Post by Richard on Aug 1, 2017 21:30:12 GMT -5
An “almost” wasted day……………..
Direct Ignition.............
So, got to the range bright an early at 6:25 a.m……………….Bill and Herman were already completely set up and shooting the s__t smoking a cigarette……………Damn early bird seniors! Well, I get my targets out all my equipment in the range house, rifle set up and ready to shoot……………NOT! The bolt for my CF muzzle loader was no where to be found in my case or shooting box? Rut/Ro? Yup, home on my cleaning bench. Not good! This happened once about a year ago but between Herman and Bill, they had a few Rem. 700 short action guns and I just borrowed one of their bolts. This time, however, Bill was the only one with a 700 and it was on his match rifle. For me to go home and get it would have involved about an hour + and 40 miles. So Bill said he would get his match rifle shooting done and I could then borrow his bolt (he had several other rifles to shoot) Well that gave me a chance to do some sweeping up around the range while Bill shot.
OK, got the bolt now and was ready to go. I had just received another small batch of Fury bullets from Dennis to test. These are the star tips with the .025 jacket but with a much improved annealing process that really softened up the jacket. When these bullets go thru one of custom reamed sizing dies with a stated value, they come out almost exactly that size (Al from the old Doug’s board had made them for me a while back) Prior to this, I would have to use a much smaller die to get the larger dimension I needed due to spring back. So, really looking good size wise. I used the first five shots with 73 gr. of N-120 to foul the barrel. It was not until the third, fourth and fifth shots that the velocity stabilized (these are 300 gr.) That is the reason the group looks strung vertically. It tightened up, some what, after the third shot.
Next I put a 300 gr. AeroMax downrange to check for zero on my scope and it could not be anymore centered than it was. With my turrets for windage and elevation now zeroed, I snuck out to the forbidden 420 yard area behind our range house to see if 7 MOA would put me where I wanted at that yardage…………and it did! But, due to the Carolis effect, precession and a unknown breeze, the bullet, which had hit dead center at 100 yards ( I do have a level on my scope) was only one inch high but 4 ¾” RIGHT. So, it looks like for 400, I will need to be more on the order of 6 34\/4 MOA and might have to adjust to the left, depending on the wind or whatever gremlins are out there. Now, getting back to the range house I adjusted my scope back to zero and with another 300 AeroMax, hit about ¼” high of my original POI……..well within the margin of error. So, pretty satisfied with the adjustments on the Sightron III 8x32x56 scope.
With the barrel fouled and my scope setting for 400+ confirmed, I went back to the 300 Fury’s where the N-120 produced a decent .417” group.
Next up with the N-120 I fired one shot with the AeroMax at 200 yards with a ¾ MOA setting and was a tad low. Put in another click and it came up close but would need 1 ¼ to be dead on elevation wise…………but, slightly TO THE RIGHT?
Now I put in 3 MOA and shot an AeroMax at 300 and came up about 1 ¼” low and 1” RIGHT (again). So, 3 ¼ MOA should be about right?
Group #5 consisted of a 10/60---N-110/N120 duplex and the Fury’s which produced a five shot ½” group but if you look at the velocities, shots 1, 2 and 5 were in the same area (velocity wise) and grouped .227” The two slower shot (3 and 4 by 30 fps) hit lower and opened the group? Why the slower speeds on these two shot? Beats the be-jesus out of me?..........but have seen this happen many, many times before. Seating pressure seemed the same?
For #6 I upped the N-110 to 11 gr. and this group opened up some.
#7 used a 12/62 ---N110/H4198 duplex and was also not good.
The final group was shot with H-322. The first shot loaded normally (pressure wise) but then two, three and four all went down hard due to the fouling produced by the 322. Accuracy results were marginal.
It looks like N-120 or one of the duplex loads might be headed to Kentucky?
Still have next week to finalize!
Hopefully I will not leave my bolt home!...........Actually I have the gun cleaned and in the case with the bolt.
Direct Ignition.............
So, got to the range bright an early at 6:25 a.m……………….Bill and Herman were already completely set up and shooting the s__t smoking a cigarette……………Damn early bird seniors! Well, I get my targets out all my equipment in the range house, rifle set up and ready to shoot……………NOT! The bolt for my CF muzzle loader was no where to be found in my case or shooting box? Rut/Ro? Yup, home on my cleaning bench. Not good! This happened once about a year ago but between Herman and Bill, they had a few Rem. 700 short action guns and I just borrowed one of their bolts. This time, however, Bill was the only one with a 700 and it was on his match rifle. For me to go home and get it would have involved about an hour + and 40 miles. So Bill said he would get his match rifle shooting done and I could then borrow his bolt (he had several other rifles to shoot) Well that gave me a chance to do some sweeping up around the range while Bill shot.
OK, got the bolt now and was ready to go. I had just received another small batch of Fury bullets from Dennis to test. These are the star tips with the .025 jacket but with a much improved annealing process that really softened up the jacket. When these bullets go thru one of custom reamed sizing dies with a stated value, they come out almost exactly that size (Al from the old Doug’s board had made them for me a while back) Prior to this, I would have to use a much smaller die to get the larger dimension I needed due to spring back. So, really looking good size wise. I used the first five shots with 73 gr. of N-120 to foul the barrel. It was not until the third, fourth and fifth shots that the velocity stabilized (these are 300 gr.) That is the reason the group looks strung vertically. It tightened up, some what, after the third shot.
Next I put a 300 gr. AeroMax downrange to check for zero on my scope and it could not be anymore centered than it was. With my turrets for windage and elevation now zeroed, I snuck out to the forbidden 420 yard area behind our range house to see if 7 MOA would put me where I wanted at that yardage…………and it did! But, due to the Carolis effect, precession and a unknown breeze, the bullet, which had hit dead center at 100 yards ( I do have a level on my scope) was only one inch high but 4 ¾” RIGHT. So, it looks like for 400, I will need to be more on the order of 6 34\/4 MOA and might have to adjust to the left, depending on the wind or whatever gremlins are out there. Now, getting back to the range house I adjusted my scope back to zero and with another 300 AeroMax, hit about ¼” high of my original POI……..well within the margin of error. So, pretty satisfied with the adjustments on the Sightron III 8x32x56 scope.
With the barrel fouled and my scope setting for 400+ confirmed, I went back to the 300 Fury’s where the N-120 produced a decent .417” group.
Next up with the N-120 I fired one shot with the AeroMax at 200 yards with a ¾ MOA setting and was a tad low. Put in another click and it came up close but would need 1 ¼ to be dead on elevation wise…………but, slightly TO THE RIGHT?
Now I put in 3 MOA and shot an AeroMax at 300 and came up about 1 ¼” low and 1” RIGHT (again). So, 3 ¼ MOA should be about right?
Group #5 consisted of a 10/60---N-110/N120 duplex and the Fury’s which produced a five shot ½” group but if you look at the velocities, shots 1, 2 and 5 were in the same area (velocity wise) and grouped .227” The two slower shot (3 and 4 by 30 fps) hit lower and opened the group? Why the slower speeds on these two shot? Beats the be-jesus out of me?..........but have seen this happen many, many times before. Seating pressure seemed the same?
For #6 I upped the N-110 to 11 gr. and this group opened up some.
#7 used a 12/62 ---N110/H4198 duplex and was also not good.
The final group was shot with H-322. The first shot loaded normally (pressure wise) but then two, three and four all went down hard due to the fouling produced by the 322. Accuracy results were marginal.
It looks like N-120 or one of the duplex loads might be headed to Kentucky?
Still have next week to finalize! Hopefully I will not leave my bolt home!...........Actually I have the gun cleaned and in the case with the bolt.
