Author Topic: handload looks encouraging ... (Read 540 times)

fish280 · « **on:** February 07, 2005, 10:28:54 AM »

for my .30-'06 standard handi.
it was the first one i tried: 53 grains of h414, 150-grain hornady spire points, COL of 3.25, RP brass, WW primers. (a load made up with imr 4064 flung a flier; 't'weren't me, really.)
first three shots wents into 3/8ths inch at 75 yards; perfect little triangle.
i had very little time early sunday morning before getting ready for church. so i confined my shots to that distance to save walking time. and it's a 45-minute drive to the range, to boot.
book says moderate fps of 2,700-2,750, which is just what i want. i'm looking for consistent, thread-the-tree-branches accuracy above all. 200 yards is my max range for whitetail anyhow. man i like this little rifle.

Mr Goat · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2005, 12:19:56 PM »

with 150 grain bullets, i like 4895 alot. its pretty efficient, and groups very well. i started using it for Garand loads, but now i use it in everything. 50 grains with a winchester primer is a nice middle-of-the-road load that should net you 2700-2800 fps from a 22 inch barrel. nice tight groups.

jeff223 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2005, 01:15:54 PM »

looks like you are comming along good fish

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2005, 01:42:54 PM »

Looks good fish... handloading another addiction. :roll:

fish280 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2005, 02:28:57 PM »

handloading ain't an addiction any longer for me; just a means to get one or two loads just right for special application.
this load is specifically for a little postal contest on another board for completely stock hunting rifles, scope no more than 4x. i'm trying to beat some of the bolt action guys. my rig will be the cheapest by far of any entries. it'll be a good joke if i finish somewhere in the middle on up. now if only i can shoot as well as the little rifle.
i'll find a factory load at some point that shoots as well as the handload for hunting - just in case. i'd especially like to find a 200-grain or 220-grain soft round nose handload at 2,400-2,500 fps or so. i like to shoot deer through the shoulders. i think that'll be just the ticket for a stopper that doesn't blow up too much bone.

fish280 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2005, 09:23:23 AM »

that load may not be all i was hoping for.

shot two serious five-shot groups today at 100 yards during a break in the rain. first two shots into 1/2 inch. THEN the little handi chooses to settle in theforearm. next three shots in that group two inches lower. those three went into a 1.25 inch triangle.

next five shot group was 1.75 inch including a called left flyer. the other four of those were in a .8 inch wad.

took 1-2 minutes between shots, 10 minutes between groups on a cool overcast day. not any hot barrel verticle walking. my own personal, nerve induced waver is mostly horizontal.

could be some load fine tuning will bring consistency, or perhaps the o-ring or full length forearm bedding will bring it. i'm looking for consistent, sub 1.25-inch five-shot groups. five-shot groups are tougher than three-shot ones with these little rifles.

Donaldo · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2005, 09:43:22 AM »

Fish...
Pick a day when you have quite a bit of time. Take another rifle to the range to shoot also. Shoot 1 round from the Handi. Let it set 20 minutes or so, or until the wind gets calm, shoot 1 more round. Wait 20 minutes....you get the picture. There probably is not a time limit on how fast or slow you have to shoot the group. Seems I remember some of the old time benchresters would take all day or 2 days to shoot a group. They waited until everything was just right before they touched off another round. They shot some unbelievable groups that way. You can too, remember alls fair in love and war and shooting (bragging rights) matches.

fish280 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2005, 12:13:43 PM »

well, don, i had to shoot box stock to be "legal" for a friendly little postal match on another site. i took my handi apart this afternoon just to see what i could see. the spacer at the rear of the forearm not only was loose because the twin screws weren't drawn down tight but was askew as well. it did not match the receiver surfaces evenly. it is now straight - and will stay that way as the jb weld i smeared ever so lightly between spacer and forearm dries. this might have been the culprit affecting groups with what i believe to be a good handload that is well-made.

here's a question for all of you handi-techs: anybody ever bedded the barrel lug to the forearm lug hole with acraglass or jb weld or such? i wonder if this wouldn't do something nice for the harmonics as opposed to the o-ring trick. i noticed on my '06 handi the forearm hole is ever so slightly off axis to the lug. the lug appears to be as plumb as possible. a slight enlargement of the forearm hole to get it on axis with the lug, plus bedding, might provide a perfect barrel/forearm alignment. what say ye? (this question also is posed in my "promising handload" thread.)

James B · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2005, 10:49:24 PM »

I never fire more than three shot groups to test the hunting rifle accuracy of my Handi rifles. I don't figure to ever get off more than three shots with a single shot a game animals. The exception would be the 223 Ultra that I shoot at Prairie dogs with.