Another trip to the range today, this time with the chronograph. These are an average of 5 shots out of my rifle with 20" barrel.

Hornady factory 270 grain loads ave. 2867 fps
235 TSX 72 grains of RL-15 WLMR primers, ave. 2819 fps
270 TSX 72 grains of RL-15 WLMR primers ave. 2725 fps

Does this seem a bit fast for the load to you guys? The avergages read about 50 fps more than what I was expecting. Maybe because of my crimp, while others are not crimping? I also chronographed some .22 lr loads out of my Marlin 39a (made in 1959) which were consistent with prior readings from that lot of ammo and that rifle...so I don't know. The chronograph seemed to be working fine. (I took the Marlin to shoot between groups allowing my Ruger to cool down.)

I guess a few fps either way is not going to make a difference for what I plan on doing with this rifle. I'm going to use the 235 TSX for a black bear hunt the last week of April. The 270 load will be used down the road for my 2nd trip to Africa, this time for a Cape Buffalo. I wanted to reach a load level about like a .338 magnum from the 235 grain, and a 375 H&H load out of the 270 grain, and it looks like I got there. The 235 TSX load is a moderate load, the 270 TSX load is a 1.5 grains short of max, according to Barnes older data.

The rifle is still shooting well. Most 235 grn. groups are still around an inch, but here is a 235 TSX group from today:

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The 270 TSX load is still under an inch, like this one from today:

[Linked Image]

Both of these groups were with the same sight setting at 100 yards.

After chronographing and shooting a few groups off the bench, I started shooting off the sticks. Yeah, the groups opened up a bit, but at least I know that it is me and not the rifle or load. Both loads were still under 1.5" at 100 yds. off the sticks. I never thought I would say this, but the recoil level was almost "pleasant" off the sticks. Way better than the bench!

The next trip to the range, it will be all off the sticks, from 200 to 300 yards.

Manny