Sure is quiet around here, what's everyone shooting these days?

[D. Sanders]

My go to load for my Hornet has been 40 gr Vmax, Lil-gun powder, and a Rem 6 1/2 primer. I'm not playing with sub sonic loads though.

Those are the exact components I'll be using if I ever find one of those round tuits.

[BobT]

Took a couple of AR's to the range yesterday afternoon along with a few guys from work. I took a new to me .350 Legend along and shot a few rounds through it. I didn't shoot the .350 a lot but it seems like it wants to shoot so I may play around with it some this summer.

[Mjshell]

Well put off chores today and headed to the bench. Shot my 257AI ladder and narrowed down a starting powder charge weight. Then picked two loads and loaded 3 rounds of each. Faster load (2800 fps) was disappointing at 3” group. The second group loaded at 2700 fps produced a .6 group( 2 ragged hole with one out) will work on tweaking the load. Head space was a tad long.

Then shot my 226jdj and 280AI. They were shooting 18” high. Last time I shot them was at the Big Piney shoot last year. They were sighted in at 600 yards.

Then broke out a couple of revolvers. Ruger 38 special and a S&W Governor. Had never pulled the trigger on the Governor, Shot 45 acp, 45 Colt, and 410 buckshot. The Governor shot all three close to point of aim at 7 yards.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Took the 2x fixed Leupold off of my 256 barrel and mounted a Burris 4-14x rifle scope instead. Not worried about eye relief, as the pistol barely moves during recoil. I did have to top out the height adjustment in the "up" direction to get it roughly bore sighted where there Leupold was. ( I compared both with my laser bore sighter to hopefully be on paper with the new scope).

Anyway, it does kind of look ridiculous to have such a monster scope on it, but at least I should be able to shoot for group size now. I may leave it on after load development, or I may hunt down a "proper" handgun scope for it.


Forgot to put up a picture:

[Kylongrifle]

I'm curious what bullet you're shooting from your 6 TCU? I'm shooting the long extinct Hornady 80 gr SSP bullets from mine (carbine), and I haven't found a suitable replacement that shoots even half as good ( I do have a small horde of them left, but sooner or later...).

Slim
I'm using the 65gr V-max In my 14 inch MGM pistol barrel with very good results. My 6mm TCU is used for varmint hunting only. I had a 20 inch carbine barrel that shot the 75gr Speers HP's very well. My 14 inch 6mm PPC will put 5 of the 75 gr Speers HP's into one jagged hole at 100 yards if I do my part.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Slim
I'm using the 65gr V-max In my 14 inch MGM pistol barrel with very good results. My 6mm TCU is used for varmint hunting only. I had a 20 inch carbine barrel that shot the 75gr Speers HP's very well. My 14 inch 6mm PPC will put 5 of the 75 gr Speers HP's into one jagged hole at 100 yards if I do my part.

Thanks Ky

[Slowpoke Slim]

I put some more test loads together for the 256 this week. Weather has been bad (mostly windy, but some rain), so haven't tried them yet.

I did bite the bullet and buy some IMR 4227 (at $50/lb!) to try next. Sure hated to pay that pirate price though.

I also swapped over my other target stock set onto the Hornet, so can shoot better off of the front rest/rear bag that I typically bench shoot with.

Here's an old picture of the same set (also with the Hornet barrel on it).



Back to Mayo next week, but hopefully the week after I can get out and try the new loads for the 256 win.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Got a little range time in this morning before it gets hot out.

Tried a couple more loads with the IMR 4198. Nothing to write home about (the first group printed so high, it was actually on the target above (hornet target-far upper right side)):



Was having trouble settling down on the bench behind the short eye relief scope, but that isn't accounting for all of that group size.

Then I tried 3 loads with the gold plated IMR 4227 (at $50/lb.):



Center target was load #1, bottom left was #2, and bottom right #3. 5 shots each. Bottom left is 4 into one hole and then I muffed one. Going to load #2 & #3 again and try again. I'm woefully out of practice, which I "proved" to myself by shooting the Hornet:



This load has been a proven "one-holer" in the past. That frame has a better trigger to boot. Fired 2 groups, one in center and one bottom right. I finally started settling down on shot 3-5 on bottom right.

It was getting hot fast, so I packed it up. No shade out on this little Game and Fish provided range:

[sunnysmarine]

slowpoke, I have more days like that now than ever before, I like those benches obviously not in CA, I did pick up a mid priced 10x10 shade canopy not simple to set up by your self but doable keeps the melon from baking