Nice weather=trigger time
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:36 am
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.
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.