Did some reloading with 2 of my kids. I sat in the sun while they were at school and neck sized/decapped some once fired R-P 8x57 brass with a Lee Hand Press and a Hornady die with a dime between the shellholder and die. Washed the brass in hot soapy water, put them on the dash of the car to dry.
After supper, had my son (10) clean the primer pockets and my daughter (8) prime them with a hand priming tool and WLR primers.
I showed them how to look up published loads, rounded up the starting load to an even 50.0 grains, checked the Lee scale with a 50 grain bullet. Set up the Lee powder measure to throw 50.0 grains of CFE 223. I measured the powder and poured it into the primed case, my son seated the 160 gr TTSX's with the Hand Press and the Hornady bullet seater set using one of my 200 gr Partition loads.
Today we went shooting, the load is nicely consistent with an extreme spread of 11 fps and an average velocity of 2580. I was rewarded with a 13/16th" group at a measured 118 yards (the best group I've ever shot with this rifle).
Now the issue with this load is my wife wanted me to switch to unleaded for hunting and now she says she doesn't remember that. And I had hoped to flatten the trajectory over my usual 200 gr partition load.
Now, a 160 grainer at 2580 is not going to shoot flatter or hit harder than a 200 grainer at 2500.
I am disappointed in the velocity, it is 150 fps slower than "book". But, I can't see accuracy getting better, since I am not a good shot.
Guess the options are to chase the 2900 fps that Hodgdon lists or stick with the Partitions.
After supper, had my son (10) clean the primer pockets and my daughter (8) prime them with a hand priming tool and WLR primers.
I showed them how to look up published loads, rounded up the starting load to an even 50.0 grains, checked the Lee scale with a 50 grain bullet. Set up the Lee powder measure to throw 50.0 grains of CFE 223. I measured the powder and poured it into the primed case, my son seated the 160 gr TTSX's with the Hand Press and the Hornady bullet seater set using one of my 200 gr Partition loads.
Today we went shooting, the load is nicely consistent with an extreme spread of 11 fps and an average velocity of 2580. I was rewarded with a 13/16th" group at a measured 118 yards (the best group I've ever shot with this rifle).
Now the issue with this load is my wife wanted me to switch to unleaded for hunting and now she says she doesn't remember that. And I had hoped to flatten the trajectory over my usual 200 gr partition load.
Now, a 160 grainer at 2580 is not going to shoot flatter or hit harder than a 200 grainer at 2500.
I am disappointed in the velocity, it is 150 fps slower than "book". But, I can't see accuracy getting better, since I am not a good shot.
Guess the options are to chase the 2900 fps that Hodgdon lists or stick with the Partitions.
