How do you load for your open sight lever?

Kelly Timoffee

Kelly Timoffee

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Going to be loading for my BLR and staying with open sights.

It may get used , it may not but I want to load some premium bullets for it.

Here is my question/conundrum:

Obviously accuracy and consistency will not be nearly as measurable as with scoped rifles.Are the rest of you doing test loads to see where pressure signs start then back off and call it good to go OR do you further test to refine as much as possible?

To me it seems like there is no point to going over board on the load refining, not going to compete in F-class with it!!
 
With a good steady rest and consistant sight picture, you can see measurable differences in different loads. I typically load 5 of each powder weight, shoot a 3 shot group. I then fire the remaining 2 of the best groups at the same target to see what my 5 shot groups look like. I mostly use peep sights and I can easily get 1 1/2" groups consistanly at 100 yards.
 
For hunting all my leverguns get heavy flatpoint bullets with large meplats, 400-500grs. bullets in the 45/70, some to over 2000fps....LFN heavyweights in the .44 Mag., 280-325gr. to 1600fps.....250gr. cast flatpoints in the .356 Win......soft cast LBT 550gr. WFNs in the 50/90 Sharps with 105 grs. of Swiss 1 1/2FG Black Powder. The .54 ML gets a 450gr. soft cast conical and 90 grs. of ffg black powder. The smokeless loads cause total penetration with expansion, very large wound cavities, usually busting up both shoulders on large game.
 
I wouldn't be very excited about loading to the point of pressure signs on a lever action rifle. The action is not at all as strong and tough as a bolt action, so your safety margin evaporates early and the lack of a strong camming action would likely mean sticky extraction before anything else happened.

I would go to book maximums and no further with a lever. My $0.02

As for load development, I do it the same as for my scoped rifles and just accept that fine differences probably will be undetectable. Since you will be shooting with irons in the field it won't matter much. An alternative would be to scope it for load development, then remove the scope for field use.


Mark
 
mmattockx said:
I wouldn't be very excited about loading to the point of pressure signs on a lever action rifle. The action is not at all as strong and tough as a bolt action, so your safety margin evaporates early and the lack of a strong camming action would likely mean sticky extraction before anything else happened.

I would go to book maximums and no further with a lever. My $0.02

As for load development, I do it the same as for my scoped rifles and just accept that fine differences probably will be undetectable. Since you will be shooting with irons in the field it won't matter much. An alternative would be to scope it for load development, then remove the scope for field use.


Mark
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Since the original question was about BLR - I wouldn't worry too much about action not being strong (they chamber it in 325 WSM).
 
Ditto on the remark about the BLR (which is essentially a lever-actuated bolt action rifle). You can load reasonably hot rounds and you can also use any spitzer bullet you want.

To the OP, with the setup you describe it does not sound likely that you'll be able to discern any improvement you might accomplish in load development. I would think that it might be more worthwhile to use your load development process as a "work up, verify, sight the rifle in, and get a bit of practice" instead of any sort of accuracy testing. While there is no need to reach or exceed the max loads you might find, neither is there anything wrong with working up the load as high as you reasonably can, within the time and ammo at your disposal, and taking your maximum verified load with you when you go hunting.
 
I have reloaded my levers to duplicate factory ballistics. It seems to be easy for the BLR's just watch for pressure signs and velocities. If you use the appropriate powder that seem to work in your applicable cartridge such as 748, Varget, 4895 range for the 308 you should be able to match factory velocities. The only one that I have improved on compared to factory ballistics is my 257 and 117gr RN and that's the only bullet that I now use in the BLR. I am still working on my 243 BLR and a 100gr load and having trouble matching accuracy compared to factory loads.
David
 
because it's a blr, i would just set up same as you would for an ordinary bolt action- i run the same loads in my savage 99 as i do in the rest of my 308's, but watch for pressure signs- and at 2 grains less than max, it's just as accurate - that's where mine tapped out- the nice thing about the blrs and savage 99s is that you can use POINTY bullets, and don't have to stick to flats- personally i use 180 grains and 43-44 of 748- the OLD m118 slr load, and that groups 1 inch and under at 100- 2.3 at 2, and 2.45 at 250- the mpbr is 267 anyway, and i don't want to go too much further than that
 
mmattockx said:
As for load development, I do it the same as for my scoped rifles and just accept that fine differences probably will be undetectable. Since you will be shooting with irons in the field it won't matter much. An alternative would be to scope it for load development, then remove the scope for field use.


Mark
Click to expand...

I have to disagree, develope your loads on a rest with your irons. Make sure YOU are consistant in you POA and POI. If you scope loads and dont have enough practice with the irons you wont be fully prepared when the shot will count.

I also agree with Ben, big and slow is the way to go.
 
CanuckWR said:
I have to disagree, develope your loads on a rest with your irons. Make sure YOU are consistant in you POA and POI. If you scope loads and dont have enough practice with the irons you wont be fully prepared when the shot will count.

I also agree with Ben, big and slow is the way to go.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to imply that you could just remove the scope and not test the iron sights. The scope would just be used for finding the best load combo, then the irons would need to be sighted in and practiced with to ensure accurate performance from the shooter and rifle under field conditions.


Mark
 
CanuckWR said:
I have to disagree, develope your loads on a rest with your irons. Make sure YOU are consistant in you POA and POI. If you scope loads and dont have enough practice with the irons you wont be fully prepared when the shot will count.

I also agree with Ben, big and slow is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Hi there...just curious as I too load for lever, but a 30-30 win...what do you mean by "big and slow"? Heaviest bullet I have is a170 Gr lead cast bullet.
 
With the 30/30, your choices are limited, but there are molds for flat points up to 200 or more grains that would increase effectiveness at the cost of more bullet drop out past 100yds. My post was more in ref. to cals. with heavier(bigger) bullets....Ben
 
Thanks Ben. Wouldn't be able to see beyond 100 yards with the open sights anyway, so I guess that's moot. I figured heavier would be better. But slower? Why? Most everywhere I read, people are trying to drive their bullets faster and faster. Don't get me wrong, I would much prefer slower as I figure less meat damage. Just can't get a handle on why there seems to be such a need for speed these days.
 
Leverguns are not much different from other guns, the heavier the bullet, the lower the vel. will be if loading to the same pressure levels. I didn't realize that the orig. poster was talking about a 7mm levergun and my response doesn't really pertain to the smaller cals.
 
Well what I think I am going to do is load up 3 of each at 4 different charges, 1 grain apart, low to high as per my powder manufacturers data.It'll take all day if I do 5 shots groups and have to let that barrel cool down.

I am not going to scope the rifle as it is not going to be used in this fashion, I figure test it as you are going to shoot it in the field.

I know what I would require for taking game so if I can get 2 MOA with a rest and open sights I will be more than satisfied with that and knowing my limits within those parameters.

So, thanks for the experience and knowledge that has been presented here.
 
OEM said:
Thanks Ben. Wouldn't be able to see beyond 100 yards with the open sights anyway, so I guess that's moot. I figured heavier would be better. But slower? Why? Most everywhere I read, people are trying to drive their bullets faster and faster. Don't get me wrong, I would much prefer slower as I figure less meat damage. Just can't get a handle on why there seems to be such a need for speed these days.
Click to expand...

Big and heavy moves slower then small and light in the same chambering and pressure, penetration is better when a big heavy bullet hits at a lower speed, initial energy transfer and temporary cavity is greater with a faster moving projectile. So I have read anyway. Google "45/70 6 foot penetration" Its an eye opener.

mmattockx said:
I didn't mean to imply that you could just remove the scope and not test the iron sights. The scope would just be used for finding the best load combo, then the irons would need to be sighted in and practiced with to ensure accurate performance from the shooter and rifle under field conditions.


Mark
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Ya, I figured you didn't mean that. I was just pointing out another perspective for the OP. ;)
 
CanuckWR said:
Big and heavy moves slower then small and light in the same chambering and pressure, penetration is better when a big heavy bullet hits at a lower speed, initial energy transfer and temporary cavity is greater with a faster moving projectile. So I have read anyway. Google "45/70 6 foot penetration" Its an eye opener.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That was indeed an eye opener!:eek:
 
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