Rifle Silhouette with Cast

[caseyboy]

I have been working up a load as well as setting up a Lee-Enfield No.1 MkIII to use as a practice rifle, and if I can get it to shoot 1.5MOA at 200yds, I will give it a try in a match. The load that looks promising is 17.5 grains of IMR4227 pushing a 208 grain 314299. Chrono says 1550 fps at approx 10 yds. I have shot .5 inch groups at 50 yds and 1.5 inch groups at 100 yds (on a windy day). The near by range hosts High Power silhouette on a reduced range with the rams at 325 meters with all animals reduced appropiately in size. The rams are about the same size as the full course pigs at 300m. Do you think the load I have will take down the rams? Should I look for a bit more speed? I don't want to give up any accuracy for the sake of speed if the additional speed in not needed. I would appreciate you thoughts.

caseyboy

[Artful]

How thick is the steel aka how much do the rams weigh? are they flat footed or set up to tip easily? Are they on a steel base or sitting in mud? - lot of variables - at one point way back in my IMHSA days I used a .357 with 158 grain bullets loaded to probably 14000 fps on standard rifle targets from 50 to 200 meters, which were on steel stands and set so they could tip by hanging back edge off the stand - and those bullets would knock them down depending upon where the hit was on the 200 meter ram (higher was better).

So I think depending upon conditions you could have a chance.

[selmerfan]

I would hope you knock them over starting out at 14000 fps!

[DragoonDrake]

I say follow the same rule that IHMSA shooters use. You need about 1 foot pound of energy AT THE RAM to knock it over. I am not at home, so I can not tell you the equation to figure it out right now. I do know you will need the velocity at the ram and the wt. of your bullet. I will be using a savage 30-06 this summer for rifle and various TC barrels for pistol. All cast.

Good luck.
Adam

[PAT303]

Funny you asked.Last week I was shooting my swede and shot one of the rams on the 200mtr line with a 150grn boolit over 18grns of 2205 and it fell straight over.I was supprised it had enough power but I then shot two more that also went down.I think your load will work well. Pat

[hydraulic]

27 grs. 4895 with the Lyman 31141 goes about 1700 fps in a '94 carbine and will knock them down.

[caseyboy]

Thanks for the responses. The Rams are about 30 pounds each and are set on metal rails so they do tip over easily. My 7-08 shooting 120 grain j-words at 2600fps muzzle velocity easily takes them down. I will give it a go next match and report back.

[Artful]

I would hope you knock them over starting out at 14000 fps!

wow, that's like antlers get to be bigger with age - I did mean 1,400 fps

[excess650]

500m rams weigh in at 47# and take a bit to knock them over. Reduced rams at reduced distance should be a piece of cake with your load.