Decided to try some new bullets, and new powder in my grandpa's old M38 carcano rifle. The bore looks like your looking down a sewer pipe, with some rifling that is very shot out.
I just ran a simple ladder test with Reloder 26, using Nosler 129 grain, Long Range Accubonds. The results where quite good.
I used quickload to roughly work out a load, and started pretty low on the charge weights, seems like such a massive amount of powder for the old girl, but it is quite a slow burning powder, so it makes sense to be a fairly large charge, compared to the fast burning powders that are normally used in it.
According to quickload I ran the ladder a bit higher in pressure that the 41k psi that it's supposed to stay under, but I had zero pressure signs, and it wasn't saying it was many psi over that.
I have heard very mixed results with guys running .264 bullets, especially ones that aren't flat based. But I managed to hold a 4" group with open sights at a hundred with the entire ladder. A few of the charges touching holes. And I by no means had a consistent hold with that front post buried deep to accomodate for the long range zero the sights have.
I'm getting a bit more velocity that my kids bolt action Grendel does with the same bullets. And could probably even get more. But at almost 2600fps I'm quite impressed. I may try to use it on whitetail this year.
So for anyone else out there with a carcano laying around, try some newer bullets, with some of the newer powders. Since no reload magazine or powder manufacturer is going to give you new loads for the old cartridge. I picked this bullet because it performs so well at the slightly lower velocities, and I'll be good for anything offhand to 300 yards now. Cause that what it will be zeroed at, if I look down the sights normally...
I just ran a simple ladder test with Reloder 26, using Nosler 129 grain, Long Range Accubonds. The results where quite good.
I used quickload to roughly work out a load, and started pretty low on the charge weights, seems like such a massive amount of powder for the old girl, but it is quite a slow burning powder, so it makes sense to be a fairly large charge, compared to the fast burning powders that are normally used in it.
According to quickload I ran the ladder a bit higher in pressure that the 41k psi that it's supposed to stay under, but I had zero pressure signs, and it wasn't saying it was many psi over that.
I have heard very mixed results with guys running .264 bullets, especially ones that aren't flat based. But I managed to hold a 4" group with open sights at a hundred with the entire ladder. A few of the charges touching holes. And I by no means had a consistent hold with that front post buried deep to accomodate for the long range zero the sights have.
I'm getting a bit more velocity that my kids bolt action Grendel does with the same bullets. And could probably even get more. But at almost 2600fps I'm quite impressed. I may try to use it on whitetail this year.
So for anyone else out there with a carcano laying around, try some newer bullets, with some of the newer powders. Since no reload magazine or powder manufacturer is going to give you new loads for the old cartridge. I picked this bullet because it performs so well at the slightly lower velocities, and I'll be good for anything offhand to 300 yards now. Cause that what it will be zeroed at, if I look down the sights normally...
