emrah
02-11-2012, 09:51 PM
I posted this on another forum, but since cast boolits are involved, I'll repost here too:
Been loading for a few years now, but I don't have a chronograph so I had NO idea what my loads were doing as far as velocity goes. That is, until today...
I borrowed a PACT chrono from my boss (also an avid hunter and handloader), and man, I GOTTA get me one of these things!
Some loads were what I expected and others were a surprise! I shot the following loads:
1. 1911 (4.25" barrel): 200gr. SWC, 5.7gr. Unique: 885 fps average (faster than I though!)
2. Savage Axis .243 Win: 100gr. Partition, 39.0 IMR-4350: 2840 fps ('bout what I expected).
3. 24/47 8mm Mauser: 170gr. Hornday RN, 46.0 gr. RL-15: 2200 fps (give or take) (slower by a couple hundred fps than I expected)
4. Winchester 94 Ranger (16" barrel) .30-30: 181 gr. cast (lubed, sized to .311, Alox lubed), 16.0 gr. 2400: 1645 fps (about what I expected).
Man, what have I been missing! I was happy that my .30-30 loads were above 1600 fps. I want to be safe using it for a sub-100 yard deer load.
My .243 load kicks ***! Sub-MOA to 100 yards. I am dead-nuts on at 200 (actually 207) yards with a 1.5" group. Can't argue with that!
My .30-30 load is good, but I get a high flier on the first shot, then MOA to 1.5" groups (100 yards) on subsequent shots. Then other times, I'll get dead-nuts on on the first shot. Weird.
Either way, I think a chronograph is in my future!
Emrah
Been loading for a few years now, but I don't have a chronograph so I had NO idea what my loads were doing as far as velocity goes. That is, until today...
I borrowed a PACT chrono from my boss (also an avid hunter and handloader), and man, I GOTTA get me one of these things!
Some loads were what I expected and others were a surprise! I shot the following loads:
1. 1911 (4.25" barrel): 200gr. SWC, 5.7gr. Unique: 885 fps average (faster than I though!)
2. Savage Axis .243 Win: 100gr. Partition, 39.0 IMR-4350: 2840 fps ('bout what I expected).
3. 24/47 8mm Mauser: 170gr. Hornday RN, 46.0 gr. RL-15: 2200 fps (give or take) (slower by a couple hundred fps than I expected)
4. Winchester 94 Ranger (16" barrel) .30-30: 181 gr. cast (lubed, sized to .311, Alox lubed), 16.0 gr. 2400: 1645 fps (about what I expected).
Man, what have I been missing! I was happy that my .30-30 loads were above 1600 fps. I want to be safe using it for a sub-100 yard deer load.
My .243 load kicks ***! Sub-MOA to 100 yards. I am dead-nuts on at 200 (actually 207) yards with a 1.5" group. Can't argue with that!
My .30-30 load is good, but I get a high flier on the first shot, then MOA to 1.5" groups (100 yards) on subsequent shots. Then other times, I'll get dead-nuts on on the first shot. Weird.
Either way, I think a chronograph is in my future!
Emrah