.310 Barnes 108 gr RRLP Frags

Polaris

Handloader
Dec 16, 2009
1,239
29
Found a box of these I forgot about in the loading room. Originally got them for a "safety bullet" to use in my barn gun when we had a coyote problem as the area is somewhat populated and I didn't want to go slinging solidly built rifle bullets about the landscape.

Loaded them up to shoot a friendly internet match with my M39 in 7.62x54r. I was able to keep them in the 10 ring (when the sights were in the right place) prone at 100 yards (2moa on this target) with issue iron sights on this old military rifle. Fine accuracy for this setup, especially considering the -10 temps. No fliers and a good group with good holds. 4 in the 9 were due to a zero with this rifle requiring hold off the black.

After I got done shooting paper, I did some frag and destructible target tests as we have fresh snow on the ground to see splatter patterns. I'm running significantly faster than their 7.62x39 intended use, probably close to 2900fps in the Mosin Nagant based on interpolated load data.

First was my 1/2" plywood target backer. Snow behind target showed significant fragmentation and splatter. Some jacket fragments observed on top of snow.

Second was a wooden fence post, aprox 6" diameter Tamarack. First shot was off center, whacked a healthy pile of splinters off the left side with a puff of dust/smoke. Second shot hit the post solidly and detonated. No exit, splatter pattern to the front of splinters and jacket fragments, jacket frags embedded in the wood.

Frozen can of beer. Vaporized, jacket and aluminum bits 360 degrees, 10 foot radius, heavy to the rear.

Basically, in addition to fine accuracy and no premature poofs even at the elevated velocity, these things work as advertised and are a hell of a lot of fun. Fine choice if you need a safety bullet or want to destroy some stuff!
 
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