idahoron
03-23-2008, 12:35 AM
I got the chance to shoot the new bullets this weekend. I shot the new North South skirmish bullets yesterday. I was not happy at all with them. It was cold and I didn’t feel like messing with them much. I poured some more and I also poured some 500 SW bullets. I weighed all the bullets and kept them within +-.50 grains. I paper patched them and got ready for a better day. Well today it was warmer and the wind was better. I started out with the North south bullets in a flat base 410 gr. I cleaned between shots and I shot them at 50 yards. I was lucky to get a 5” group at 50 yards. I tried powder charges between 70 and 100 grains. I was not happy with this at all.
I decided to try the 500 SW bullets. These were 456 grains and I tested them for hardness. On my Cabin tree tester they were .030 or 5 BHN. The .030 is on the high side of 5 BHN but still very soft. I started out with 80 grains of Pyrodex P. I shot a couple to see where they were going to hit. All the time I was cleaning between shots and I was using a felt wad between the powder and bullet. I got it zeroed for 50 yards and shot this group. It measures .539”
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/A500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
After that group I shot a group with 90 gr at 50 yards. It measures 1.79”
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/B-500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
Then I shot a group at 100 grains and only 2 bullets out of 4 hit the target. I didn’t bother keeping this target since it stunk. So I decided to go to 100 yards and shoot.
I shot the first shot and cleaned. Then I shot the second. They were close so I moved the sight. I started with a clean gun and shot my first shot. The bullet hit my bulls eye. So I decided to see what kind of hunting load it would be. So I decided to NOT clean the gun and keep shooting until the group opened up. So I shot the second, then the third and then the fourth. At this point I had a group that was 1.57” at 100 yards. I shot the fifth bullet and it hit 3” higher. I quit there.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/C-500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
I am planning on testing more with this bullet but I think I am on to something with this load. Next time I will chronograph the load and do some more groups. This bullet has a BC of .296 compared to a hornady great plains bullets 410 gr 50 cal at .205 this is what it looks like. Ron
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/458gr501-1.jpg
I decided to try the 500 SW bullets. These were 456 grains and I tested them for hardness. On my Cabin tree tester they were .030 or 5 BHN. The .030 is on the high side of 5 BHN but still very soft. I started out with 80 grains of Pyrodex P. I shot a couple to see where they were going to hit. All the time I was cleaning between shots and I was using a felt wad between the powder and bullet. I got it zeroed for 50 yards and shot this group. It measures .539”
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/A500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
After that group I shot a group with 90 gr at 50 yards. It measures 1.79”
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/B-500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
Then I shot a group at 100 grains and only 2 bullets out of 4 hit the target. I didn’t bother keeping this target since it stunk. So I decided to go to 100 yards and shoot.
I shot the first shot and cleaned. Then I shot the second. They were close so I moved the sight. I started with a clean gun and shot my first shot. The bullet hit my bulls eye. So I decided to see what kind of hunting load it would be. So I decided to NOT clean the gun and keep shooting until the group opened up. So I shot the second, then the third and then the fourth. At this point I had a group that was 1.57” at 100 yards. I shot the fifth bullet and it hit 3” higher. I quit there.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/C-500sw3-22-08-5.jpg
I am planning on testing more with this bullet but I think I am on to something with this load. Next time I will chronograph the load and do some more groups. This bullet has a BC of .296 compared to a hornady great plains bullets 410 gr 50 cal at .205 this is what it looks like. Ron
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/458gr501-1.jpg