50 caliber Dinosaur?

[neonmoon]

Went to the nearby public shooting range to test my go to load of 15/55, N110 over Alliant 10x duplex with 250 grain Hornady SST with MMP12 sabot. Tested this load in my all but stock, blue barreled Savage 10ML2 that finally is beginning to shoot well. Also tested a newly aquired 10ML2 whose action and stainless barrel was bought from the classified section of this board. I picked up this pristine thumbhole stock for $90 from a guy that I met at a local sporting goods store.

This beauty I really want to show off but I am not there yet with the accuracy but I am trying.

This 100 yard target shows some definite vertical stringing using 300 gr XTP and MMP24 sabot with 72 grains Alliant 10x. Definitely a deer killer but still lacking in the bench rest accuracy dept.

Old faithful.....blued barrel with a wooden stock that came from a Savage 10 series Varmiter in .243 with bull barrel. Notice the smallish 4x32 Weaver shotgun scope at only 8 oz. She is a gem but at only 4x not the best at very long range shooting.

This is the result of the shooting of the duplex load. Shot #1 is from a cleaned barrel, shots 2,3 and 4 measured at 5/8ths inch making the four shot grouping just under an inch.

I did some tinkering with some other experimental loads without much progress but just wanted to show that with some load testing and experimentation the old 50 caliber can hold it's own as a whitetail deer hunting muzzleloader.

Also noticed a shooter in the next stall had a very sturdy and effective looking shooting rest. He had actually attached the unit to the front of the bench by way of a bungee cord and that think didn't move an inch as he shot.

It is a ATK Shooters Ridge Zero Kick rest and the 25 lb weight was bought at Walmart for $9.95. The holes in the weight serve as a handle for this unit that weighs under 40 lbs with the weight. Notice the strap in the rear that cradles the butt of the gun. Front rest adjusts for elevation and windage. Rear rest adjust only for elevation while the four legs are supported by adjustable casters for leveling. I had been thinking of purshasing a Caldwell DFT Lead Sled but after seeing this one I will probably change my mind.

Does anyone have any experience with this shooting rest?

Doug

 

[Corncob]

Doug -
Great post!
The thumb-hole Savage is a bargin and a beaut.
The groups were impressive, and I tend to think the same regarding hunting loads and accuracy loads. However, I've never been tempted to tinker with duplex loads. That would be an endless pursuit for perfection for me. The combinations of bullets, powders without duplexing, sabots and to a lesser extent primers provides sufficient experimentation.

Regarding the sled. I've got a an original leadsled and think it's great, the upgraded version isn't worth the extra $ and your picture of the sled with the wieght looks like a model I'd like to own.

Best regards,
Cob

 

[neonmoon]

duplex

Doug -
Great post!
The thumb-hole Savage is a bargin and a beaut.
The groups were impressive, and I tend to think the same regarding hunting loads and accuracy loads. However, I've never been tempted to tinker with duplex loads. That would be an endless pursuit for perfection for me. The combinations of bullets, powders without duplexing, sabots and to a lesser extent primers provides sufficient experimentation.

Regarding the sled. I've got a an original leadsled and think it's great, the upgraded version isn't worth the extra $ and your picture of the sled with the wieght looks like a model I'd like to own.

Best regards,
Cob

Cob......duplex is very simple and effective for use of 250 grain bullets in the 50 caliber bore. Duplex isn't needed for 300 grain projectiles IMO. This particular load of 15/55 shoots 250 grainers to about 2600 fps. However it isn't speed that I am pursuing. It is accuracy and duplex seems to all but eliminate flyers if the right sabot is used. The consistent measurement of the booster powder, in this case N110, is critical for the duplex load to provide a reliable and consistent POI. Much more critical than the to the tenth of a grain exact measurement of the primary powder.

Doug

 

[squirrelhawker]

Went to the nearby public shooting range to test my go to load of 15/55, N110 over Alliant 10x duplex with 250 grain Hornady SST with MMP12 sabot. Tested this load in my all but stock, blue barreled Savage 10ML2 that finally is beginning to shoot well. Also tested a newly aquired 10ML2 whose action and stainless barrel was bought from the classified section of this board. I picked up this pristine thumbhole stock for $90 from a guy that I met at a local sporting goods store.

This beauty I really want to show off but I am not there yet with the accuracy but I am trying.

This 100 yard target shows some definite vertical stringing using 300 gr XTP and MMP24 sabot with 72 grains Alliant 10x. Definitely a deer killer but still lacking in the bench rest accuracy dept.

Old faithful.....blued barrel with a wooden stock that came from a Savage 10 series Varmiter in .243 with bull barrel. Notice the smallish 4x32 Weaver shotgun scope at only 8 oz. She is a gem but at only 4x not the best at very long range shooting.

This is the result of the shooting of the duplex load. Shot #1 is from a cleaned barrel, shots 2,3 and 4 measured at 5/8ths inch making the four shot grouping just under an inch.

I did some tinkering with some other experimental loads without much progress but just wanted to show that with some load testing and experimentation the old 50 caliber can hold it's own as a whitetail deer hunting muzzleloader.

Also noticed a shooter in the next stall had a very sturdy and effective looking shooting rest. He had actually attached the unit to the front of the bench by way of a bungee cord and that think didn't move an inch as he shot.

It is a ATK Shooters Ridge Zero Kick rest and the 25 lb weight was bought at Walmart for $9.95. The holes in the weight serve as a handle for this unit that weighs under 40 lbs with the weight. Notice the strap in the rear that cradles the butt of the gun. Front rest adjusts for elevation and windage. Rear rest adjust only for elevation while the four legs are supported by adjustable casters for leveling. I had been thinking of purshasing a Caldwell DFT Lead Sled but after seeing this one I will probably change my mind.

Does anyone have any experience with this shooting rest?

Doug

No experience but I have been eyeballing them for a while in my catalog I have a caldwell..but not the DFT...the first one. Not a bad rest actually.

 

[squirrelhawker]

Re: duplex

Doug -
Great post!
The thumb-hole Savage is a bargin and a beaut.
The groups were impressive, and I tend to think the same regarding hunting loads and accuracy loads. However, I've never been tempted to tinker with duplex loads. That would be an endless pursuit for perfection for me. The combinations of bullets, powders without duplexing, sabots and to a lesser extent primers provides sufficient experimentation.

Regarding the sled. I've got a an original leadsled and think it's great, the upgraded version isn't worth the extra $ and your picture of the sled with the wieght looks like a model I'd like to own.

Best regards,
Cob

Cob......duplex is very simple and effective for use of 250 grain bullets in the 50 caliber bore. Duplex isn't needed for 300 grain projectiles IMO. This particular load of 15/55 shoots 250 grainers to about 2600 fps. However it isn't speed that I am pursuing. It is accuracy and duplex seems to all but eliminate flyers if the right sabot is used. The consistent measurement of the booster powder, in this case N110, is critical for the duplex load to provide a reliable and consistent POI. Much more critical than the to the tenth of a grain exact measurement of the primary powder.

Doug

The duplex loads are interesting. Never have tried them. I get less than 1" groups at 100 yd with 35-36 gr. N110 or 38 gr 4759 and the 250 SST, but the velocity is mild...2100 tops.