219 Donaldson wasp

[Count_x]

One of my mentors rebarreled his P17 in 219DW with a Douglas 8 twist. We have been shooting Hornady 75 amax and Sierra 80 mk at about 3250 fps using 30.5g N550 with BR-2's. SD for a 10 shot string is 5. The groups are averaging about 3" at 300 yards - not great, but the scope is a 16x Unertl from the 30's. Would love to put my 36x on it.
My question...Does anyone have any experience with the the 90g bergers? I acquired a couple of boxes yesterday and was thinking of starting at 26g. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Shooting the 219DW, I was starting to feel lonely. Mine is an old custom Winchester highwall and the scope, like the rifle and calibre, is also vintage, a 10X J.UNERTL.

I haven't used the powder you've mentioned and at a quick look through a few manuals containing data on the 219DW I didn't see it listed. I haven't expirmented with that many powders but two that have worked well for me so far are IMR 4320 & IMR 4064, especially with the Hornady 50gr V-MAX.

The twist rate of the barrel you mentioned is a little faster twist rate than what one would normally come across. Mine seems to be 1-10" or possibly 1-12".

Sorry, not much help to you with the component specifics you've mentioned.

 

[albertacoyotecaller]

Awesome rifle John!

Greg

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Awesome rifle John!

Greg

Thanks guy. I got the opportunity to pick it up so I ended up giving a Ruger #1 I had in 22-250 to my son in the B.C. interior. In 'some' cases, I tend to gravitate to some of the more antique or slightly odd ball calibers. The highwall in 219DW was one of those cases. I posted those same two pictures previously and received a PM from the guy that owned it originally!! He's asked if I ever decide to part with it, he'd very much like first go at it.

 

[smak_daddy]

I love that rifle. Nice.

 

[Count_x]

Nice rifle!
The old barrel was 1:12 and limited to 50 grain bullets. I don't know how many thousands of rounds went downrange over the years. We had an opportunity to buy some Douglas barrels. I wanted 3, if we bought 6 then we were offered 50% off. Buy 3 get 6, no brainer. We have the opportunity to shoot 600 and the 50g don't work too well.
The 75 and 80's work really well, but would like to try the 90's.

 

[BigUglyMan]

The Old Man has a pre-war M70 in 219 DW that, until recently, wore a 16x Unertl. It was built by Ian Dingwall in Vancouver years ago. Not sure what the twist is but it was his crow-shooting rifle back in the old days when you could still shoot crows in Pitt Meadows. First centerfire rifle I ever shot. Lots of fond memories of that rifle.