Finally got out to the range this afternoon. Was still searching for a good 300gr Speer load. H4198 & R7 weren't cutting it in this rifle. Thought I would try H322, WW cases, BR2 primers. Book max is 63gr. I only had time ( Lee Kay range works 'Banker's Hrs, close @ 4PM) to use the 50yd range. I took my shorty, MG bbl 1895, which I just had a new front bead put on, along with a Limbsaver pad, Happy trigger and an 8" Mercury Recoil Reducer put in the butt.
I zeroed my peep at 25yds with my Hornady 350RN (1980fps) to hit "center" of my bead, then moved the target to 50yds. Using a six oclock hold on about a 4" square, I was hitting about 2" left and 1.5 to 2" high. First 2 shots of 61gr H322 went in same hole, third dropped down a inch. I moved the FP peep over 12 clicks to the right. My next load of 62 grains H322 all made a nice cloverleaf .58" group, almost center & 1.5" high over top of bead. Sweet. I will try 63gr later. Recoil was, well, let's just say the recoil reducer was just a good "idea", ha, it didn't help at all! It may make a diff shooting in the field. I had to really hunker down, hold my mouth right and trust the planets to align properly to get a good group, whew! But it isn't a plinker anyhow. Had no time to chrono, that will come next when I finesse my zero at 100yds.
Now, I also tried just 3 rds of the Hornady 265FTX factory load out of my 444P. It was zeroed last time with the Speer .429 300 UC spot on at 100yds. At fifty, I was centered, about 3" high and went into .71" average. It will work out real nice for longer range deer,etc. I am leaving my 300 Speers set dead on at 100, will check how high the 265 hits there and determine exact zero from there. 95 degrees out here today, whew!
I zeroed my peep at 25yds with my Hornady 350RN (1980fps) to hit "center" of my bead, then moved the target to 50yds. Using a six oclock hold on about a 4" square, I was hitting about 2" left and 1.5 to 2" high. First 2 shots of 61gr H322 went in same hole, third dropped down a inch. I moved the FP peep over 12 clicks to the right. My next load of 62 grains H322 all made a nice cloverleaf .58" group, almost center & 1.5" high over top of bead. Sweet. I will try 63gr later. Recoil was, well, let's just say the recoil reducer was just a good "idea", ha, it didn't help at all! It may make a diff shooting in the field. I had to really hunker down, hold my mouth right and trust the planets to align properly to get a good group, whew! But it isn't a plinker anyhow. Had no time to chrono, that will come next when I finesse my zero at 100yds.
Now, I also tried just 3 rds of the Hornady 265FTX factory load out of my 444P. It was zeroed last time with the Speer .429 300 UC spot on at 100yds. At fifty, I was centered, about 3" high and went into .71" average. It will work out real nice for longer range deer,etc. I am leaving my 300 Speers set dead on at 100, will check how high the 265 hits there and determine exact zero from there. 95 degrees out here today, whew!