With apologies to the ladies... 
This could also have been entitled, "Ramshot is Rams**te!" or "Wanna buy some cheap V-Max's?"
With deer season in the books, it's time to have the carry rifle ready for wolves. I have a decent load with 120 grain B. Tips, but wanted to try the 120 V-Max in my 280AI. Maybe a bit more explosive for wolves, and not mess up the pelt so much. I had worked up a bit with the 120 V-Max and a couple powders in warmer weather, so last night loaded some 120 V-Max's in WW nickel cases over F210 primers and 63 grains of Ramshot Hunter, seated 5 thou off. Last fall in warmer weather it clocked 3360 fps. Should be fine, right?
Off to the range today with the 120 load. Weather was great, right around the freezing mark, bright and sunny, a very slight breeze. I didn't set up the chrony as there was an idiot two benches to my left, seeing how fast he could put lead downrange with his SKS.
I fired the 5-shot group seen below. 2.09"!! WTF? So I then pulled out 3 of the old standby deer load, the 140 accubond over 63.5 grains of H4831SC, seated 5 thou off. It clocked 3155 last fall. Awesome group, 0.23". Then a 3 shot group with the 140 TSX over 62 grains of H4831SC, seated 40 thou off. Thrown together quickly last fall, it clocks 3150 as well. It measures 0.69". Not bad for a 6 pound, 11 oz rifle. I then tried a second group with the V-Max's, also in the 2" range. Yuck!
Here's the target:
The sad part? I got ahead of myself last night and loaded over 50 rounds of the POS 120 V-Max load, still have about 50 ready to go.
Seems I've got a bit of work to do. First, pull a bunch of bullets. Then, try the same load with magnum primers. And with H4350. And 120 B.Tips.
Also, I need to seat the 140TSX closer to the lands and see if the group tightens up.
OR the "good enough" side of me is saying, "Ya know what? A 140 accubond will work just fine on a wolf or coyote!" All fun and games, right?
This could also have been entitled, "Ramshot is Rams**te!" or "Wanna buy some cheap V-Max's?"
With deer season in the books, it's time to have the carry rifle ready for wolves. I have a decent load with 120 grain B. Tips, but wanted to try the 120 V-Max in my 280AI. Maybe a bit more explosive for wolves, and not mess up the pelt so much. I had worked up a bit with the 120 V-Max and a couple powders in warmer weather, so last night loaded some 120 V-Max's in WW nickel cases over F210 primers and 63 grains of Ramshot Hunter, seated 5 thou off. Last fall in warmer weather it clocked 3360 fps. Should be fine, right?
Off to the range today with the 120 load. Weather was great, right around the freezing mark, bright and sunny, a very slight breeze. I didn't set up the chrony as there was an idiot two benches to my left, seeing how fast he could put lead downrange with his SKS.
I fired the 5-shot group seen below. 2.09"!! WTF? So I then pulled out 3 of the old standby deer load, the 140 accubond over 63.5 grains of H4831SC, seated 5 thou off. It clocked 3155 last fall. Awesome group, 0.23". Then a 3 shot group with the 140 TSX over 62 grains of H4831SC, seated 40 thou off. Thrown together quickly last fall, it clocks 3150 as well. It measures 0.69". Not bad for a 6 pound, 11 oz rifle. I then tried a second group with the V-Max's, also in the 2" range. Yuck!
Here's the target:
The sad part? I got ahead of myself last night and loaded over 50 rounds of the POS 120 V-Max load, still have about 50 ready to go.
Seems I've got a bit of work to do. First, pull a bunch of bullets. Then, try the same load with magnum primers. And with H4350. And 120 B.Tips.
Also, I need to seat the 140TSX closer to the lands and see if the group tightens up.
OR the "good enough" side of me is saying, "Ya know what? A 140 accubond will work just fine on a wolf or coyote!" All fun and games, right?
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