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Well, I finally got a couple hours to run to the range and check zero on a handful of rifles. The story is sad, to say the least, but I've been so busy for the past year that I've been shooting all of once since the end of last hunting season. I had load work to do on two rifles, and had changed the scope on a third. So I needed a range trip before the rifle opener. Being that opener is Saturday, 17 November, and only two days away, it was pretty well now or never. So I loaded up a handful of rifles and got the following results:
I forgot my tripod so no chronograph readings, but based on what I know about these rifles, I only have questions about the velocity for the 350Rem. I'm guessing something like 2600fps or so, which should still give me an easy 100yd range in the thick. For the 300Wby, I'm guessing, based on other load workups, those 180gr E-Tips are running along at about 3150fps or so. Plenty fast enough to do whatever I will ask of them.
All in all a good day at the range. I was in a hurry when I left and forgot to grab my targets from the next bench over where I had laid them, so no pics of the groups. Bummed, but not driving back over there just for that - plus I suspect they were gone by the time I realized it as I was unloading the truck.
Happy to be ready for gun season!
- 270Wby - Got this one sighted in with the 130gr E-Tip load after swapping over to the Minox scope. I may still add a slip on recoil pad as this scope has a ton of eye relief, but three shots in under an inch is fine for now!
- 243Win - This is a Browning BAR I inherited from my dad. No handloads, just Federal 100gr factory ammo. Three shots into 1.25" like always for this rifle. Adjusted it a tad right and a tad up, but it was still well within the vitals either way.
- 30-30WCF - This was just a zero check. It's all good.
- 30-06 - Zero check on this one scared me. First group of three went all over the place (4+ inches). This is a standard load that routinely puts three in a cloverleaf. So I set it aside, and noticed that one foot on the rest had slipped off the bench top in between a couple of boards. Re-situated the rest and got three in about half an inch. Happy again.
- 300Wby - This was one of two rifles for which I was still looking at load workups. Had a batch of IMR7828 and H1000 loads to shoot, plus the last group (max charge) of RL22 loads. All were 180gr Nosler E-Tips. Shot the RL22, got a three shot group all inside the 1" square just above the bullseye, centered a half inch left. One of the best groups with this rifle, ever. Very happy. Then I shot the 7828 loads. Two close, one out, at every charge weight. Then I started in on the H1000 loads. These were in Weatherby brass, as opposed to the RL22 loads in Remington brass. H1000 was not workable in the Remmy brass due to severe compression at the start and mid charges. Well, the Weatherby brass made all the difference. I got three shot triangles for groups, with the middle load being the largest, at about 2", with a called flier on shot #2. The max charge group turned in a 3-shot triangle with roughly .8" spacing, so I think I've found the load. That one has been an on-again, off-again project over the past couple of years, but I'm glad to be settled now. After the performance of the RL22 loads and the consistency of the H1k loads across the workup, I'm pretty confident. I'm going to try to head back out for a quick verification one day next week, but if I don't get around to it, it's huntable with this load. In fact, it very well may go to the woods with me Saturday for the opener.
- 350RemMag - Second rifle for load workup. This one is a Remington 673 with the vent rib and shark fin open sights. I figured I could use it for a heavy cover gun for white-tails, elk, or whatever else I choose here on this continent. I had tried a short load workup previously with this rifle but ran into trouble with the open sights being too short and shots all hitting low. I revamped what I was loading, and took two sets with me today. First, some Speer 220gr Flat Point Hot Cors over BL( C )-2, and second, some Sierra 225gr GameKings over Accurate 2230. The Speers got tighter as I got heavier in charge, and they were hitting right on in terms of elevation at 100yds, and about half an inch to the right. The Sierras were all over the place, and were about 8-9" high. Huge groups. So the 220gr Speer and BL( C )-2 is the winner. The max charge was the best group, and came in at 1.5" at 100yds. That will certainly do for an open-sighted woods stalking rifle, which is my intended use. I plan to hunt some post-rainstorm days during the week when nobody else is on the lease, and stalk the draws looking for deer. Should be fun. Glad I got the load worked out on that one.
I forgot my tripod so no chronograph readings, but based on what I know about these rifles, I only have questions about the velocity for the 350Rem. I'm guessing something like 2600fps or so, which should still give me an easy 100yd range in the thick. For the 300Wby, I'm guessing, based on other load workups, those 180gr E-Tips are running along at about 3150fps or so. Plenty fast enough to do whatever I will ask of them.
All in all a good day at the range. I was in a hurry when I left and forgot to grab my targets from the next bench over where I had laid them, so no pics of the groups. Bummed, but not driving back over there just for that - plus I suspect they were gone by the time I realized it as I was unloading the truck.
Happy to be ready for gun season!
