pre6422hornet
Handloader
- Jan 24, 2012
- 974
- 9
Well I was able to hit the range yesterday with the "new" 243 and the 1949 .270 that I restocked last year and glass bedded the entire action and barrel.
I loaded up the 90 AB's with IMR3031 as I have 1/2 pound left and really nothing that really "likes it". As I was in the loading room ( or Daddy's office as the girls call it), I heard a voice.. " Daddy can I help?". It was my oldest ( 5). I said "sure". Well after I told her that what I was making was for her deer rifle her eyes lit up and she got really excited. I explained that I was putting powder in the case and then we needed to put the bullet on top. As I measured each charge, she seated each bullet and did a wonderful job. She asked a ton of questions while we were reloading and it brought a huge smile to my face.
243 really didn't perform as I would have liked. I mounted a Burris 2x8x32 signature that used to reside on my original 270. I tried 4 different charges and 90 gr AB's about .065 off the lands. Best was 34 grains at just over an inch. I really wasn't expecting much as I still believe the rifle was unfired so I was cleaning after every shot for a while. What a sweet heart to shoot. With dang near un noticed recoil even with the plastic plate on it. I am gonna try IMR4064, and IMR 4350 next.
270 was a different story. This past summer I inletted and glass bedded the entire action and was really looking forward to shooting it. I mounted a Burris 4x fixed scope that I had on my slug gun before I sold it. Here she is in the middle with the 243 to the left before scope.
I ran 130 AB's that this gun did not like before. I had loaded originally to the same COL that my classic stainless liked. Groups were terrible back then. Even with the lyman peep sight she ran right around 4 inches at 100, while a Partition would be around 2 inches. I was really excited to see what would happen when I added a scope.
I loaded a known accurate charge of 49.5 of IMR 4064 and loaded 8 different COL's. Starting with 3.360 and going down in .005 increments to 3.325.
I started with a few foulers with some partitions at 50 yards to verify bore sight with new scope. I was really excited when the first three shots were cloverleafed 3 inches left and 3 inches low. I came up and over with the Burris 4x and moved to 100 to start the test.
First group was 3.360 and they strung horizontally in about a 1.5 inch group. I let her cool and loaded 3 at 3.355. Those 3 shots came in with a 3 shot group of .795
Here are the two groups together. The bullseye is .90 inches.
I let the barrel cool and then loaded 3.350. Then after cooling, another 3 shot string at 3.345. Even with only a 4x scope, I could tell 3.350 was good. This one came in at .578 for a 3 shot group :grin: . The 3.345 opened up and you can see that group below.
I then cooled and loaded the 3.340. Groups looked identical to 3.345, as did the 3.335. At that point I think I was headed backwards so I stopped. I am going to pull the remaining rounds and reseat to 3.350 and 3.355 and re-verify the expiriment.
I had planned on messing with the powder charge once I found a COL the rifle liked... but I'm not sure I wanna mess any further. Sub 3/4 MOA with a 4x scope is pretty good in my book.
When I got home, a certain young lady asked me how "her" deer rifle shot..... :grin:
All in all a great day on the range and leading up to it.
I loaded up the 90 AB's with IMR3031 as I have 1/2 pound left and really nothing that really "likes it". As I was in the loading room ( or Daddy's office as the girls call it), I heard a voice.. " Daddy can I help?". It was my oldest ( 5). I said "sure". Well after I told her that what I was making was for her deer rifle her eyes lit up and she got really excited. I explained that I was putting powder in the case and then we needed to put the bullet on top. As I measured each charge, she seated each bullet and did a wonderful job. She asked a ton of questions while we were reloading and it brought a huge smile to my face.
243 really didn't perform as I would have liked. I mounted a Burris 2x8x32 signature that used to reside on my original 270. I tried 4 different charges and 90 gr AB's about .065 off the lands. Best was 34 grains at just over an inch. I really wasn't expecting much as I still believe the rifle was unfired so I was cleaning after every shot for a while. What a sweet heart to shoot. With dang near un noticed recoil even with the plastic plate on it. I am gonna try IMR4064, and IMR 4350 next.
270 was a different story. This past summer I inletted and glass bedded the entire action and was really looking forward to shooting it. I mounted a Burris 4x fixed scope that I had on my slug gun before I sold it. Here she is in the middle with the 243 to the left before scope.
I ran 130 AB's that this gun did not like before. I had loaded originally to the same COL that my classic stainless liked. Groups were terrible back then. Even with the lyman peep sight she ran right around 4 inches at 100, while a Partition would be around 2 inches. I was really excited to see what would happen when I added a scope.
I loaded a known accurate charge of 49.5 of IMR 4064 and loaded 8 different COL's. Starting with 3.360 and going down in .005 increments to 3.325.
I started with a few foulers with some partitions at 50 yards to verify bore sight with new scope. I was really excited when the first three shots were cloverleafed 3 inches left and 3 inches low. I came up and over with the Burris 4x and moved to 100 to start the test.
First group was 3.360 and they strung horizontally in about a 1.5 inch group. I let her cool and loaded 3 at 3.355. Those 3 shots came in with a 3 shot group of .795
Here are the two groups together. The bullseye is .90 inches.
I let the barrel cool and then loaded 3.350. Then after cooling, another 3 shot string at 3.345. Even with only a 4x scope, I could tell 3.350 was good. This one came in at .578 for a 3 shot group :grin: . The 3.345 opened up and you can see that group below.
I then cooled and loaded the 3.340. Groups looked identical to 3.345, as did the 3.335. At that point I think I was headed backwards so I stopped. I am going to pull the remaining rounds and reseat to 3.350 and 3.355 and re-verify the expiriment.
I had planned on messing with the powder charge once I found a COL the rifle liked... but I'm not sure I wanna mess any further. Sub 3/4 MOA with a 4x scope is pretty good in my book.
When I got home, a certain young lady asked me how "her" deer rifle shot..... :grin:
All in all a great day on the range and leading up to it.
