ohland
08-26-2015, 11:26 AM
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American Rifleman, vol 69, No. 5, Nov 15 1916, page 15
Shotgun Powder for Reduced Loads
Bv M. B. PAINE
DURING the past six months the writer has given considerable time, thought and effort to reduced load experiments with high-power rifles. The Springfield, the Mauser, the Styer, the 250-3,000-bolt action Savage, in the course of test firings have been fed all manner of powder-and-bullet combinations to the end of settling upon a charge which would show the maximum of accuracy at a minimum of expense in practice over short and medium ranges.
As a result, a load which is very accurate up to 400 yards on a still day and which registers possibles on the 1-inch bull’s-eye at 50 yards, was developed. Best of all the actual cost of 320 cartridges was $3.32. I have followed for a long time the valuable data in ballistics and rifle work as set forth by Colonel Whelen in his American Rifle, and also in your valued columns each month. We have carefully carried out a great many of his experiments and have found some data that will be of great interest, no doubt, to many rifle cranks looking for the same thing that we have been looking for, accuracy and ease of manipulation in the firing of these rifles spoken of above.
147512
Through the columns of ARMS AND THE MAN I would like to impart this information, and also discuss some things we still are unable to solve.
The first matter taken up will be on reduced loads for the Springfield, 1903.
After “much trial, we found that the 18 grs. of DuPont No. 75 and the 150-gr. service bullet did not give the accuracy at 50, 100 and 200 yards that was wanted. Also we found DuPont No. 75 very expensive to load, as the powder cost us delivered here on an average of $3.75 a lb. of 12 ozs. We also found that by careful test the 150-gr. bullet as sold by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship to N. R. A. users was very variable in both weight and diameter. Tests of samples of this bullet showed a variation of 2.5 grs. in weight and over .001 inch in size.
The first improvement we got in this load was using 170-gr. F. A. 1920 bullets. Repeated tests showed a 1.5-gr. weight variation and .0005 of an inch plus or minus diameter.
With the latter, load of 18 grs. DuPont and 170-gr. bullet we got 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards and many 1-inch and 1 ¼ -inch groups at 100 yards against 1 ¼ inches and 2 ½ inches at same distances with the 150 gr. bullet. I have not as yet seen any mention in your columns of the 170-gr. bullet in short or reduced loads. It is, therefore, offered as an improvement for accuracy. This solved one of the “X" troubles, as Dr. Mann was wont to call it.
147513
The most valuable thing we discovered in this test work was loading our shells for about one cent apiece with a powder that was very easy to get anywhere, very accurate, very clean, and only cost 60 cents a pound of 12 ounces. This powder is none other than DuPont shotgun smokeless, bought at nearly any gun store in the country. Once we saw it mentioned as a short load for Springfield, with a good deal of
147515
doubt attached. I want to say that, after 500 rounds fired with it, it is not only all right but superior in every respect to No. 75 or No. 80 as far as actual results go. It is very cheap, very accurate up to a much greater range, about 400 yards on a still day, and burns clean with no greater recoil than No- 75 or No. 80.
I am enclosing some groups made with this powder and 170-gr. bullet which will speak for themselves.
At 100 yards this powder shoots about 1 ½ minutes higher than No. 75; at 200 yards it shoots six-inch groups easily. Fifteen grs. of it shot the same as No. 75 with 18 grs.
Most of the groups sent in were shot for group size only without reference to their location in the bull’s-eye. In the case where groups were outside of the bull’s-eye altogether the first shot hole was used as point of aim where the cross hairs were held.
The apparent trajectory of this load was about 5 ½ inches at 200 yards; that is, the load shot 5 ½ inches more elevation on the cross hairs at 200 than it did at 100 yards. It shot 25 inches lower at 200 yards than the full factory 170-gr. F. A. load with 50 grs. DuPont 17 ½ powder. Its point blank range was about 40 yards; that it, the line of sight and line of fire crossed at 40 yards. At 300 yards the load shot a minimum of 5 inches and a maximum of 9 inches on a very windy day, at least 20 miles of wind at 2 0’clock. The average of 5 groups was 7 ½ inches at 300 yards. It needed 9 ½ feet more elevation than 200 yards. At 500 yards on the same day, with a bad 2
147516
o'clock wind, it shot a 22-inch group with considerable horizontal variation and an elevation of 19 feet more over 300 yards. There is no doubt but that it will hold the bull’s-eye at 500 yards on a quiet day. The load is an exceedingly pleasant one to shoot at 200 yards offhand on the new 1921 National Match program.
Undoubtedly, the riflemen reading this will do so with some amusement and think that the powder companies would suggest this powder if it was all right. The writer has found the suggestions of the powder companies and some of their policies very perplexing.
Therefore, the above is offered to my fellow-rifle cranks for their careful consideration and test and open to all suggestions and criticisms.
The actual cost of above load for 320 shells: Powder, at 60 cents; 320 bullets, at $2.40 ($7.50 per 1,000) ; primers, 32 cents; total $3.32. Fifteen grs. would load 384 shells at $3.86.
American Rifleman, vol 69, No. 5, Nov 15 1916, page 15
Shotgun Powder for Reduced Loads
Bv M. B. PAINE
DURING the past six months the writer has given considerable time, thought and effort to reduced load experiments with high-power rifles. The Springfield, the Mauser, the Styer, the 250-3,000-bolt action Savage, in the course of test firings have been fed all manner of powder-and-bullet combinations to the end of settling upon a charge which would show the maximum of accuracy at a minimum of expense in practice over short and medium ranges.
As a result, a load which is very accurate up to 400 yards on a still day and which registers possibles on the 1-inch bull’s-eye at 50 yards, was developed. Best of all the actual cost of 320 cartridges was $3.32. I have followed for a long time the valuable data in ballistics and rifle work as set forth by Colonel Whelen in his American Rifle, and also in your valued columns each month. We have carefully carried out a great many of his experiments and have found some data that will be of great interest, no doubt, to many rifle cranks looking for the same thing that we have been looking for, accuracy and ease of manipulation in the firing of these rifles spoken of above.
147512
Through the columns of ARMS AND THE MAN I would like to impart this information, and also discuss some things we still are unable to solve.
The first matter taken up will be on reduced loads for the Springfield, 1903.
After “much trial, we found that the 18 grs. of DuPont No. 75 and the 150-gr. service bullet did not give the accuracy at 50, 100 and 200 yards that was wanted. Also we found DuPont No. 75 very expensive to load, as the powder cost us delivered here on an average of $3.75 a lb. of 12 ozs. We also found that by careful test the 150-gr. bullet as sold by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship to N. R. A. users was very variable in both weight and diameter. Tests of samples of this bullet showed a variation of 2.5 grs. in weight and over .001 inch in size.
The first improvement we got in this load was using 170-gr. F. A. 1920 bullets. Repeated tests showed a 1.5-gr. weight variation and .0005 of an inch plus or minus diameter.
With the latter, load of 18 grs. DuPont and 170-gr. bullet we got 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards and many 1-inch and 1 ¼ -inch groups at 100 yards against 1 ¼ inches and 2 ½ inches at same distances with the 150 gr. bullet. I have not as yet seen any mention in your columns of the 170-gr. bullet in short or reduced loads. It is, therefore, offered as an improvement for accuracy. This solved one of the “X" troubles, as Dr. Mann was wont to call it.
147513
The most valuable thing we discovered in this test work was loading our shells for about one cent apiece with a powder that was very easy to get anywhere, very accurate, very clean, and only cost 60 cents a pound of 12 ounces. This powder is none other than DuPont shotgun smokeless, bought at nearly any gun store in the country. Once we saw it mentioned as a short load for Springfield, with a good deal of
147515
doubt attached. I want to say that, after 500 rounds fired with it, it is not only all right but superior in every respect to No. 75 or No. 80 as far as actual results go. It is very cheap, very accurate up to a much greater range, about 400 yards on a still day, and burns clean with no greater recoil than No- 75 or No. 80.
I am enclosing some groups made with this powder and 170-gr. bullet which will speak for themselves.
At 100 yards this powder shoots about 1 ½ minutes higher than No. 75; at 200 yards it shoots six-inch groups easily. Fifteen grs. of it shot the same as No. 75 with 18 grs.
Most of the groups sent in were shot for group size only without reference to their location in the bull’s-eye. In the case where groups were outside of the bull’s-eye altogether the first shot hole was used as point of aim where the cross hairs were held.
The apparent trajectory of this load was about 5 ½ inches at 200 yards; that is, the load shot 5 ½ inches more elevation on the cross hairs at 200 than it did at 100 yards. It shot 25 inches lower at 200 yards than the full factory 170-gr. F. A. load with 50 grs. DuPont 17 ½ powder. Its point blank range was about 40 yards; that it, the line of sight and line of fire crossed at 40 yards. At 300 yards the load shot a minimum of 5 inches and a maximum of 9 inches on a very windy day, at least 20 miles of wind at 2 0’clock. The average of 5 groups was 7 ½ inches at 300 yards. It needed 9 ½ feet more elevation than 200 yards. At 500 yards on the same day, with a bad 2
147516
o'clock wind, it shot a 22-inch group with considerable horizontal variation and an elevation of 19 feet more over 300 yards. There is no doubt but that it will hold the bull’s-eye at 500 yards on a quiet day. The load is an exceedingly pleasant one to shoot at 200 yards offhand on the new 1921 National Match program.
Undoubtedly, the riflemen reading this will do so with some amusement and think that the powder companies would suggest this powder if it was all right. The writer has found the suggestions of the powder companies and some of their policies very perplexing.
Therefore, the above is offered to my fellow-rifle cranks for their careful consideration and test and open to all suggestions and criticisms.
The actual cost of above load for 320 shells: Powder, at 60 cents; 320 bullets, at $2.40 ($7.50 per 1,000) ; primers, 32 cents; total $3.32. Fifteen grs. would load 384 shells at $3.86.