Hoot’s deer load?

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Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Specter23 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 9:51 pm

Sorry if this has been fully addressed. I reviewed quite a bit of info and am having trouble finding if it’s already out there.

Hoot, or anyone else that knows or could provide a link, what is your deer load specifics?
I know you use the 200gr xbp’s and LG. I’m not sure how many grains, your COL, crimp routine. Are you aiming for a driving band and then taper crimping? What accuracy are you getting with your deer load?
Also, I read that you were only taper crimping at one point to improve accuracy I believe, not sure if you would suggest that for a deer load and an 11” barrel?

I understand my chamber, barrel, gun will not act the same as yours but I want a baseline to go back to. I started reloading 450B about 3 yrs ago and posted some of my results here, but it’s been a while since I have focused on making it better as opposed to just doing the same thing. The gun can shoot factory ammo into one hole at 50yds pretty easily.

My question stems from sighting in for deer season and not being happy with the accuracy. I believe I need to adjust my crimping location/pressure/methods. I started with about a 3” 3 shot group at 50yds, then 3 into about a 1/2” on a second group with a 4th landing about 2” away. 200gr xpb, resized brass, cci magnum primer, 43.5gr LG, side crimp was about .473 and I don’t recall taper crimp measurements, but within the realm of your previous suggestions. My side crimp was not “aimed” at a driving band, and likely landed just forward of the second driving band on the 200gt xpb”s using the modified lee 45/70 die.

Thanks for any information, insight, or suggestions
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Hoot » Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:03 am

Its kinda funny that you ask about my go-to deer loads. I emptied out my hunting backpack a little over a week ago to stuff my clothing and other articles in to take to the hospital for my stay. My ammo was in it and I gave it a good look. Much to my surprise, it was not as I had recently reported in a different thread. I went for ultimate accuracy over ruggedness in not side crimping them as I thought I had. It was just taper crimped into a driving band groove. That provides a better hold on the bullet than when using a smooth sided bullet like the 250 FTX. Tucked away in a side pocket of the bag was my load info:

New Hornady Brass run through the resizer just the same, though it did not need it. First fired would suffice as long as its thoroughly cleaned (before and after sizing). I might add that all my brass, regardless of new or purchased as 1-fired, get their flash holes deburred using a KN tool. They also get their primer pockets normalized. (same depth, bottom of pocket squared off)

Remington 7 1/2 primer. IMHO, The Gold Standard for this caliber.

For the slightly faster than in the past, fresh batch of Lil Gun, 40gr gave the best accuracy:

Image
(1/2 Inch Grid)

If you will be hunting when it's blue ass cold, you should test your loads in temps that are as low as possible. This recipe is not nor should anybody's recipe be a substitute for testing in your rig, using your components. This is doubly important if your components are not the same as the ones in the recipe. I have Zero experience with CCI primers. I have what works and no need to wander off the path.

I seat my 200 XPB bullets so that the most forward driving band groove is barely peeking out of the mouth, so that the taper crimp drives down into it. The COL I used was 2.18 inches. 2.20 would work just as well. Just don't completely bury the groove beneath the mouth. Set the seating die with your longest case in the batch you will be using.

As I always do, I double tap the taper crimp with a 90 degree rotation before the second stroke of the press. Force of habit... The end result is a crimp diameter, measured with an accurate micrometer as close to the mouth as humanly possible, of .474-.475.

Notes and Tips:

I have not gotten around to testing this recipe in my Bartz upper. It was originally developed using my "loosey goosey chambered", 20", 1:24 twist, Bushmaster upper with a Ross muzzle brake on the end. Any change in platform will invalidate the recipe and require re-working it up. IE a faster twist than 1:24 or Bolt Action vs SA. Reloading is all bout tailoring the load to what your rig likes, not just as a means of copying what works for someone else.

I have previously, and could have loaded this recipe hotter, but the load is plenty lethal at the 40gr speed, sub-MOA accurate and quicker to recover from in case I needed a second shot. A little more Lil Gun buys you a few more FPS while still throwing a 5-shot, 100yd, MOA or better group. Work up to it, using consistent bench technique and let your rig tell you what it likes.

Sort you brass candidates by length. The degree of the taper crimp is proportional to the case length. If my cases are not precisely the same length, I set up my taper crimp die using the shortest one in the batch. That way, it will never be less diameter across the run.

If it takes (normally does) multiple passes of the press to get the crimp diameter down to where you want it to be, set that finished round aside for fouling the bore. Measure the next round after crimping it (remember double tap) to make sure it is the diameter you want and then run the rest of the batch. I say that because if it takes say 10 press strokes while adjusting the crimp die to where you want it to be, my experience has been that the next and subsequent rounds wind up being slightly different since they don't get 10 strokes of the press. Always minimize variations in the process to minimize variations in the end result.

Good luck and remember, a lethal load is no substitute for ethical, careful shot placement. If the shot window is not what you want it to be, don't take the shot, despite your hormones screaming to the contrary. ;)

Hoot
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby plant_one » Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:38 am

Hoot wrote:Good luck and remember, a lethal load is no substitute for ethical, careful shot placement. If the shot window is not what you want it to be, don't take the shot, despite your hormones screaming to the contrary.


amen to that - and the old saying "you cant miss fast enough" !
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Specter23 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 2:16 pm

Thanks for the response.

Those ethical shots are part of why I’m looking into my loads more. My current load will easily hit vitals at my hunting distances, but factor in adrenaline and the unknown - I don’t like the potential. My coyote load will shoot 1/2 MOA - doesn’t need to, but feels better knowing it can.

Just a clarification, you stated you use the longest case to set up your crimp dies and later state you use the shortest. Not sure if it’s a lack of my understanding or a typo on your end.

Best wishes for your hospital visit.
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:06 pm

I forgot you liked those 200 grainers! Someone asked me a few days ago and all I could remember was how you raved over the 225 FTXs! But wow! Thanks for the update Hoot. I will definitely look into this for my AR for pigs too!
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Bmt85 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:11 pm

It looks like Hoot said to set the seating die to the longest case length, and the crimp die to the shortest case length.
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Specter23 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:14 pm

Bmt85 wrote:It looks like Hoot said to set the seating die to the longest case length, and the crimp die to the shortest case length.



Thanks - like I said, misinterpretation on my end.
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Re: Hoot’s deer load?

Postby Papi » Thu May 16, 2019 10:23 pm

Gives me some thing to shoot for !
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