Optima at 200 & 300yds

[RickAz1]

After reading the comments and advice in my 200 yard session I headed back to my loading bench and dumped the lanes tubes I had left from that day, which had been loaded with 110 g by volume of BH 209.  I wieghed my charges on the scale at 77g by wieght and re-loaded my tubes.  Then just waited for my re-supply to come in from Carlos.  I was shooting Harvester Pt Gold 300g bullets in that last session.  This time I ordered PT Gold 260 grainers.  When they arrived I made it out (earlier this week) to re-zero my rifle at 100 yds with the new bullets.  I put several bullets on the scale and they wieghed between 262 and 264 grains.  I did work at different distances that day but the photos below are todays session at 200 and 300 yards.  I fired 5 shots at each distance. 

CVA Optima SS
Bushnell DOA 250 3x9x40
Harvester PT Gold 260g
Harvester smooth black sabots
Federal 209A primers
BH 209 powder @ 77g by wieght

55 degrees, 65% humidity, clear and no wind to speak of.

This is 200 yards, five shots, elevating 2 dots below the crosshairs.              

300 yards holding on the ^ below the 250 yard dot.  Shot 4 hit just below <a href='/tags/2' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #2'>#2</a> off the target.  This is my second try at 300 yards with this rifle.  The pasters cover the 300 yard shots I took earlier this week with the same load.  Will keep working on these longer distances and apprciate any advise you guys have.  (Still have my eye on that MR nitrate some day.  Can't have too many guns, just have to get another safe.)

 

[exMember]

The fact that you are even on paper at 300 yards with an "Entry"level Optima is awesome! :ttups: That shows how good these barrels are today. I can not see anything to complain about. Excellent shooting!

 

[Underclocked]

Awesome shooting!  The 200 looks good and the 300 isn't bad at all.  Did you try the 300 grain PT Golds.

 

[dlethcoe]

Great shooting, try the 300's and see what happens, otherwise very nice shooting.


Dave

 

[RickAz1]

The 300 grain PT golds shot 1 inch or under at 100 yards.  If you check my "200 yard session" post you will see my group at 200.  It wasn't bad for the first time at that range.  I was measuring my loads by volume at the time.  Did not try them beyond 200 before I ran out.  I really like the performance of both, and for the money they are hard to beat.

 

[dlethcoe]

I know they perform great on deer and coyotes, both of them.



Dave

 

[RickAz1]

I am going to try 300's.  Want to use those for bigger game, like bear.  We have cyotes here and I look forward to seeing what the 260's do.  I was pleased I was on paper at 300.  Don't plan on shooting at game at that distance, but I wanted to push this gun to see what it, (and I) can do.

 

[anaconda44]

The fact that you are even on paper at 300 yards with an "Entry"level Optima is awesome! :ttups: That shows how good these barrels are today. I can not see anything to complain about. Excellent shooting!

when I was at my gun club last month . guys were helping me by letting me try there muzzleloader and I watched them shoot.
you can read it under my cva accura or tc pro hunter fx advise   

posts. the optima v2 shot the best better than the accura. go figure.
but they all had leupold scopes and they were using cadwell and a another brand shooting rests.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Hello RickAZ, 

I was wondering what are you using for a bench rest?  If you mentioned it I missed it.  That is impressive shooting.  Great job!

 

[Jim508]

Nice job!  That is very impressive.

 

[Anonymous]

Since you own a weigh scale and use it, have you ever 'individually' weighed those inexpensive PT Golds?

Your target shots are very good. What's behind that target, to cause the paper depression? Is that a gray fiber sheet?

 

[Muley Hunter]

He has the weights in his post for the bullets. 262-264gr.

 

[RickAz1]

Sorry to be so late getting back,  January is busy.  I use one of those tripod rest for the front, then a rolled up mexican blanket to steady the rear.  (this is Arizona).  Just never got around to picking up a set of shooting bags.  The targets are sitting on my garage counter when I took the pictures.  I have 300 gr Pt golds now but with my scope back at Bushnell the gun is down right now.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Well the tripod rest and the rolled up Mexican blanket seems to be working pretty good!  Are the Mexican blankets on sale?  

 

[RickAz1]

I get mine in Mexico, $20 bucks, hand made.  They also make great truck seat covers.