|
Post by sew on Dec 20, 2022 8:56:56 GMT -5
Though the following is in reference to my ultralite 40, The Diamond, I think that this finding might be of benefit to other hunters, regardless of caliber. Since I shot my last deer on Nov 15 , this year, I’ve been playing with various aspects of my current load (62g H322, LRPs, DI, annealed 253 PHs). Again, my shooting has been using a #13 bag/Hart adj rest in open fields. Previously, I fouled the barrel with 5 shots, sized to that fouling level and kept a rather large cloverleaf @ 100 yards and slightly <1” 3-shot groups @200. The 2x8 hunting scope (Zeiss lighted Duralyt). ESs stayed in or below 10’/sec, but kept climbing (2730 ->2739). At 67 F , clean, cold shot was 2743. This was with bullets sized slightly larger than my fouled bullet size. Yesterday, @38 F, clean cold shot with slightly larger bullet but very easy to put down the cold, very clean barrel , 2747. Previously at 67F , same bullet size and clean, cold was 2743 avg. Colder but faster? Still, very temp stable over 30F spread. Then I cleaned the barrel again, 2747 again, ragged hole @100 yards, cleaned again 2749, still ragged hole. Tightest group I ever shot with this rifle! This is a hunting rifle only! It will go hunting clean, not fouled. I’ll run a nylon brush thru 2x , then a dry patch and reload, if necessary, to reload. With my heavy 40 , I’ll continue to look for a good load that is relatively clean burning. (273 PH and 275 AccuMax).
|
|
|
Post by ballistic on Dec 20, 2022 13:35:21 GMT -5
Though the following is in reference to my ultralite 40, The Diamond, I think that this finding might be of benefit to other hunters, regardless of caliber. Since I shot my last deer on Nov 15 , this year, I’ve been playing with various aspects of my current load (62g H322, LRPs, DI, annealed 253 PHs). Again, my shooting has been using a #13 bag/Hart adj rest in open fields. Previously, I fouled the barrel with 5 shots, sized to that fouling level and kept a rather large cloverleaf @ 100 yards and slightly <1” 3-shot groups @200. The 2x8 hunting scope (Zeiss lighted Duralyt). ESs stayed in or below 10’/sec, but kept climbing (2730 ->2739). At 67 F , clean, cold shot was 2743. This was with bullets sized slightly larger than my fouled bullet size. Yesterday, @38 F, clean cold shot with slightly larger bullet but very easy to put down the cold, very clean barrel , 2747. Previously at 67F , same bullet size and clean, cold was 2743 avg. Colder but faster? Still, very temp stable over 30F spread. Then I cleaned the barrel again, 2747 again, ragged hole @100 yards, cleaned again 2749, still ragged hole. Tightest group I ever shot with this rifle! This is a hunting rifle only! It will go hunting clean, not fouled. I’ll run a nylon brush thru 2x , then a dry patch and reload, if necessary, to reload. With my heavy 40 , I’ll continue to look for a good dirty load that is stabilized. (273 PH and 275 AccuMax). Sew After the cold bore (2747) shots (and not cleaning) do your speeds drop to the 2730-2739 ? Just asking as most of my testing has the cold bore 20-40 fps faster- not as good as what you’re doing. And not the same powder you’re using either- but similar routines to what your doing. It sounds like H322 is a great powder for 250-275 grain bullets in the .40. Also - was the temp of the barrel at the listed temps above when you were testing ? In any regard - it looks like that powder is the real deal for temp changes. Thanks for sharing.
|
|
|
Post by sew on Dec 20, 2022 14:00:21 GMT -5
Thank you. I think the extreme temperature insensitivity of H-322 at a calculated ~50K PSI (I think it is actually below that), should be of interest to hunters.
I had limited time. I never let it foul this time. Back in the 67 degree temp, the first shot was 2743 and then decreased to 2730. I think that is backward to what it should have been, but I used my 3 larger bullets and then dropped back to my sized bullets for a fouled barrel. The velocities then climed progressively from 2730 to 2739.
Yes, I let the rifle to cool to the actual outside temperature.
|
|
|
Post by jimbob on Dec 21, 2022 19:34:53 GMT -5
Though the following is in reference to my ultralite 40, The Diamond, I think that this finding might be of benefit to other hunters, regardless of caliber. Since I shot my last deer on Nov 15 , this year, I’ve been playing with various aspects of my current load (62g H322, LRPs, DI, annealed 253 PHs). Again, my shooting has been using a #13 bag/Hart adj rest in open fields. Previously, I fouled the barrel with 5 shots, sized to that fouling level and kept a rather large cloverleaf @ 100 yards and slightly <1” 3-shot groups @200. The 2x8 hunting scope (Zeiss lighted Duralyt). ESs stayed in or below 10’/sec, but kept climbing (2730 ->2739). At 67 F , clean, cold shot was 2743. This was with bullets sized slightly larger than my fouled bullet size. Yesterday, @38 F, clean cold shot with slightly larger bullet but very easy to put down the cold, very clean barrel , 2747. Previously at 67F , same bullet size and clean, cold was 2743 avg. Colder but faster? Still, very temp stable over 30F spread. Then I cleaned the barrel again, 2747 again, ragged hole @100 yards, cleaned again 2749, still ragged hole. Tightest group I ever shot with this rifle! This is a hunting rifle only! It will go hunting clean, not fouled. I’ll run a nylon brush thru 2x , then a dry patch and reload, if necessary, to reload. With my heavy 40 , I’ll continue to look for a good load that is relatively clean burning. (273 PH and 275 AccuMax). This is very good information just like finding the right load some guns (barrels) like clean others like dirty see it all the time in the benchrest game
|
|
|
Post by Sideshow on Dec 22, 2022 19:21:17 GMT -5
Though the following is in reference to my ultralite 40, The Diamond, I think that this finding might be of benefit to other hunters, regardless of caliber. Since I shot my last deer on Nov 15 , this year, I’ve been playing with various aspects of my current load (62g H322, LRPs, DI, annealed 253 PHs). Again, my shooting has been using a #13 bag/Hart adj rest in open fields. Previously, I fouled the barrel with 5 shots, sized to that fouling level and kept a rather large cloverleaf @ 100 yards and slightly <1” 3-shot groups @200. The 2x8 hunting scope (Zeiss lighted Duralyt). ESs stayed in or below 10’/sec, but kept climbing (2730 ->2739). At 67 F , clean, cold shot was 2743. This was with bullets sized slightly larger than my fouled bullet size. Yesterday, @38 F, clean cold shot with slightly larger bullet but very easy to put down the cold, very clean barrel , 2747. Previously at 67F , same bullet size and clean, cold was 2743 avg. Colder but faster? Still, very temp stable over 30F spread. Then I cleaned the barrel again, 2747 again, ragged hole @100 yards, cleaned again 2749, still ragged hole. Tightest group I ever shot with this rifle! This is a hunting rifle only! It will go hunting clean, not fouled. I’ll run a nylon brush thru 2x , then a dry patch and reload, if necessary, to reload. With my heavy 40 , I’ll continue to look for a good load that is relatively clean burning. (273 PH and 275 AccuMax). This is very good information just like finding the right load some guns (barrels) like clean others like dirty see it all the time in the benchrest game Ive also seen where it took me to figure out How to make a clean barrel shoot to point of aim consistantly too . I dont hunt with a dirty gun , ever . I never have saw the point in that . I know many do . But thats just not for me . Cf , shotgun or muzzy i just dont do it . I do think a barrel can get Used to being shot dirty too or clean . I choose clean for my hunting especially . To me clean IS the Most Stable bore condition . It goes downhill from there IMO . I understand the stabilized foul thats chased . But not for a 2 to 3 week or more season in all kinds of weather . Even a clean barrel is Dirty from that . Its that aged fouling i dont like at all plus debris , especially in a muzzy. YMMV....
|
|
|
Post by hillbill on Dec 22, 2022 21:53:19 GMT -5
Most of my guns are dual purpose, Hunting/target so I like to have my cold bore shot as close as possible to a repeat fouled bore just like I am target shooting extended shot strings.
This is accomplished on most of my guns by one pass with a bronze brush followed by a tight fitting clean patch, that is IF the fouling has dried, if not two patches down the bore gets me there.
In the end it's just whatever it takes to get consistent speeds and accuracy.
|
|
|
Post by buckeye68 on Dec 22, 2022 23:52:51 GMT -5
This is very good information just like finding the right load some guns (barrels) like clean others like dirty see it all the time in the benchrest game Ive also seen where it took me to figure out How to make a clean barrel shoot to point of aim consistantly too . I dont hunt with a dirty gun , ever . I never have saw the point in that . I know many do . But thats just not for me . Cf , shotgun or muzzy i just dont do it . I do think a barrel can get Used to being shot dirty too or clean . I choose clean for my hunting especially . To me clean IS the Most Stable bore condition . It goes downhill from there IMO . I understand the stabilized foul thats chased . But not for a 2 to 3 week or more season in all kinds of weather . Even a clean barrel is Dirty from that . Its that aged fouling i dont like at all plus debris , especially in a muzzy. YMMV.... I guess I’m lucky with my CVA “Loud Mouth” because she’s likes it dirty. I brought her home early September and gave her a good bath. I took her out the first day and fired 10 shots. I cleaned the barrel on September the 24th and she hasn’t been cleaned since. Now with 148 total shots on gun, she’s broken in and dirty. She’s been out in the cold and taken back to the hotel room for the night. She’s spent the night in the car, had mud all over her. I do give her a little love but I’ve never worried about my cold bore shot on a deer or a second shot on another deer. She’s been to the range in two different states never missed a 1/2” dot at 50 yards or 100 yards on a cold bore. It loads just as easy on the first shot or the tenth shot at the range or reloading in my tree stand. She’s been good to me and has taken 10 deer this year. So ,with that being said figure out what your gun likes and doesn’t like. As Bill said it’s all about constant FPS and accuracy.
|
|
|
Post by sew on Dec 23, 2022 13:25:15 GMT -5
I think fouled and consistent is “the ideal”. “Clean” is consistent but isn’t ideal, imo. In each of my 40s, I have accuracy, very low ES but am lacking an extremely clean burn. Shooting my light to moderate loads in my 40s , a cleanly burning powder has evaded me so far. In early January, various VV powders and various AA powders will be tried. I have great hopes for VV530 in the big gun and 130, 135 & 530 in the little gun. Fouled and consistent seems best.
|
|
|
Post by jims on Dec 23, 2022 15:16:19 GMT -5
I used to religiously clean my firearms after each use. Probably caused more wear and tear to the bore than actual shooting even though I tried to take the standard precautions when cleaning. After hearing others shoot from a fired bore I have tried it. I do not think I will ever go back to my original ways, the seasoned fired bore has worked out quite well for me for 4 or 5 years now.
|
|
klook
Junior Member
Posts: 85
|
Post by klook on Dec 24, 2022 10:54:48 GMT -5
I have been using a fouled bore for hunting ever since the mid 80's when I first used a bolt action rifle. Before that I primarily still hunted with various Savage 99's and a Model 8 Rem. I have not even tried comparing cold clean bore with the SML as I don't have a place to shoot. I still foul the bore to hunt and clean it when I get back from a week of hunting. Seems to work.
|
|