SharpsShooter
10-29-2006, 10:09 AM
It was windy and cold here yesterday, but not enough to keep a friend and I from making it to the range. Shooting in between the 30-40 mile an hour gusts (Empty hard-shell gun cases were actually thrown over 10’ by the wind on two occasions.) actually produced some good results.
First up was the 32-180 group buy that I ran some time ago. I had been working with 4350 in an attempt to find an accurate hunting load of around 1900-2000fps. Making the velocity without leading was not a problem, but accuracy was just not what I wanted. My best efforts gave up 2” groups at 50yds out of my 1943 K98 with receiver sight. 100yd groups were 4-6”. Sure, you could use it for a woods gun and limit yourself to shots within the accurate range, but I knew it could do better. It had been suggested that 4198 was a good choice for the 8mm, so I dug out a can and loaded up 20 rounds to a slightly slower velocity of 1750fps. I am not sure if it was the velocity change or the powder that made the difference, but it was a very apparent after the first 3 shots at 50yds. The first two were cutting the same hole and the third opened up the group to just over ¾”. I managed to keep 5 shots in a 1 ½” group at a 100 yards and decided that was good enough for me.
Here is the actual load data. As always, use caution. What works for me might not for you.
32-180 Group Buy
Alloy: 50/50 WW/PB
Air-cooled for a weight of 193gr.
Sized .324 and seated out to engrave
Hornady GC
Remington Cases
CCI 200 Primers
IMR 4198 25gr
NASA Lube
Velocity 1750fps
Muzzle Energy 1360 ft-lbs.
The second group buy mould to get a tryout was the .461-360. My friend had recently acquired a Buffalo Classic in 45-70 and has been robbing me of every boolit type I have for that caliber. I have to say that the BC is a very accurate rifle with cast as it has digested everything we have fed it and never gone over 2” at 50yds and will do that at 100yds with several different loads that we have tried. He had spotted a pile of the group buy boolits on the bench and wanted to try some because as he put it ”It just looks like a good hunting boolit”. First results were darn impressive. 3 shots in a ragged hole with 2 more just outside those to make it less than an inch at 50yds. 100yd groups were 2” and maybe a bit under. We shot at the steel swinger with them and they rock a 40lb swinger with resounding authority. I sent him home with a box of 50, lubed and sized. He intends to use them for Deer season so hopefully I’ll have a field performance report in a couple of weeks.
Here is what we used. Again, use caution.
461-360 Group Buy
Alloy: 50/50 WW/PB
Air-cooled for a weight of 365gr.
Sized .460 and seated out to engrave
Federal Cases
Federal #215 Primers
IMR 4198 35gr
NASA Lube
Velocity 1600fps
Muzzle Energy 1990 ft-lbs.
SS
First up was the 32-180 group buy that I ran some time ago. I had been working with 4350 in an attempt to find an accurate hunting load of around 1900-2000fps. Making the velocity without leading was not a problem, but accuracy was just not what I wanted. My best efforts gave up 2” groups at 50yds out of my 1943 K98 with receiver sight. 100yd groups were 4-6”. Sure, you could use it for a woods gun and limit yourself to shots within the accurate range, but I knew it could do better. It had been suggested that 4198 was a good choice for the 8mm, so I dug out a can and loaded up 20 rounds to a slightly slower velocity of 1750fps. I am not sure if it was the velocity change or the powder that made the difference, but it was a very apparent after the first 3 shots at 50yds. The first two were cutting the same hole and the third opened up the group to just over ¾”. I managed to keep 5 shots in a 1 ½” group at a 100 yards and decided that was good enough for me.
Here is the actual load data. As always, use caution. What works for me might not for you.
32-180 Group Buy
Alloy: 50/50 WW/PB
Air-cooled for a weight of 193gr.
Sized .324 and seated out to engrave
Hornady GC
Remington Cases
CCI 200 Primers
IMR 4198 25gr
NASA Lube
Velocity 1750fps
Muzzle Energy 1360 ft-lbs.
The second group buy mould to get a tryout was the .461-360. My friend had recently acquired a Buffalo Classic in 45-70 and has been robbing me of every boolit type I have for that caliber. I have to say that the BC is a very accurate rifle with cast as it has digested everything we have fed it and never gone over 2” at 50yds and will do that at 100yds with several different loads that we have tried. He had spotted a pile of the group buy boolits on the bench and wanted to try some because as he put it ”It just looks like a good hunting boolit”. First results were darn impressive. 3 shots in a ragged hole with 2 more just outside those to make it less than an inch at 50yds. 100yd groups were 2” and maybe a bit under. We shot at the steel swinger with them and they rock a 40lb swinger with resounding authority. I sent him home with a box of 50, lubed and sized. He intends to use them for Deer season so hopefully I’ll have a field performance report in a couple of weeks.
Here is what we used. Again, use caution.
461-360 Group Buy
Alloy: 50/50 WW/PB
Air-cooled for a weight of 365gr.
Sized .460 and seated out to engrave
Federal Cases
Federal #215 Primers
IMR 4198 35gr
NASA Lube
Velocity 1600fps
Muzzle Energy 1990 ft-lbs.
SS