My Xp is chambered in the 7.82 patriot cartridge (Short action Lazzeroni case-Necked down & shortened 416 Rigby case). My chamber is a tight neck so I cannot get factory ammo. Powder is H-4350.
I'm using a 30 caliber 180 SGK (Sierra Game King BC .501) with a MV of 2788 sighted in at 350 yards, which puts my Ballistic Plex reticule on 12 power set at #1 bar 400 yds., #2 bar 500 yds., #3 bar 600 yds. I shot prone over my internal frame pack at an elevation of right at 8700 ft. above sea level with no discernable wind. Range was 416 (impact velocity right around 2270 fps) yards which was double/triple checked with a 1200 & 1200 Scan Leica rangefinders. After my first shot (The animal didn't move much after the first shot), Steve called a hit (set up with a Tripod & Leupold spotting scope) and told me to send another and after a brief time called for a third shot and suggested I aim a liitle lower. Upon examination of the cow we found three exit wounds forming an upside down triangle measuring three inches. Entrance wound group size was 2.25 inches. It may sound unbelievable, but there were three other guys with me who witnessed all of this and we have pics which are in the process of being developed, not to mention a salted hide in my garage. The SGK's left 3-THUMB HOLE exit wounds and the Patriot put them in the boiler room. It was a small cow, but the best thing is the bullets didn't waste any meat and it will soon be in my freezer. This load has been chronoed, run through the Exbal ballistic software and shot at actual distances before the hunt.
The elk had not come down from the high country because of warm weather which made it sparse hunting. We knew of place faaaaaarrrr back where elk tended to be because there was no one to pressure them. Most people unless they were on horseback wouldn't attempt to go this far back, but it is our tradition to leave camp 1 1/2 hours before daylight and many time returning an hour plus after darkness. This is unnerving for many, but isn't a big deal for us since we know the area well. We hunt this area because you can't get a vehicle or 4-wheeler in this area and it is a great spot-n-stalk area. Steve first glassed a bedded elk on this steep North facing slope. After ranging it we realized were were just under 700 yards from her. As we continued glassing for the next 30 inutes we found four more cows (parts of them). We were on a ridge that traveled North and South. Both ridges are quite steep and in some places to steep to go up or down. To make a long story short, two of us had cow tags, and I had given him first shot. After crawling closer and getting different vatage points we saw 2 elk closer, and closer to the bottom. Respective ranges were 400 & 416 yards. My hunting buddy decided he was close enough and shot at the first cow and missed. At the shot my cow (a smaller one) stood up and gave me the perfect broadside. You have already read of the trigger work and subsequent bullet performance. Because of the tightness of the three shots that area was pretty messy. My partner that had the other cow tag ended up getting a cow from the same ridge at even a further distance than mine.
Ernie
