Range report from today, sunny 70 degrees and breezy
All loads use CCI-200 large rifle primers except where noted, and R-P 270 WCF run through a Hornady New Dimension FL sizer and annealed to the shoulder.
200 gr Interlocks only:
H-380 59, 60, 61 grs gave nothing impressive. Didn't chronograph, but had no signs of excessive pressure whatsoever. Going to up these to 62, -3, -4, -5, & -6 next time just to see if increased load density helps. I did run only mag primers here.
H-4895 53 & 54 grs (latter is book max according to 09 Hodgdon manual) gave nothing impressive, either. Didn't chronograph, but while the max load shows signs of being somewhat warm it'll be worth checking out hotter ones as increased load density may be necessary for best results. I'll try increasing these but only by half-grains. (Is it just me, or does the smoke from this stuff smell funky?? Like electronics equipment or something??)
RL-15 53, 54, 55, 56, & 57 grs. 57.3 is the Hornady manual's listed max. 54 gr gave me a 1" group at 100 yards, and 55 gr was very close as well. While group sizes went up w/ 56 grains they weren't unacceptable by any stretch... 1.5" for 3 shots. I'm going to play w/ OAL on both 54 and 55 grains.
This means I'll have plenty of neck-sized once-fired brass to play with in tweaking those RL-15 loads next time. I'll also be playing w/ 200 gr BSTs & 215 GKs, the latter loaded w/ IMR-4350.
Thanks again for all of your input gentlemen. I genuinely appreciate it. I'm going to have to order up some of those Montana powders since reading MD's article and after hearing so many good reviews here. It isn't widely available where I'm at.
grace & peace,
efw
