I just got back from a long day at the range and I have to say that I am completely impressed with my 50 ML OE. I saved it for last thinking that she would be the thumper of the group but I was so pleasantly surprised. She was as tame as could be. I tried a bunch of different loads and bullets and most shot pretty well. The best was 90 grains of 777 loose with a 250 grain shock-wave and Winn 777 primer. I bore sighted The Burris FF2 at home and was just a little right at 50 yards. I made a quick adjustment and my first shot at 100 was dead center. The second shot was touching the first shot. The third opened up to about 2 inches. After running a few patches down her and letting her cool, The fourth crap was 1/2 inch from 1 and 2. I started experimenting with loads and bullets but had almost all but decided that the first load was it. After a good cleaning I came back to the original load and the first shot was once again dead on. The next shot the load failed to ignite. I tried a second primer and ditto. After giving it plenty of time, I removed the Breech Plug and pushed the load out. You have to love a crack barrel. The breech plug was plenty fouled. After a good through cleaning, Shots 2 and 3 were right on with 2 and 3 touching and 3/4 inch from number 1. This gun likes to be shot clean. That is good as the most important shot will come out of a cold clean barrel. These are the best groups, by far, that I have ever shot from a ML. To say that I am thrilled would be putting it mildly.
I went to the range fully expecting to shoot my 45-70 for primitive arms season in Mississippi, BP cartridges designed before 1899 are allowed. Now, I am not so sure. I even told my buddy that I might just shoot this gun for the entire gun season. Fortunately, I have too many guns and different areas to hunt for that to be true, But I feel quite sure that this gun will hunt a lot this year. After 2 days of slow bow hunting down here, I may go try to shoot some hogs this weekend and if I do, This will be the gun that goes.
As far as the rest of the session went, My 257 wby shot Very Well. The best group was with 115 nos ballistic tips and was about .75 inches. That should be suffifcient for anything that I can ask of it. My 45-70 Handi shot about 2 inches at 100, again I cant ask anymore of this gun. My 270 shot well at 1.25 so I can say that it was a great day, but the OE was the best surprise of the day.
