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- Dec 20, 2022
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Took the Renegade out back for another shooting session this afternoon, and had some interesting results.
First round of 5 shots were Hornady Great Plains (HGP) sized to .501, pan lubed with SPG - Idaho (SPG-I: 8 oz SPG + 1 oz ALOX + 2.6 oz Stihl Ultra HD 2 cycle oil), over 60 grs (weighed - W) of T7 3F, all shot through a Caldwell Ballistics chronograph. Bullets loaded much more smoothly than bullets in previous sessions that were lubed with pure SPG. No lead flecks on between-shots patches. Wild fluctuations in velocity - low about 1172, high 1480. Poor accuracy, but no wild fliers. The load seemed to be burning very dirty, and leaving lots of debris and unburned powder on between-shots patches I was using an old bottle of T7 which was first opened in 2016. It had been stored in a ziplock inside of a good Army ammo can in dry climates. Earlier this year I shot groups of roughly 2 inches at 50 yards with this powder, so I'd thought it was fine. Decided to try T7 3F from a bottle purchased in December 2022 which had been stored in an Army ammo can, and had never been opened.
Second round of 5 shots with loads identical to the first. No flecks of lead on patches, velocity very consistent: High of 1381, low of 1370. Excellent accuracy - group size 1.5 inches. To test the lube, I decided to increase the powder charge to 70 grs W.
Third round of 5 shots were HGP sized to .501, pan lubed with SPG-I, over 70 grs W of new T7 3F, all shot through Caldwell Chrony. No flecks of lead on between-shots patches. Velocities varied between 1481 and 1577. Accuracy was poor (about 3 inch group), but by this time light was starting to fail, I was in something of a hurry because I had several things to do before a scheduled meeting, and I called the 2d and 5th shots as fliers. So.... I'm not going to pass judgement on the accuracy of this load, but I'm concerned about the fluctuations in velocity.
Thoughts and conclusions:
1. SPG-I is a big improvement in the lube. Up to velocities of close to 1600 fps, it appears to have solved the leading problem.
2. The Renegade is capable of fine accuracy - provided that it's fed the right load, and I do my part.
3. Using a smaller peep seems to have solved the horizontal stringing I observed in the last shooting session. In this session, the shot strings appear to be vertical. I suspect that this is due to the limits of my ability to tell whether the top of the post is really on the bottom of the 2 inch orange bullseyes that I'm using. Maybe a little larger bullseye would help?
4. The old powder used in the first 5 shots really does seem to be the culprit for wild velocity fluctuations observed in those 5 shots. Notes to self: 1) Continue storing powder in ziplocks inside good ammo cans with dessicant, but don't use T7 that's been open for more than a year; and 2) Use the chronograph whenever developing loads for hunting, plinking, etc.
5. Velocity fluctuations of + or - 50 fps in the third round of 5 shots is a bit puzzling. Absent wild fluctuations in accuracy caused by powder gasses blowing past damaged bullets, the velocity fluctuations have to be caused by inconsistent powder burns. Some possibilities I've thought of are:
a. Inconsistent ignition caused by fouling in the flash channel. These 5 shots were the 11th through the 15th without any flash channel cleaning. I should shoot 5 more of the 70 grs W loads starting with a clean rifle before passing judgement on this load.
b. Maybe 70 grs W of T7 - 3F is too much powder to be uniformly ignited by the CCI #11 caps I've been using. I have some RWS caps, and they make a significantly louder pop and throw a lot more sparks, when I pop them in the rifle to clear rust preventive oil out of the flash channel before a shooting session. Maybe I should try the RWS caps the next time out.
c. Maybe the fast, hot-burning nature of T7 - 3F creates inconsistent burning dynamics in big charges. I should compare results with T7 - 3F to results with similar loads of T7 - 2F.
d. Maybe the 70 grs W charges are deforming the hollow bases of the HGPs, and creating an inconsistent rear seal on the bullets. I should try using a wad under the bullets.
6. The 60 grs W loads of new T7 - 3F that produced a 1.5 inch group at 50 yards and 1380 fps will probably kill an elk just fine out to 100 yards, provided that I don't try to shoot through heavy muscles or bones to reach vitals. Nevertheless, I'd be more comfortable with a bit more velocity, and will therefore focus on getting improved accuracy with a 70 grs W or even a 75 grs W load.
So.... Whaddya think? All comments and experience are deeply appreciated!!!
First round of 5 shots were Hornady Great Plains (HGP) sized to .501, pan lubed with SPG - Idaho (SPG-I: 8 oz SPG + 1 oz ALOX + 2.6 oz Stihl Ultra HD 2 cycle oil), over 60 grs (weighed - W) of T7 3F, all shot through a Caldwell Ballistics chronograph. Bullets loaded much more smoothly than bullets in previous sessions that were lubed with pure SPG. No lead flecks on between-shots patches. Wild fluctuations in velocity - low about 1172, high 1480. Poor accuracy, but no wild fliers. The load seemed to be burning very dirty, and leaving lots of debris and unburned powder on between-shots patches I was using an old bottle of T7 which was first opened in 2016. It had been stored in a ziplock inside of a good Army ammo can in dry climates. Earlier this year I shot groups of roughly 2 inches at 50 yards with this powder, so I'd thought it was fine. Decided to try T7 3F from a bottle purchased in December 2022 which had been stored in an Army ammo can, and had never been opened.
Second round of 5 shots with loads identical to the first. No flecks of lead on patches, velocity very consistent: High of 1381, low of 1370. Excellent accuracy - group size 1.5 inches. To test the lube, I decided to increase the powder charge to 70 grs W.
Third round of 5 shots were HGP sized to .501, pan lubed with SPG-I, over 70 grs W of new T7 3F, all shot through Caldwell Chrony. No flecks of lead on between-shots patches. Velocities varied between 1481 and 1577. Accuracy was poor (about 3 inch group), but by this time light was starting to fail, I was in something of a hurry because I had several things to do before a scheduled meeting, and I called the 2d and 5th shots as fliers. So.... I'm not going to pass judgement on the accuracy of this load, but I'm concerned about the fluctuations in velocity.
Thoughts and conclusions:
1. SPG-I is a big improvement in the lube. Up to velocities of close to 1600 fps, it appears to have solved the leading problem.
2. The Renegade is capable of fine accuracy - provided that it's fed the right load, and I do my part.
3. Using a smaller peep seems to have solved the horizontal stringing I observed in the last shooting session. In this session, the shot strings appear to be vertical. I suspect that this is due to the limits of my ability to tell whether the top of the post is really on the bottom of the 2 inch orange bullseyes that I'm using. Maybe a little larger bullseye would help?
4. The old powder used in the first 5 shots really does seem to be the culprit for wild velocity fluctuations observed in those 5 shots. Notes to self: 1) Continue storing powder in ziplocks inside good ammo cans with dessicant, but don't use T7 that's been open for more than a year; and 2) Use the chronograph whenever developing loads for hunting, plinking, etc.
5. Velocity fluctuations of + or - 50 fps in the third round of 5 shots is a bit puzzling. Absent wild fluctuations in accuracy caused by powder gasses blowing past damaged bullets, the velocity fluctuations have to be caused by inconsistent powder burns. Some possibilities I've thought of are:
a. Inconsistent ignition caused by fouling in the flash channel. These 5 shots were the 11th through the 15th without any flash channel cleaning. I should shoot 5 more of the 70 grs W loads starting with a clean rifle before passing judgement on this load.
b. Maybe 70 grs W of T7 - 3F is too much powder to be uniformly ignited by the CCI #11 caps I've been using. I have some RWS caps, and they make a significantly louder pop and throw a lot more sparks, when I pop them in the rifle to clear rust preventive oil out of the flash channel before a shooting session. Maybe I should try the RWS caps the next time out.
c. Maybe the fast, hot-burning nature of T7 - 3F creates inconsistent burning dynamics in big charges. I should compare results with T7 - 3F to results with similar loads of T7 - 2F.
d. Maybe the 70 grs W charges are deforming the hollow bases of the HGPs, and creating an inconsistent rear seal on the bullets. I should try using a wad under the bullets.
6. The 60 grs W loads of new T7 - 3F that produced a 1.5 inch group at 50 yards and 1380 fps will probably kill an elk just fine out to 100 yards, provided that I don't try to shoot through heavy muscles or bones to reach vitals. Nevertheless, I'd be more comfortable with a bit more velocity, and will therefore focus on getting improved accuracy with a 70 grs W or even a 75 grs W load.
So.... Whaddya think? All comments and experience are deeply appreciated!!!