Spent the day from 11-5 at the range today, fired 165 rounds thru 8 rifles, 7mm-08 Handi, 280 Improved Ultra, 270 Ultracomp, 308 bull barreled Ultra, 300 WSM Ultra, 45-70 Ultra, 500 S&W Handi and the .375H&H Encore.
Shot 120gr TSX in the 7mm-08, got a couple <½” 2 shot groups, but the 3rd always opened the groups to 1½”, need to work on the forend and load some more up with heavier charges, no pressure signs and I’m lagging behind the Barnes data for H4350, my velocity for 46.5gr was only 2705fps, about 150fps slower than their data in a 24” barrel for the X-bullet.
I shot 2 different loads in the 280 Improved, 160gr Accubonds and 140gr TSX, got a tad over 3000fps with the 160gr AB before I started getting sticky brass and heavy latch release, accuracy was very acceptable at 1.3” but not what I was hoping for. The 140gr TSX looks promising with group sizes about the same, but I still have plenty of room higher but I ran out of time before I shot all of the loads for it, velocity was 3080fps, have to wait until next week to shoot the rest.
I’m shooting the 150gr Nosler Partition in the 270 Ultracomp, worked thru about half the loads for it, nothing exciting for it so far, about 1½”-2” groups so far.
The 300WSM is a bit of a disappointment in that I never got to the goal of 3150fps, best velocity has been right at 3000fps with the 150gr CT Ballistic Silvertip and AA Magpro, also tried IMR4350, but that was even worse as far as velocity, both caused heavy latch release and and obvious frame flex, after the shot, there was a noticeable gap at the barrel and frame and the spent brass couldn’t be put back in the chamber and the action closed on it. The good news is the barrel still locks up fine and is just as tight as ever, so my underlug improvement is definitely working! I did get a couple nice 2 shot groups with it though, but at only 2990fps or so, just 30-06 velocity.
The 308 bull barrel made the trip today too, it was digesting the 168gr TSX, very accurate it was with the right load, since it’s a bull barrel, I shot a 6 shot string just to see how heat affected it, I shot 2 loads in ½gr steps, 3 shots each, all back to back, the 42gr load of Varget was a diagonal string that measures .911”, each shot even spaced, the 42.5gr load was just above it, but one shot even with the first of that weight and one above and to the right slightly, that group measuring 1”.
https://www.gboreloaded.com/mhp/images/quickdtoo/308168grtsxg.jpgThe 45-70 was fed the 400gr Barnes SSSPs with H4895 today, best group was 2 holes touching and a 3rd about an 1½” higher, could have been me, could be the forend, I swapped frames out on that one a while back and will work on the forend a bit, velocity was 1726fps.
Had 2 loads for the 500S&W, 350gr Hornadys and 440gr Cast Performance, both with Lil’gun, 40gr got me a 2100fps and a 2” group, a little vertical, but not bad compared to what it was doing with the lower charge weights. The 440gr CP and
33gr at 1740fps put the first 2 inside an inch, the 3rd rounding the group up to 1¼”, Hooray!! This barrel also got the underlug improvement, it’s still doing fine.
The last rifle to report on is the Encore with the 28” 375H&H Prohunter barrel, accuracy wasn’t all that great until I got to a max load with N160 and the 270gr Hornady RN, with 81gr, the first 2 rounds looked like one hole in the scope, the 3rd round opened the group to .708”, 81.5gr which is max, opened the group to an 1¼” cloverleaf. Recoil was substantial even with the PH thumbhole stock filled with 4½lbs of shot, I’d really not want to shoot it without that weight from the bench, velocity was 2670fps with the max load.
More to come!!
Tim
