Gould bullet for target shooting?

[Kitika]

Hello everyone!

I have just started loading BPRC and it is a great experience!

I've worked up a really accrurate load in my Pedersoli rolling block carbine of 60gr of 2f topped with polenta and compressed enough to seat a Lyman Gould bullet with one lube groove showing. I can get 3/4 inch 3 shot groups with this load at 50 meters which is so far the most accurate load I have got with either smokeless or BP.

I can't find any info on anyone using a bullet this light in long range competition in a 45-70. Is there a reason for this weight wise or does the hollowpoint make it a bit inaccurate at ranges up and over 300 metres??

[13Echo]

Light bullets just do not do well at long range. The ballistic coefficient is low so they show more wind drift and lose velocity rapidly and just fall apart after 2 or 300 yards. The initial greater velocity is a help at hunting ranges with an initial flatter trajectory but it doesn't hold. Most long range shooters are using .45 bullets of 500grs or greater and a full 70 or more grs of powder. The Lyman Postel is a good one to try and there are others from custom mould makers like the Paul Jones Creedmoor. I believe there are custom mould makers in Oz that can help.

Jerry Liles

Jerry Liles

[Baja_Traveler]

Like Jerry said -

But don't give up on that Gould just yet! It's a great weight for those chickens!

Otherwise I'm using a PJ 530gr Creedmoor over 60gr Swiss 1 1/2. Works great out to the Rams without beating the **** out of me or wasting expensive powder. Any further I'll move up to the full 70gr...

[NickSS]

I have used 300 to 350 gr bullets for target matches held at 200 yards in my rifles and have used 400 gr bullets out to 400 yards or so. My experience is that beyond that range the shorter bullets fall by the wayside accuracy wise compared to 500+ gr bullets in a 45-70. In fact several of my friends are experimenting with "Chicken loads". They are loading light powder charges (40-50 gr) and filling the case with Puff Lon and seating a 480-540 gr bullet. I have watched them shooting at chickens at 200 yards and the result is very good. The chickens fall and the amount of recoil is greatly reduced. I have been so impressed that I have bought some Poff Lon to try it myself.

[Kitika]

That's abit of a pain I thought I was on to something with these 350gr boolits!
I do have the a lee 500gr postel mold but so far I haven't got any good results with it either with smokeless or bp and it sure does kick with my little 7.5lb rifle when i'm prone. I'll just have to experiment abit more with the lee boolit and see if I can get it shooting half decent for the 500m+ shoots.
I'll save the gould bullets for our local informal 100m rifle shoots and show 'em how its done with real powder!

[GuzziRider]

That's abit of a pain I thought I was on to something with these 350gr boolits!
I do have the a lee 500gr postel mold but so far I haven't got any good results with it either with smokeless or bp and it sure does kick with my little 7.5lb rifle when i'm prone. I'll just have to experiment abit more with the lee boolit and see if I can get it shooting half decent for the 500m+ shoots.
I'll save the gould bullets for our local informal 100m rifle shoots and show 'em how its done with real powder!

Hi,
You have already recieved some very good advice on bullets for the longer range shoots. The only other thing I would add is that when you start getting out past 500 yards even with a good heavy bullet sights and sight radius really come into play. Along with good spotting for wind, light and marage(sp?). All this to say you will be pulled along to the conclusion that maybe another roller with a longer barrel, 30" or better, and good set of varnier tang sights might be in your future.[smilie=1:

[Kitika]

I would love a nice big 32inch highwall or roller set up just for long range shooting but it's getting increasingly harder to get additional guns licensed over here. That's why I went for the carbine so I can use it hunting and dabble in long range shooting but later on down the track if the bug bites real hard I may have to add some more to the collection!

[Kitika]

Well I had a go at 300m with the gould bullet and only got 1 round on the target. I then used 405gr store bought hardcast bullets powered by 12.5grain of trailboss and managed to get them all on target with a few bullseyes.
Big difference in accuracy going from 50m blowing out the bullseye to not being able to hit a target at 300m!