Recent Range Work

[CatskillCrawler]

I've finally got some free time this month to make a few range trips. Was able to re-visit some old loads and play with some new powders.

Haven't played with the 25-06 in ages and now that I have a chrony I thought it may be time to re-visit an old load and checkout Reloader 19 for the first time.

IMR-4350 and 115 BTs - had some poor results on deer when this bullet first came out so we abandoned it after shooting the rest up for range practice. Based upon comments stating that they've toughened the BT's I decided to give it another shot. It always shot well with this powder. This rifle has an extremely light trigger and I oops'd a shot when not fully ready on group #2. Need to address this trigger... Think I'll play with seating depth as I seem to have a few groups with 2 close and one not so close.

RL-19 and 115 BTs - Not much to see here. Sun started to get low in sky here which challenged the VX-1, and me, but I don't think it made that big of an impact. Going to round file this combo. The first two groups consisted of only two bullets.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Scored a bunch of 130gr BTs with the hopes of finding a good, cheap range load. I'm still looking...

IMR-4350 & 130 BT - nothing special here.

RL-22 & 130 BT - more of nothing special...

Have had some 140gr NPs sitting around for awhile. Thought I may challenge the success I've had with the 140gr ABs. I have may have a few challengers in the mix here with more work. I don't need the BC advantage the ABs offer when I hunt here in the east.

RL-19 & 140 Partition - and some more nothing special!

RL-22 & 140 Partition - I'll revisit the last load. I'm thinking it may be along the lines of "even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally" but ya never know.

H-4831 & 140 Partition - I think I can make something work here if I play with seating depth. These are the same loads that work well with the ABs.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Taking my 358Win BLR to Colorado this October and I wanted to find a better load than the one I currently use with IMR-3031 and the 225gr SGK. It's a good load at 2460fps and ~1" but I'm not certain the 225 SGK is the bullet I want to use for elk. It would probably be fine at 358Win velocities but it wouldn't be an addiction if I didn't try to improve on a load!

W-748 & 250 Hot-Cor - have a bunch of 250gr bullets on the shelf so I figured I'd wring some out. The good groups are nowhere near the velocity I want from this weight bullet.

I tried a load using TAC and the 250gr Hot-Cor but it was not worthy for wasting pixels in my digital camera.

IMR-3031 & 225 Partition - Velocity is lower than with the SGK's of the same weight and accuracy isn't worthy either.

W-748 & 225 Partition - This has piqued my interest. I'll repeat the last two loads and throw a middle charge between these and go up another 1/2 grain also. I will settle for the 52.0gr load if I can get another group similar as I want the extra velocity it provides.

I also shot a load with TAC and the 225 NP. It was very similar to the results using the 250gr Hot-Cor and TAC. Terrible. I did get excellent velocity using the TAC with both bullets and no compression issues but groups were ~2-3" consistently.

 

[DrMike]

You certainly have some promising groups. The lower velocity and tighter accuracy with the 358 is not unheard of. There is still more than enough mass to push through most deer size game. I've taken bison with some fairly slow loads and 250 grain bullets.

 

[gerry]

Looks like you have some combinations with all 3 rounds that are really close or already there. With your 358 Win and the 225 gr NP you have some excellent loads right now that will work great on elk, a much better choice than the Sierra in my opinion.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

You certainly have some promising groups. The lower velocity and tighter accuracy with the 358 is not unheard of. There is still more than enough mass to push through most deer size game. I've taken bison with some fairly slow loads and 250 grain bullets.

Agreed. I just envision the 358Win as a 250yd gun and I have to start thinking if the velocity gets too low. I've come to realize that thinking is never a good thing.

Looks like you have some combinations with all 3 rounds that are really close or already there. With your 358 Win and the 225 gr NP you have some excellent loads right now that will work great on elk, a much better choice than the Sierra in my opinion.

Yeah, There is some potential here. I have good loads with the 25-06 using 117gr Interlocks and 120 Partitions that we've been using. I just wanted to widen my options. I'd really like to get some Retumbo or H1000 for this cartridge. I have some 110 ABs loaded up too but that's another day. I was glad to see the 358Win show me something with the 225 NP as I really wanted another option.

Back to the bench!

 

[SJB358]

CC! 52 grains of W748 and the 225 PT are EXACTLY what I am shooting and my groups look very similar to yours. Matter of fact, you would think they are the same rifle! I am not sure I can do much better dealing with the trigger on the BLR.

I would really play with your 51 grains / IMR4350 and 115 load. That right there is just about ready to hunt. I would run that again to see if it repeats and shorten it up .05" at a time and see what it does.. That is great speed and accuracy is plenty awesome for anything that needs killing with a 25-06..

I am running RL25 in my wife's 25-06 and getting some excellent speeds, but that 4350 load looks really good buddy.

Yeah, I am digging your 358 Win with the 225 PT. They is no elk out to 300 yards that is going to hold many of them. Great shooting, I am glad it is working for you. Just reinforces I wasn't entirely lucky with my load.

Oh, and your 270 with the 140 PT and RL22 load at the top end, looks really good. I haven't ever seen RL22 shoot well till it is closer to max PSI and your targets verify that. I have so many targets in my folder where it was ho hum results till I got closer to the higher end of the PSI's.. That looks really good and would be a blaster in your 270..

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Scotty - I got the W748 lead from your results. It shot well with the SGK but I didn't like the cratering I saw with it. I'm now comfy with that as I see it alot with this BLR with no other pressure signs. I just finished loading some verification loads including a few with the bullet seated a smidge deeper as I'm real tight in my mag right now. Crossing fingers cause I too am running out of time.

I'll definitely run that RL-22 load again. I'm using my established .270Win load with the 140ABs when I go for Mulies next month so I have time to play with that.

I know I can get more out of that 115BT/IMR-4350 load both accuracy and velocity wise. Don't need more speed but I'll see what it offers. This gun used to shoot bugholes with the same load but that was awhile ago.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Do you have throat erosion? Just thinking out loud?

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Do you have throat erosion? Just thinking out loud?

Without a borescope, I'd would guess no. When I last loaded for this rifle, 8 yrs ago, I did not check for max OAL, did not have the means to measure brass with collets around the brass neck datum line or have any clue as to what throat erosion was. Either way, this rifle has subsisted on 20 rds of 120gr Partitons and 117 gr Interlocks each. Has killed 12-16 whitetails in that time and there's still 9 rounds combined left. Been used by the typical "it was "on" last year, there's no reason it should not to be on this year" type hunter... Now its back in my hands and under my control.

This rifle has approx 100 rds thru it.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I bet it's good. Probably just a change in bullet profile, powder, jackets, ect. It looks like it'll shoot just fine. I am really liking the shooting of my wifes M70 25-06. It is hammering the 115 BT's. Can't wait to get her out some more.

 

[Oldtrader3]

You do not have any issues with that rifle and that usage. Carry on!

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Made it back to range today for final pre-hunt work. I do believe I'm ready as far as my rifles and loads are concerned.

Tried to repeat with the 225PT and W-748 in my BLR. I can make this work. I can't find my 200 yd target but it was just one group of 5 shots with 4 shots into 1.8" and the fifth pushing it out to 3".
This is at 100 yds.

Shot my third load using TAC powder. Previously I have used 250gr Hot-Cor and PT and this load was with the 225gr PT. Same results as the prior two. Good velocity and no where near compressed but...yeah...

Anyone interested in 3/4 lb of TAC? :roll:

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I played with the OAL on my 270Win a bit. These are at 200 yds. My load has been using 3.235". I'm not going to change it at this point as I already have my hunt loads all rolled up but may change in the future. This load has been pretty solid for a few years now.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I played with the 25-06 some more as well. This gun was very solid the last time I had my hands on it. Trying some new loads and bullets with it. It really seems to have the two good and one bad routine down. More work on this gun when I have time after my elk trip. I will definitely be tweaking OAL on these 2 loads and the other from the first post in this thread.

 

[SJB358]

AWESOME work with your 358! Just awesome! That will do it all! Hope you get that into an elk.

270 looks great and your 25-06 with 110ABs looks really good. Great shooting buddy. Those have to make you happy! Awesome day!

 

[DrMike]

Hang onto the TAC. It is a tad fast for those bullets. Should you even decided to work up a 180 grain load for deer (or a 200 grain load), I believe you'll find the TAC works quite well. You have some excellent loads, and you are pretty well ready to roll.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I think that RL-22 and the .25-06 are showing potential to be a great grouping combo for you. I also had really good luck with IMR 7828 and the Partitions both 100 gr and 120 gr. I could get one inch groups at 200 yards with the 120 PT and IMR 7828 with mag primers. That was me you may do differently of course with .25-06's tending to be a little fussy.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Thanks gents. I'm never satisfied but I can certainly not give any fault to the guns if I come home disappointed.

I'm thinking like you Charlie. The RL-22 with the 110ABs and IMR-4350 with the 115BTs look like they're worthy of more attention.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Yep, I think so. They look like very promising groups.