DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,312
- 5,977
Yesterday, I took the day to spend some time at the range. We have a sunny day and virtually no breeze until mid-afternoon. Conditions couldn't have been better. When I arrived at the range, I was the sole shooter. After noon, a few people began straggling in until all the ranges were being used (400 yard, 100 yard, three handgun ranges; I can't say that anyone was on archery as it is difficult to hear the twang of the string from 500 yards away--and I don't know if anyone was up on trap-and-skeet ranges). Still, it felt good to be out. I took several rifles to work with. I had a .243 Win belonging to a customer, my older .280 (which had received a different scope), the 350 Rem Mag (with a different scope), the 358 Norma Magnum and the 8X68S. It was a good day, but at the end of the day, I was a bit tender. Interestingly enough, when I shoot, I get very sore feet and lower back because of tensing up when positioning myself. As I age, this gets somewhat more problematic at the end of the day.
Here is the lineup of rifles that accompanied me, sans 8X68S.
In order (l to r) are the 358 Norma Magnum, the 350 Remington Magnum, the 280 Remington and the 243 Winchester.
The 8X68S was on the bench when I took the picture.
The 243 gave some good results that should be resolved very quickly. At the request of the owner, I was working up a load using the 80 grain TTSX. I worked up one set of loads with Superformance and another set with H100V as the owner has a good supply of each of these particular powders. Both of the loads gave eye-opening velocities from his 24.5 inch barrel with excellent standard deviations. Accuracy potential was right around MOA, with the best groups in either set ~0.75 inches.
The 280 and the 250 RM were both sighted in and the hunting loads I had taken were verified with the new scopes. The 280 was shooting 139 grain GMX that I had loaded, yielding just under sub-MOA and a velocity of 3006 (+/- 16) fps. I believe that will work. The 350 RM produced the usual sub-MOA groups with 200 grain TSX at 2797 +/- 5 fps. Yeah, that'll work. I've only taken one head of game with this rifle, a cow elk. However, the load worked to perfection; it will, no doubt, continue to work.
I was working up a load for the 358 Norma Magnum with 275 grain Woodleigh PP SNs. I will say that when one touches off that load, it is a handful. It is more punishing than either a 9.3X64 Brenneke or a 375 H&H. The data generated was exceptional. The top velocity was 2706 +/- 4 fps with 73 grains of H380. However, accuracy was less than stellar (~4 inches). However, with that standard deviation, I have something to work with, and should be able to bring this into line very quickly. Dropping back to 70.0 grains of H380, velocity drops somewhat (2596 +/- 26 fps), and accuracy tightens to MOA (0.98 inches).
I am very pleased with the 8X68S. I will be working with this rifle quite a bit throughout the spring. A series of loads built with 196 grain Norma Oryx bullets and MRP yielded MOA across the spectrum of loads. Velocities ranged upward to 3132 +/- 10 fps. Playing with seating depth should quickly bring this into a load with more than acceptable accuracy. When working with 180 grain E-Tips (a bullet with which I have a severe infatuation), accuracy was consistently MOA and velocities ranged upward to 3102 +/- 13 fps. There is great potential in this load, I do believe.
While at the range, the sun was melting the snow, and the firing line (dry at first) was under about four inches of water my 3 in the afternoon. I was certainly glad I had worn my boots (I've lived here long enough to know how to do a few things right). A young couple showed up at the range around noon. He was shooting a Tikka 7mm RM and she had a Remington 783 chambered in .308. She had just put on a new scope, and they were having some difficulty getting the rifle to shoot as they wanted. I spent some time with them, working on technique and encouraging her in shooting. She was shooting ten-shot groups of about six inches at 300 yards. I explained that if she worked on her shooting technique, she would have no difficulty taking game with her rifle. A six inch group at 300 yards was plenty good to take elk and moose consistently if she worked on it. We worked on breathing and form and she was very much appreciative. Hope to see them in the field this fall.
Then, it was home and put my feet up! I'll work on finessing these loads I shot yesterday and try this all again.
Here is the lineup of rifles that accompanied me, sans 8X68S.
In order (l to r) are the 358 Norma Magnum, the 350 Remington Magnum, the 280 Remington and the 243 Winchester.
The 8X68S was on the bench when I took the picture.
The 243 gave some good results that should be resolved very quickly. At the request of the owner, I was working up a load using the 80 grain TTSX. I worked up one set of loads with Superformance and another set with H100V as the owner has a good supply of each of these particular powders. Both of the loads gave eye-opening velocities from his 24.5 inch barrel with excellent standard deviations. Accuracy potential was right around MOA, with the best groups in either set ~0.75 inches.
The 280 and the 250 RM were both sighted in and the hunting loads I had taken were verified with the new scopes. The 280 was shooting 139 grain GMX that I had loaded, yielding just under sub-MOA and a velocity of 3006 (+/- 16) fps. I believe that will work. The 350 RM produced the usual sub-MOA groups with 200 grain TSX at 2797 +/- 5 fps. Yeah, that'll work. I've only taken one head of game with this rifle, a cow elk. However, the load worked to perfection; it will, no doubt, continue to work.
I was working up a load for the 358 Norma Magnum with 275 grain Woodleigh PP SNs. I will say that when one touches off that load, it is a handful. It is more punishing than either a 9.3X64 Brenneke or a 375 H&H. The data generated was exceptional. The top velocity was 2706 +/- 4 fps with 73 grains of H380. However, accuracy was less than stellar (~4 inches). However, with that standard deviation, I have something to work with, and should be able to bring this into line very quickly. Dropping back to 70.0 grains of H380, velocity drops somewhat (2596 +/- 26 fps), and accuracy tightens to MOA (0.98 inches).
I am very pleased with the 8X68S. I will be working with this rifle quite a bit throughout the spring. A series of loads built with 196 grain Norma Oryx bullets and MRP yielded MOA across the spectrum of loads. Velocities ranged upward to 3132 +/- 10 fps. Playing with seating depth should quickly bring this into a load with more than acceptable accuracy. When working with 180 grain E-Tips (a bullet with which I have a severe infatuation), accuracy was consistently MOA and velocities ranged upward to 3102 +/- 13 fps. There is great potential in this load, I do believe.
While at the range, the sun was melting the snow, and the firing line (dry at first) was under about four inches of water my 3 in the afternoon. I was certainly glad I had worn my boots (I've lived here long enough to know how to do a few things right). A young couple showed up at the range around noon. He was shooting a Tikka 7mm RM and she had a Remington 783 chambered in .308. She had just put on a new scope, and they were having some difficulty getting the rifle to shoot as they wanted. I spent some time with them, working on technique and encouraging her in shooting. She was shooting ten-shot groups of about six inches at 300 yards. I explained that if she worked on her shooting technique, she would have no difficulty taking game with her rifle. A six inch group at 300 yards was plenty good to take elk and moose consistently if she worked on it. We worked on breathing and form and she was very much appreciative. Hope to see them in the field this fall.
Then, it was home and put my feet up! I'll work on finessing these loads I shot yesterday and try this all again.
