Well,,, yesterday marked the 4th time I have shot Silhoutte with my Ruger Gunsite Scout!
This round was fired with my newest batch of reloads using 45 gr of IMR 4895 and my first run with the new recycled bullets I got from HI-Tech. All the charges were weighed as I couldn't get my powder measure to repeat, and were 45 gr +/-.1
After shooting the match I set up the Chrony to see what was actually going on with my loads, and was surprised to find something I had not expected.
When I picked the 45 gr charge I had done so by consulting all of my reloading manuals, and extrapolating where I wanted to be based on what was purported to be the Federal Factory loads speed of 2800 fps from a 24"barrel. IE I was seeking a charge that duplicated that Federal generic load. This is the most common factory .308 ammo out there running $10.95 per box at gun shows, and is likely the only Factory ammo I will ever use in this gun.
Allowing 25 fps per inch loss in velocity the 16.5" barrel should have been yeilding @2600 fps. And this is what I based my Ballistic Calculator charts on. The results so far in the matches have validated the elevation settings yeilded on the charts for the 4 distances, So I had considered the velocity to be in the 2600fps range.
First shot over the Chrony was a surprise!,,, 2792 fps! Second shot was 2786 and so on right in that area for 5 shots. I had had some primers that were a little flat, but not that flat, and others that weren't flattened at all. Since they were Remington 9 1/2's which are noted for having soft cups and since all of them were not flattened. I dismissed it as near the top but not into any danger zone at all. I had fired 150 of these same loads with no outward signs of pressure like hard bolt opening or damaged cases. Etc.
Then the eye opener came. I fired 5 Federal factory rounds and they all were in the 2710-20 fps range. I guess I was a little hotter than I thought, and definately more than I wanted.
But It still managed to put 5 into a 7/8" group at one hundred yards and exactly 2" high and on center!
I will be reducing the powder charge, and now that I have a complete scientific set up working I can go about working up the load in a more empirical manner starting at about 42gr and going up to about 44 tops.
Several things were learned by this experiment
First: shorter barrels are not bleeding off as much velocity as formerly anticipated. If the Federal factory ammo in fact does yeild 2800 fps from a 24" barrel then this gun is only losing about 12 fps per inch.
Second: Anyone who claims these guns are not accurate is not doing something right! Asking more than 1 MOA accuracy from a generic gun is asking alot. And at 7/8" on the front end of of the load development, I see potential for even better groups from this gun. The factory ammo yeilded a 1.5" group and it was shot into a Caldwell target that I couldn't index properly. Also I will get better shooting this gun off the bench, something I haven't done much of in years.
Third: this gun is completely suitable for long range silhoutte. I am competing with much more experienced shooters many of which have dedicated guns built specifically for this sport and I am starting to beat them, and rather than beat my own drum, I am suggesting that this gun is largely responsible. Highest score yesterday was 14. Which is about average for our group of about 20-25 shooters.
Any of you who were holding back because any of the internet BS you have read about poor accuracy of this rifle need look no further, Just go buy one. I promise you I'm not getting a kick back from Ruger!
One last point,,, If you don't have a Chronograph of some type, and you are trying to work up loads, you are shooting in the dark. I had no idea I was above factory velocities, and would have carried on blissfully until ? The $79.95 I spent on this tool gives me a very accurate assessment of my progress and I urge any of you who are serious about the reloading hobby to spend the money. I put it off for many years and I would be much farther up the food chain had I aquired one earlier. It is a must have tool for reloading. It tells you exactly what you've got, so you don't have to speculate.
Refer to above paragraphs for results of my speculations.
I hope this motivates some of you.
Randy