groups that might be also sight picture I am betting plus your off the lands with little to give consistant start pressures. Crimp will not do it.

I use .002 neck tension about on every GG load I use in every caliber and no Tension on my PP Loads.

Plus I seat into the lands even with Neck Tension.

Something to consider, as it has worked very well for me in Creedmoor over the years and results speak loudly to me.

KW
The Bionic Lunger

[oldracer]

Again, thanks for the info and update. I have a small spiral notebook and have been recording EVERYTHING in it. One thing that 'ol Charlie did when he built the rolling block was to put a 10 ga shotgun recoil pad on the stock! I imagine that is not legal for matches but it was why I decided to go with the sled as there is something to take the brunt of the recoil. I found that even the 70gr loads feel about like my Plaster stocked Savage 308 when shooting which is not bad at all! If no recoil pad is the rule then I plan to make an add-on piece of some light/dark wood to take the same space. Probably do it during our next snow storm........

[cajun shooter]

Old Racer, What KW has told you is true.I have heard of the same thing from my friends at the police range that I worked at. What is sad is that two of them were purchased by the wife's as a gift. Myself and fellow range officer Chester L. and Bobby F. shot hundreds of rifles every year as a service to the public for hunting season. We all used a sand bag between the stock and our shoulders and it was very helpful. We have deer here that most hunters feel that it takes a 338 mag to kill one. If you do a search on the net you will find info on the sled. I have never seen it myself but trust those who have said they are bad.

[Doc Highwall]

Another thing I have noticed with the sleds is because of the added mass behind the gun that it will affect the point of impact. Years ago when I was a range officer at my club, almost living there with other range officers we would sometimes shoot each others guns. I am 5'8" and weigh 170lbs with a 32" waist and my friend Bob weighs 250+ lbs and is the same height and because I do not have the same mass as Bob when I shoot his gun I have to aim low with his gun about a foot at 300 yards and he has to aim high with mine in order to hit. The reason I mention this is it is one of those things like when you shoot a heavier bullet in your gun that is going slower and it hits higher on the target due to barrel time and angle of departure.