Your best plinking load?

[slash2]

For me, 230 gr FMJ in front of 38 grs of LilGun.

[Siringo]

240 grain Hornady XTP Mag. Winchester SR primer. 36.2 Grains of Lil'Gun. 2200+ fps out of a 16 inch pipe. 1 1/2" accuracy normal. Firm taper crimp.

This is my general shooting load.

[slash2]

240 grain Hornady XTP Mag. Winchester SR primer. 36.2 Grains of Lil'Gun. 2200+ fps out of a 16 inch pipe. 1 1/2" accuracy normal. Firm taper crimp.

This is my general shooting load.

I'm not getting that kind of accuracy with the 230 FMJ's, do you think 38grs is a little too hot? My notes say 2340fps.

[Siringo]

Are you using bullets with an exposed lead base? If you are, powder gases can distort the base which can hurt accuracy. I have not done any real testing with the 230 RN's. I did try some 230 TC's and did not get very good results and I attributed it to the smaller diameter. There was not a tremendous difference in the price so I stuck with the 240's. My best accuracy is with 250 gr FXT's, 300 gr Hornady HP's resized to .452 from .458 and the Hornady 240's.

When I get home and off the road I will post my loads. I put them on an excel sheet, but could not upload them.

[MudBug]

When I get home and off the road I will post my loads. I put them on an excel sheet, but could not upload them.

try it again. I accidentally gave permission for .xml instead of .xls

[slash2]

Are you using bullets with an exposed lead base? If you are, powder gases can distort the base which can hurt accuracy. I have not done any real testing with the 230 RN's. I did try some 230 TC's and did not get very good results and I attributed it to the smaller diameter. There was not a tremendous difference in the price so I stuck with the 240's. My best accuracy is with 250 gr FXT's, 300 gr Hornady HP's resized to .452 from .458 and the Hornady 240's.

When I get home and off the road I will post my loads. I put them on an excel sheet, but could not upload them.

Yes, the 250 gr Montana Gold bullets do have an exposed lead base and as I run my micrometer around the bullet the diameter measures from .4507 to .4518.

How much powder are you using with the 230's? I have a bunch of Zero 230 JHP, they're only .4507 but their diameter doesn't vary more than .0001.

[Siringo]

I got the load from you and I think I was using 38 grs as you are. It patterned more than it grouped. I attributed to the smaller diameter.

[BD1]

Well, I tried a couple of "plinking" loads yesterday using the 230 grain BDacp, (RNFP single groove, plain base cast boolit designed for the .45 acp). No joy. Groups of 8", 9", a foot at 100 yards using LilGun and unique in the 1,500 fps range. Poor accuracy, smoky and did not consistantly cycle the action. I can group them as well at 800 fps out of a 1911.
Back to the drawing board.

BD

[Siringo]

Is your barrel leading? When I was using the 405's I was getting some leading. With the same bullet in the 45-70 -- shoots clean. The rifling is pretty shallow in the 450B.

[BD1]

I had no real leading after 60 rounds, 50 gas checked, followed by 10 plain base. The 413 grain Lymans @ 1,000 left the hint of a gray wash, but no metalic lead on the patch. Cleaned up much easier than the first 200 rounds of jacketed. I scraped the bolt for the first time after a little over 300 rounds and did see some lead plating on top of the carbon build up at the rear of the bolt. In general, I'm feeling that what I've tried has been carrying too much lube as I've been getting plenty of smoke and fliers.
BD