ChristopherO
11-17-2015, 12:11 PM
Been working and tweaking since early October to find a load that is accurate enough with the powders I have. My alloy is fairly soft, the primers I was using were old and had some corrosion on them, causing, I believe, erratic groupings. Found a clean box of Win 8 1/2 primers to use to see if the groups would tighten up these loads. Also, heard quite a few posters extol the virtues of 2400 loads so used some of the old Hercules 2400 I had on hand. In the past sight in sessions I stayed mainly at 50 yards in the effort to ascertain group sizes and determine how much the front sight needed filed. This trip to the farm was to see if all my previous effort was successful. I believe it was:
http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt167/WoodenBows/H2400%2026grains_zpssigpgjo6.jpg (http://s608.photobucket.com/user/WoodenBows/media/H2400%2026grains_zpssigpgjo6.jpg.html)
Marlin 1895http://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#37395968) Cowboy, Winchester Brass, Winchester 8 1/2 primers, 26 grains H2400, 460-405C Accurate Mold Boolits, 3 shots at 100 yards with aperture sights. Front sight post was just touching the bottom of the black circle. My Shooting Chrony only clocked one of these rounds because I forgot my sky screens and it didn't want to pick up the boolit shadow well enough afterward. That one reading said 1600fps. This is what I was expecting. Will need to run that testhttp://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#25190707) again. I am pleased with this combination for the time being. Deer gun startshttp://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#91141727) the Monday after Thanksgiving so I will load more up and be ready to go.
(The lower two shots were using a 14 grain Unique load just to see where those would land.)
After shooting at the target I placed 3 water filled gallon jugs out; one at 100, one at 150 and the last at 200 yards. One shot at 100 yards was no sweat, instant water vapors filled the air. Thinking the 150 yard range may have a bit of drop I kept the post toward the top 3rd of the jug and touched off. The result was very gratifying to say the least. Not much drop for that boolit, either.
The 200 yard jug I aimed a tad high to compensate but saw the soybean fodder fly up high beyond the jug, directly in line. I tried that same shot again with the same results. The third shot I held maybe middle way on the jug and hit about 10' or so in front of the target. OK, drop at that range is expected. It didn't need to be held over but it will drop low, too. The last shot I placed the front post at the cap of the jug and gently squeezed. Ahh, a most enjoyable scene of an exploding jug of water at that range. The entry hole was still between the cap and the middle of the jug, too. I need to shoot more of these to gain a better idea of trajectory at this extended range.
With 2 loaded rounds of this combination left I paced off 75 and 125 yards, leaving a water jug at both spots. This time off hand I took aim at the 75 yard jug and promptly watched it rip to shreds. Levering another round in the chamber, off hand, I placed a solid sight picture on the water container at 125 yards and emptied it with my last trigger pull of the day. Great fun was had and I have confidence in my rifle and the ammo come November 30th.
I did fire 4 shots of 48 grains H322 off the rest during that session but three of the boolits hit nearly 15" high at the top of the target box. The 4th boolit must have gone over the target. Interesting how differently the various powders will change the elevation of the POI.
http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt167/WoodenBows/H2400%2026grains_zpssigpgjo6.jpg (http://s608.photobucket.com/user/WoodenBows/media/H2400%2026grains_zpssigpgjo6.jpg.html)
Marlin 1895http://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#37395968) Cowboy, Winchester Brass, Winchester 8 1/2 primers, 26 grains H2400, 460-405C Accurate Mold Boolits, 3 shots at 100 yards with aperture sights. Front sight post was just touching the bottom of the black circle. My Shooting Chrony only clocked one of these rounds because I forgot my sky screens and it didn't want to pick up the boolit shadow well enough afterward. That one reading said 1600fps. This is what I was expecting. Will need to run that testhttp://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#25190707) again. I am pleased with this combination for the time being. Deer gun startshttp://contentcache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/#91141727) the Monday after Thanksgiving so I will load more up and be ready to go.
(The lower two shots were using a 14 grain Unique load just to see where those would land.)
After shooting at the target I placed 3 water filled gallon jugs out; one at 100, one at 150 and the last at 200 yards. One shot at 100 yards was no sweat, instant water vapors filled the air. Thinking the 150 yard range may have a bit of drop I kept the post toward the top 3rd of the jug and touched off. The result was very gratifying to say the least. Not much drop for that boolit, either.
The 200 yard jug I aimed a tad high to compensate but saw the soybean fodder fly up high beyond the jug, directly in line. I tried that same shot again with the same results. The third shot I held maybe middle way on the jug and hit about 10' or so in front of the target. OK, drop at that range is expected. It didn't need to be held over but it will drop low, too. The last shot I placed the front post at the cap of the jug and gently squeezed. Ahh, a most enjoyable scene of an exploding jug of water at that range. The entry hole was still between the cap and the middle of the jug, too. I need to shoot more of these to gain a better idea of trajectory at this extended range.
With 2 loaded rounds of this combination left I paced off 75 and 125 yards, leaving a water jug at both spots. This time off hand I took aim at the 75 yard jug and promptly watched it rip to shreds. Levering another round in the chamber, off hand, I placed a solid sight picture on the water container at 125 yards and emptied it with my last trigger pull of the day. Great fun was had and I have confidence in my rifle and the ammo come November 30th.
I did fire 4 shots of 48 grains H322 off the rest during that session but three of the boolits hit nearly 15" high at the top of the target box. The 4th boolit must have gone over the target. Interesting how differently the various powders will change the elevation of the POI.