WARNING! This post may contain loading data that, while safe in The Bull’s guns, may be hazardous in yours. The Bull takes absolutely zero responsibility for anyone using this data to blow their gun – or themselves – to bits. Use common sense and careful, safe, reloading practices. Reduce any load you find for your gun on the web by 15% and work up slowly. Remember- Safety First!
What a hell-of-a-nice day!
The temperature here reached 70 degrees on Tuesday, with tons of sunshine to boot. (Even now, at 3:30 AM, it is 60 degrees!) It was a day not to be wasted by anyone, so off I went to the Pascagoula DCM range with two rifles, a revolver, and two repainted mil-surplus ammo boxes fully loaded. It being Tuesday I knew I’d not be alone. The Old Farts Club was out in force enjoying the day and burning a few hundred .22 long rifle rounds. The occassional .30-30 or .257 Roberts round not withstanding, Tuesday is the day for rimfire shooting down at the 200 meter line. I seemed to fit right in carrying my Dad’s old .22 cal. Marlin 39A, (which pre-dating the gold trigger and micro-groove rifling by decades), as well as my Winchester Trapper and Ruger New Vaquero – both in .45 Colt.
I plinked a bit at ‘targets of opportunity’, (i.e.: bits of clay birds on the 50m berm), with the old .22 while waiting on a break in the really long range action at the far end of the line. A couple of our boys in uniform were up there shooting at the 600 meter and 1000m lines. It actually sounded quite nice. The regular crack of a rifle followed a second later by the deep ringing of a gong far away… Anyhoo, I finally got a chance to post targets and set up my chonograph. You see, I was on a mission to finally finish the velocity end of a load developement project for my .45 Colt chambered weapons – and so I did! First up was the Ruger New Vaquero and the handgun testing of several loads I had tried out in the Winchester last month. All used a Beartooth 280gr. WFN-GC cast bullet over varying amounts, (9.4 to 10.2 grains), of Accurate #5 powder. The maximum recommended load was given to me by Beartooth’s founder, Marshall Stanton. I have to admit that I was somewhat concerned using this load in my ‘baby’, but it turned out that Marshal new what he was talking about. The load, even at 10% below the recommended powder level, was supremely accurate in the Trapper, and fairly so in the RNV. I think with some tweaking the load will be a dandy for hunting purposes. Especially on big tusker hogs.
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The real eye-opener for me today was the 265gr. WFN-GC Cast Performance load. Once I got my velocity data I set about seriously seeing what I could do on a target. Turns out that there may be hope for my old shooting ability after all! Oh, I never was a Davy Crockett, but I’ve made my share of fine shots over the years and have won my share of local matches. Still, I’m kinda proud of the groups I fired with this load. Especially considering my health and how long it’s been since I’ve had real practice. Not to mention the fixed sights on the Ruger and iron sights (though peep) on the Winchester.
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Still, for those that say the .45 Colt can’t be accurate I see these targets as proof otherwise. Notice the two holes on the right side of the rifle target. That is a load using two .451″ round balls loaded into a .45 Colt case over 6 grains of Unique powder. The round was fired at 25 meters before I moved the target stand back to 50 meters. It appears that the load pulls to the left badly as I was actually aiming at the target mounted to the right of this one! However, I flinched badly, I admit, so it may not pull as bad as it seems. That dual-ball load clocked at 750 ft. per sec. Firing six rounds and hitting twelve. Hmmm…. That has possibilities. Think I’ll load up 25 more rounds or so and work on this line some more.
There is something about shootist and the brotherhood thereof. In no way can I be considered a “normal looking” fellow. Not with a shaved head, tattoos, and the piercings. Yet I show up at a range populated by military personel and retirees and I’m accepted without pause or a second look. I promise, that doesn’t happen on the street. Good people, shootist. Got kids? Teach them respect of life and how to shoot safely. Then take them shooting and hunting – often.
Until later,
Omar, out.
