I was testing a new breech plug late yesterday in my 26" Sidekick. I also was testing some bullets and a couple different lots of powder. The temp was hovering right around 85 when I started, winds gusting R to L. I was able to seek refuge in the shade behind my barn, so that helped a bit. I also chronographed some loads, using different sabots and powder lot #'s. I was very surprised at how well it turned out for the most part, with the exception of the 200 gr Shockwaves. It was hot, and I was shooting all magnum 120 gr loads, so I didn't get much shooting done.
Here is the overall target, I will provide close up's of the individual bulls. Some people may be interested in the velocities? The older powder has a little less velocity than the newer run, but it really hasn't had much change at 100 yards.
The 200 gr Shockwave was all over, actually one of my worst groups since shooting BH209 at a little over 3". I was hoping that the rest of the range session would go better, and it did.
Next up was the 250 gr Knight/Barnes TMZ in the newer blue EZ-Load sabot. This bullet with the old yellow sabot is one of the most accurate bullets I have ever shot out of my Knight Disc MHC, but the blue sabot ruined that. My NEF Huntsman didn't really care for them as well either, but I think this H&R Sidekick just might prefer the blue if it continues to shoot them the way it did last night. The thing I don't like about these sabots is that the range rod can practically seat them by itself.
Next was the 290 gr Knight/Barnes TMZ in the newer blue EZ-Load sabot. These also load very easy, but it is hard to argue with the results. After shooting the 3 shot group, I had a couple of the old yellow sabots left and decided to shoot a bulet in the tighteer fitting sabot. The tighter sabot/bullet combination struck higher than the group, with a faster velocity as well.
After that I decided not to ruin my 250 group, so I shot the 250 gr bullet w/yellow sabot at the upper left bull. It also struck higher, slightly right, with a faster velocity than the blue sabot group in the lower right bull.
At this point I was running out of powder from the jug of lot #0107098, so instead of going back to the house, I had a jug of the original lot #4-3-08 to shoot. My barrel was pretty warm at this point, but I wanted to shoot the 200 gr shockwave to check the velocity. It shot into the big group, but lost 35 to 82 fps, fform the previous group, keep in mind this was only one shot and the lighter bulets seem more effected by any changes IMO.
The last group was the 265 gr FTX using the Harvester green CR sabot and the 15 month old Lot of powder. The barrel was quite warm, but the group turned out pretty well. The Harvester sabots seem to stand the heat better than the MMP in my experience, but even still I had one of the green CR with a little melt down. I did adjust my scope RIGHT 6 clicks on this last group as the wind was dying down a bit. I will probably regret that the next time out, and be hiting 1-1/2" to the right.
All things considered, with the heat & wind, it turned out better than I expected. I will have to do some more work on those 200 gr Shockwaves. Maybe get the Harvester Blue .50/.40 sabot and see if that helps. This H&R Sidekick was one of the ones after Remington took over, it has a lawyered up trigger on it compared to my two NEF's, they have the nicest triggers of any of my rifles. This trigger is crisp, but HEAVY! I think a trigger job is in order, and this rifle will be a much better shooter like my Huntsman is.
