Kent Goldings
.357 mag
I've been experimenting with a load for my Savage Axis 2 223 Remington to push the limits of the 223 cartridge. I am limited with a 1:9 twist rate. The barrel has a sporter profile, I think Savage was thinking of Varmint or even small deer.
Earlier this year, I restocked it with a pillar bedded Boyd's AT-ONE thumbhole stock and I broke down and replaced the Savage accutrigger with a Timney replacement. The accutrigger had begun to act a little squirrely.
I been loading these Sierra Match-King 69 grain HP over 25 grains of Hodgdon H4895 using some Norma brass that ther rifle really loves. The muzzle velocity was pushing 3100 fps Even though 25 grains was well within what the Sierra reloading manual specified, I was getting all sorts of overpressure signs. So, I backed down the load to charge to 24 grains. The resulting muzzle velocity was just below 3000 fps, but I had no more signs of over pressure.
The ballistic calculator indicated that the load would be supersonic to 750 yards. So, I put my sights at 700 yards.
The shooting conditions were abysmal. I had to review the video recording just to verify that hit the target. The last two shots were at the small IPSC to 700 yards. I though by the motion of the target that I was hitting farther left. So I overcompensated a bit. Still, it does seem to be grouping at 700 yards.
My dream is to stretch the rifle to at least 800 yards. But, I might have to up the bullet weight.
Earlier this year, I restocked it with a pillar bedded Boyd's AT-ONE thumbhole stock and I broke down and replaced the Savage accutrigger with a Timney replacement. The accutrigger had begun to act a little squirrely.
I been loading these Sierra Match-King 69 grain HP over 25 grains of Hodgdon H4895 using some Norma brass that ther rifle really loves. The muzzle velocity was pushing 3100 fps Even though 25 grains was well within what the Sierra reloading manual specified, I was getting all sorts of overpressure signs. So, I backed down the load to charge to 24 grains. The resulting muzzle velocity was just below 3000 fps, but I had no more signs of over pressure.
The ballistic calculator indicated that the load would be supersonic to 750 yards. So, I put my sights at 700 yards.
The shooting conditions were abysmal. I had to review the video recording just to verify that hit the target. The last two shots were at the small IPSC to 700 yards. I though by the motion of the target that I was hitting farther left. So I overcompensated a bit. Still, it does seem to be grouping at 700 yards.
My dream is to stretch the rifle to at least 800 yards. But, I might have to up the bullet weight.
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