tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,019
- 2
Between some family issues and moving into a new home in August, I've had ZERO time to fiddle with rifles this year, so I am relying on rifles that were "done" last year.
I shot my 300WSM when I verified the 257 Roberts as well for my daughter's October rifle hunt. The 300 was on the mark where I'd left it last, and shot just under 1" at 100, 1.5" high, which is where it should be, since I zeroed it at 200 (different range) last year. Good. That's shooting a 180pt at 2975. Should drop about 6.5-7" at 300, which is what I'd observed on the 300 yard range last year as well.
Today I took 4 more rifles that were essentially "done".... 270 Winchester, 30-06, 45-70, and 264WM. My worry on the 264 was I know the load is slightly hot, and it needs to be dialed back. My hope was I could squeak by another year with it, and I wanted to shoot it in more moderate temps (it was 48 at the range and I was in the shade).
Results---
270: first shot was a bit higher than I wanted, landing about 3.5" high at 100. Second shot hit within an inch, about the same elevation. Made an adjustment. Next shot hit about 1.4" high. Made an adjustment. Next two hit overlapping in the absolute center of the target dot, which is 1.5" above the 6 o'clock position on the dot where I was aiming. With a 150BT running 2900-ish, that's where I wanted it. Done.
30-06: 2 shots, nearly touching, almost punched out the black in the center of the dot...same 1.5" high at 100. Running a 165gr PT at 2700 (pokey load, I know, but it shoots well, and is super, super reliable), that's the zero I wanted. Done.
45-70: Hit about 4" high. Made an adjustment and over-compensated (the old VariX-III on it is a decent scope, but H-A-T-E friction-adjust dials). Hit about 3" low. Another adjustment and it was on the mark, dead on, at 100. That's with 350gr Kodiaks. Probably wouldn't be dumb to nudge it up a bit, but I have to load more ammo, so I called it good. Shot about an inch, maybe 1.5", at 100. Good.
264: #$$%#@#%$@#**%(@q@($#@#!!!!! Bolt lift wasn't bad, but groups flat out SUCKED. Like, 3" at 100. Same load has given me repeated groups at 300 of under 3", so I'm not sure what's up. Same jug of powder, but I developed the load in the summer heat, so I'm wondering how temp sensitive RL33 is, and if the cooler temps are changing the ballistics enough to mess with it. Regardless, back to the drawing board on it, and I don't see it being hunted this year. Bummer, because I'd planned to do just that.
So at this point, I have the 300WSM, 270, 30-06, and 45-70 all good to go. I won't be in bad shape for hunting season. Just don't have the rifles I wanted ready, that's all. My projects for next spring will be my 300H&H, 35 Whelen, and now the 264. I think I know what to do to get the 300H&H and 35W happy again, now the 264 just feels like I need to make a fresh start and work it out again. Once I get my daughter's 7WSM running, I guess I'll work out a hot-rod 100gr PT load for the 257, too. I like the terminal results it gave on her deer with her reduced loads, so I want to put some oomph behind that bullet and see a good 300-yard rifle out of it, which I'm sure it can be.
So....goal next year....ALL rifles done, ready, good to hunt, by the end of May.
I'm laughing at myself right now, because it sounds impossible, but I'm gonna give it my best and see if I can it done.
The good thing is that the 150BT load in the 270 and 300PT load in the 300WSM give nearly identical drop tables...within 1" +/- out to 400 yards. Both loads were shot to 300 last year and verified against the drop tables, which makes me feel good about both the speeds I recorded on the chrono and the validity of the drops I calculated. So, with either rifle, on the mark at 200, -3" at 250, -6.5/7" at 300, -12/13" at 350, and -20" at 400. Should work...
I shot my 300WSM when I verified the 257 Roberts as well for my daughter's October rifle hunt. The 300 was on the mark where I'd left it last, and shot just under 1" at 100, 1.5" high, which is where it should be, since I zeroed it at 200 (different range) last year. Good. That's shooting a 180pt at 2975. Should drop about 6.5-7" at 300, which is what I'd observed on the 300 yard range last year as well.
Today I took 4 more rifles that were essentially "done".... 270 Winchester, 30-06, 45-70, and 264WM. My worry on the 264 was I know the load is slightly hot, and it needs to be dialed back. My hope was I could squeak by another year with it, and I wanted to shoot it in more moderate temps (it was 48 at the range and I was in the shade).
Results---
270: first shot was a bit higher than I wanted, landing about 3.5" high at 100. Second shot hit within an inch, about the same elevation. Made an adjustment. Next shot hit about 1.4" high. Made an adjustment. Next two hit overlapping in the absolute center of the target dot, which is 1.5" above the 6 o'clock position on the dot where I was aiming. With a 150BT running 2900-ish, that's where I wanted it. Done.
30-06: 2 shots, nearly touching, almost punched out the black in the center of the dot...same 1.5" high at 100. Running a 165gr PT at 2700 (pokey load, I know, but it shoots well, and is super, super reliable), that's the zero I wanted. Done.
45-70: Hit about 4" high. Made an adjustment and over-compensated (the old VariX-III on it is a decent scope, but H-A-T-E friction-adjust dials). Hit about 3" low. Another adjustment and it was on the mark, dead on, at 100. That's with 350gr Kodiaks. Probably wouldn't be dumb to nudge it up a bit, but I have to load more ammo, so I called it good. Shot about an inch, maybe 1.5", at 100. Good.
264: #$$%#@#%$@#**%(@q@($#@#!!!!! Bolt lift wasn't bad, but groups flat out SUCKED. Like, 3" at 100. Same load has given me repeated groups at 300 of under 3", so I'm not sure what's up. Same jug of powder, but I developed the load in the summer heat, so I'm wondering how temp sensitive RL33 is, and if the cooler temps are changing the ballistics enough to mess with it. Regardless, back to the drawing board on it, and I don't see it being hunted this year. Bummer, because I'd planned to do just that.
So at this point, I have the 300WSM, 270, 30-06, and 45-70 all good to go. I won't be in bad shape for hunting season. Just don't have the rifles I wanted ready, that's all. My projects for next spring will be my 300H&H, 35 Whelen, and now the 264. I think I know what to do to get the 300H&H and 35W happy again, now the 264 just feels like I need to make a fresh start and work it out again. Once I get my daughter's 7WSM running, I guess I'll work out a hot-rod 100gr PT load for the 257, too. I like the terminal results it gave on her deer with her reduced loads, so I want to put some oomph behind that bullet and see a good 300-yard rifle out of it, which I'm sure it can be.
So....goal next year....ALL rifles done, ready, good to hunt, by the end of May.
I'm laughing at myself right now, because it sounds impossible, but I'm gonna give it my best and see if I can it done.
The good thing is that the 150BT load in the 270 and 300PT load in the 300WSM give nearly identical drop tables...within 1" +/- out to 400 yards. Both loads were shot to 300 last year and verified against the drop tables, which makes me feel good about both the speeds I recorded on the chrono and the validity of the drops I calculated. So, with either rifle, on the mark at 200, -3" at 250, -6.5/7" at 300, -12/13" at 350, and -20" at 400. Should work...
