Nice weather=trigger time

[Slugger]

Well with the awesome weather we had here in Southern Indiana yesterday I got a chance to get some trigger time in and check my very first hand loads of the 450BM....or any caliber for that matter.
I was shooting at 110 yards from a commercial portable shooting bench. Front was rested In a 13.5 inch 40lb sand bag, the rear was all me. Keep in mind I don't get nearly as much bench time as some of you. Gun has a complete bushy factory 20" upper with a vortex diamondback HP 2-8x33 mated to my personal built lower with h2 psa buffer and gl shock stock. factory combat trigger breaking at about 150 lbs (haha you know what I'm dealing with there) I did however tap the threads all the way through on the grip hole and install a set screw to take out all of the free travel. Upper had 30 rounds through it before this range session and it was the maiden voyage for the lower. I fired a beautiful little 3 shot triangle right at 1 inch with factory ammo to start the session.

For my reloads I used the Hornady 200gr FTX LIL GUN powder WSR primers and Once fired hornady brass
First 5 shot group was with 38gr of lil gun right at moa walking from right to left

Next up was 38.5gr. again walking right to left but this one was worse probably 2.5 moa
Both of those groups were fired in 5 shot strings with no barrel cool between shots from here out I loaded one round at a time through the magazine using the bolt release every time and I waited a minute or so between shots

39 grains was a nice moa group 3 in one hole then 2 in 1 hole separated by a small bit of paper

39.5 gr was the worst of all the groups probably 4 moa if I had to guess. (I don't bother measuring unacceptable groups)

40 gr was similar to 39.5 but starting to come back together 2 ish moa

40.5 grains was my last load. I put the first 3 shots in one hole ( seeing this through the scope had me pumped) Then shot 4 was just a little low Shot 5 was high making the whole group 2-2.5 moa.

Looking at my test targets and notes from yesterdays shooting I think I will revisit 38, 39, and 40.5

I would like to note That during these tests I had an experience loader with me since these were the first handloads of my own that I have ever shot. He was there to help me indentify signs of pressure so I could learn. No signs of excessive pressure were found with any of the loads

I have some pictures of the all the test targets except for the 40 gr. forgot to take the picture for some reason. I will post them up if I can get them off my phone

I would like to thank all of you who have answered my questions leading up to this point . And thanks in advance for the ones that are to come.

[Al in Mi]

40.5 grains was my last load. I put the first 3 shots in one hole ( seeing this through the scope had me pumped) Then shot 4 was just a little low Shot 5 was high making the whole group 2-2.5 moa.

nice report.

I can't even guesstimate how many groups I've blown after seeing 3 shots fly like that !!!!!!

[Slugger]

38 gr. shot in 5 shot string this pic should be rotated to the right for some reason the others did but this one didnt


38.5 5 shot string

39 single load giving a short time between shots

39.5 single load

didn't get a pic of 40gr

40.5 first three shots in one hole. 4th low 5th high.

[Slugger]

Also completely forgot about the bullet I had found. Our backstop is a made up of tulip poplar logs 24" long and 16-20" in Dia that we have stood up on end. We were looking at some of the logs after the shooting session (5 shot groups were putting softball sized holes all the way through 16-18 inch soft poplar logs) and found one of my bullets laying between the logs from the 40.5 grain load( I know this because it was still warm when found) Here are a couple of pics. Its hard to tell in the pic because of the wood fibers that are buried behind the curls but Its beautifully intact with perfect expansion and all of the petals perfectly wrapped around to the base.
It weighed 193.1 grains

IMG_1444.JPG (24.03 KiB) Viewed 9097 times

IMG_1445.JPG (20.59 KiB) Viewed 9097 times

[Hoot]

Nice report Slugger!

That 39gr load looks pretty stable.
Glad you got a bonus pickup to show around. Surprisingly, the round was less damaged than when I shot some 200 FTX into sequential jugs of water. The jugs were however, just beyond "splashback" distance from the muzzle, not downrange. There should be another accuracy node down around 36gr, if you want to load some lighter, but accurate plinking rounds.

When I'm testing loads for velocity and accuracy, I always single load them.

Good Work!

Hoot

[Slugger]

When I'm testing loads for velocity and accuracy, I always single load them.

Hoot

I'm going to revisit the 38 grain charge. I'm really curious to see what it would have done with some barrel cool time. as well as the 39 and 40.5(I think I got a little excited seeing the first 3 shots in one ragged hole and rush the last 2)

Have you seen acceptable accuracy when going up more in charge weight with the 200 ftx? say in the 41-43 grain area? I really need to get a chronograph and also hone my benchrest skills.

[Hoot]

When I'm testing loads for velocity and accuracy, I always single load them.

Hoot

I'm going to revisit the 38 grain charge. I'm really curious to see what it would have done with some barrel cool time. as well as the 39 and 40.5(I think I got a little excited seeing the first 3 shots in one ragged hole and rush the last 2)

Have you seen acceptable accuracy when going up more in charge weight with the 200 ftx? say in the 41-43 grain area? I really need to get a chronograph and also hone my benchrest skills.

If I recall correctly, there is a 3rd accuracy node up around 41.5, but getting there requires close scrutiny to pressure signs. Any time you're teasing the upper limit, you have to pay closer attention, needless to say.

Let me take this opportunity to bring up one of the caveats surrounding someone else' results, especially if there has been some time since they were achieved. It has now been observed across several calibers and commented on in multiple forums. the Lil Gun formulation has gotten hotter! A load that teases the upper limits from back in 2010, should be approached with justified caution. It's not just lot to lot variation. It is hotter by as much as 2gr of charge weight. That's significant! Just to head off the nay-sayers, you may or may not have some Lil Gun on hand that defies this observation, for whatever reason. Approach all recipes as if they may fall into the hotter formulation. Play it safe. Start low and work up Sage advice that predates most reloaders. Still applies. nuff said...

Hoot