load development

[wildcatter]

Well then, maybe they'll work. The tale of the Tape, at the Range, will yield the final facts. Make sure you keep us in the loop and go get'em..

..t

[Hoot]

Given the similarities, I wondered if General was selling Barnes' seconds. Looking at your examples, I'm not wondering anymore. When I get around to the 200gr XPB's, I'll pay the piper and just buy the Barnes. If you don't run a fast powder with those light bullets, you need to lay on a lot of neck tension to hold them back until the slower powders get turned on real good.

Hoot

[pitted bore]

Got the General bullets in today, seriously the QL guy was either a heavy sleeper or on some serious cold medicine.

Loaded up 20 test loads, had to crimp the heck out of them just to get them to stay put. Next up shooting.

rohk-
Some of us would be really interested in the results of your range tests, including any problems that showed up.

Could you let us know what powder(s) and what charge weights you used, with what primers ?

Thanks.
--Bob

[rohk]

Shot the 160 test loads sunday. Started at 50 grains lil'gun went to 51.5 in .5 steps. Best group was at 51 grains, pic below, will load around 51 gr. for next test batch. Group was 1.232". Set the OAL long and ended up single loading them so OAL will be set to a shorter 2.106.

OAL - 2.25"
primer - rem 7 1/2
brass - horanady used in first test, new for second
powder - lil'gun
bullets - moly'd

[Hoot]

Good Lord! they had to be smokin' with that much powder. any sense for whether much of it went out the barrel unburned? Fireball? Louder than average? I don't suppose you shot them over a chrony? I'm not so much into the 350gr creepers since the biggest, prevalent game around here is white tails. That is what attracts me to the 200gr stuff. I'd bet you broke the 3K barrier with them.

BTW, nice group!

Hoot

[rohk]

No fireballs, and it might have been slightly quieter if anything. my chrono was playing tricks on me during the 160 tests, but guessing by what i think were good readings among the bad, mid to high 2900 fps.

I used Quick load to develop a max load then backed off a decent amount.

[commander faschisto]

Heh...I'm waiting to see one of these 450b loads doing a "Johnny Cash", like in the avatar for mnhornet...the "burnin' ring of fire" Bring some marshmallows and a stick!

Geez, Louise....you really think a 230gr FMJ will punch 5/8" steel? I can't wait.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

If all goes as planned, we are gonna try the 230 FMJs on some .421" steel plate soon.

[Hoot]

Had to run an errand for work up near the local Cabelas and wanted to pick up some Speer .308 HotCors. Much to my dismay, my Cabelas didn't have a single box of Speer bullets. They suck in terms of reloading components, with only half of one side of one aisle having raw bullets. Plenty of Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, bagged Winchester and Barnes, but no Speer. I normally get them at the local reloading shop, but he's out. Hope things are going okay for Speer.

Anyway, I spied the Barnes 200gr XPBs so I bought a box and will do some testing in the next week of so, including the milk jugs filled with water, lined up and taped down to a 2x10, like I did for the FTXs. Perhaps get a video like I did for the 225's. I work with copper bar stock, plates, rounds, etc as part of my job and really appreciate the element. Anyway, they sure are handsome.
At a buck a piece, they ought to be!

Hoot

[mnhornet]

Heh...I'm waiting to see one of these 450b loads doing a "Johnny Cash", like in the avatar for mnhornet...the "burnin' ring of fire" Bring some marshmallows and a stick!

Geez, Louise....you really think a 230gr FMJ will punch 5/8" steel? I can't wait.

That's my buddy Dan Coonan shooting his .357 auto at the Zombie shoot last year. The timing of the picture proves
even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while. Highjack over please continue.