- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Nothin' like starting the day with a pic taken whilst on the dunny.
L to R .303 British, 9.3x57 & .450 Marlin
View attachment 25092
I had the range to myself today to enjoy testing out some light, fun loads in a few of my latest acquisitions.
The idea with these loads is to get decent accuracy to 75 yds. for staying tuned up and having a giggle
when hunting pest critters. Good sunny weather, but a steady breeze above 10 knots made fer some chilled
pinkies.
The first rifle up was a Longbranch produced Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1* sporter that I got a short time back to get the stocks it wore. Other than cleaning the bore & chamber and fitting the stocks from an earlier project, I did no adjustments to the sights on this rifle other than flip the rear sight to the distance aperture.
The load used was 14.0 gr. SR4759 held in with a pinch of lightly tamped kapok to hold 'er in place & topped with a 180 gr. Bullet Barn cast RNFP, gas checked projectile. This load is in the 1300 fps range and is a treat to shoot and will be rather more accurate in this rifle once I set up the irons a tad.
View attachment 25095
The next on up was my Husqvarna Model 46a loaded up with 280 gr. cast, gas checked Bullet Barn bombs
pushed at around 1100 fps. by 18.0 gr. of SR4759 out of new Norma brass. Although windage with the stock irons was fine, the elevation was 12" high. I'll be lowering the height & re-cutting the notch in the rear sight soon.
View attachment 25096
The 3rd. rifle up was my Steyr Pro Hunter Big Bore in .450 Marlin topped with a Nikon 1.5-4.5 scope. This rifle responded well to the 405 gr. Bullet Barn plain based boolits at 1100 fps. and would be a great deer plonker inside of 80 yds. as would the the other loads I fired today. All will do the job with good placement.
View attachment 25097
This is the results of initial testing with these rifles and reduced loads. The uppermost group was made by the
9.3x57. I was centered on the target below the impact point. I hence used that target for dialing in the
Steyr .450 Marlin.
View attachment 25098
L to R .303 British, 9.3x57 & .450 Marlin
View attachment 25092
I had the range to myself today to enjoy testing out some light, fun loads in a few of my latest acquisitions.
The idea with these loads is to get decent accuracy to 75 yds. for staying tuned up and having a giggle
when hunting pest critters. Good sunny weather, but a steady breeze above 10 knots made fer some chilled
pinkies.
The first rifle up was a Longbranch produced Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1* sporter that I got a short time back to get the stocks it wore. Other than cleaning the bore & chamber and fitting the stocks from an earlier project, I did no adjustments to the sights on this rifle other than flip the rear sight to the distance aperture.
The load used was 14.0 gr. SR4759 held in with a pinch of lightly tamped kapok to hold 'er in place & topped with a 180 gr. Bullet Barn cast RNFP, gas checked projectile. This load is in the 1300 fps range and is a treat to shoot and will be rather more accurate in this rifle once I set up the irons a tad.
View attachment 25095
The next on up was my Husqvarna Model 46a loaded up with 280 gr. cast, gas checked Bullet Barn bombs
pushed at around 1100 fps. by 18.0 gr. of SR4759 out of new Norma brass. Although windage with the stock irons was fine, the elevation was 12" high. I'll be lowering the height & re-cutting the notch in the rear sight soon.
View attachment 25096
The 3rd. rifle up was my Steyr Pro Hunter Big Bore in .450 Marlin topped with a Nikon 1.5-4.5 scope. This rifle responded well to the 405 gr. Bullet Barn plain based boolits at 1100 fps. and would be a great deer plonker inside of 80 yds. as would the the other loads I fired today. All will do the job with good placement.
View attachment 25097
This is the results of initial testing with these rifles and reduced loads. The uppermost group was made by the
9.3x57. I was centered on the target below the impact point. I hence used that target for dialing in the
Steyr .450 Marlin.
View attachment 25098
