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Bob,
How gray is your hair? You're pretty smart.


Proverbs 20:29 (NASB)

The glory of young men is their strength,
And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

loder: Thanks,I am dark brown on top and gray on the sides,and not really all that smart.

But I have shot a pretty fair number of animals with different 140-7mm bullets at different velocities and distances so have some idea of what they will do.

At high impact velocities the bullet will expand more dramatically which means, it will either fragment and the front will disappear,being made of alloy cores and jackets, which is a bit more brittle(the Partition does this at close range and blows the nose clear to the partition)....or if it hangs onto the mushroom,the jacket will peel back along the shank. Either way frontal area will be less resulting in the smaller exit hole. You see this very frequently with a Partition,and I have seen it at close range from a 130 Interlock which was just sheared off at the cannelure.

At distance,as velocity drains,expansion is not so dramatic, the bullet is stressed less,and hangs onto more of its expanded frontal area,but still has enough weight to maintain momentum and (sometimes) punch through.Perfect storm.

There are a million variables because no two shots are always the same but in general that's what I think caused what the poster described. My WAG anyway.

This would explain the interior destruction and the small exit hole. I was never able to reconcile the two together with the 140 Accubond. Nosler ads show the bullet mushrooming and retaining most of it's weight @ 3100+ fps. Result has always been a deer down under 75y. Hard to fault that record. A high shoulder shot might get me the " bang flop". For some reason I am programmed for the heart shot. I spoke to one of the tech guys at Berger a few months ago seeking 280AI load data. I got the impression from this guy that the Berger might be too frangible for a close shot from a high velocity cartridge like the 280Ai.

I was so programmed. Prior to my first-ever Red Stag hunt I consulted with a premier Stag guide & inquired about the high point shoulder shot. He explained it to me & I decided to do so. I was impressed with the results. At the shot, the Stag stumbled on three legs maybe 15 yards at the most & fell over. When the ranch hands dressed him out, they were so surprised at the terminal destruction they wanted to know what bullet I was shooting. I was shooting a 300 WSM, 165 AB @ 3050 fps.

Calling this halftime at the range. Tried out four charges with the 145 LRX and it likes it hotter. 55.0 gave me .935" outside, better than the first two, but then 55.5 grouped at .648" outside. I'll take that.

Will see if it likes anything else

Just wasted LRX that group. Went out to 200 yards with a poor rest and shot a poor group, imagine that.

Put my bipod on and tried two 150 ABLR loads thinking why not. At 56gr I got a 1.05" 3-shot at 200 yards with a 6x scope (center to center). Will take it.

I shouldn't have started reloading, can see this is going to be expensive and time consuming.

I tried to tell you to leave that gun stock. i tried to tell you reloading costs more cause you will constantly be dicking around looking for the perfect load and shooting more, cause your ammo doesnt cost as much.

WOJ's never listen.

Good to see you got your stuff all set up and running.

But everyone knows 270s are gay and don't work on game. Had to switch. Then the Nosler factory ammo sometimes gave me a great group, sometimes opened up. With a custom and the money I spent I better be getting great groups unless I mess it up. Yeah, that's my excuse.

I just started getting serious about reloading this year. I still am learning the craft. I have already spent more money on supplies and gear than have on most of my guns. I have replaced every reloading item, other than the press, that came in my Redding Deluxe kit. Aside from being expensive, it is frustrating as hell. There is nothing like loading up 30 test loads and running to the range, only to find that the loads shoot poorly and you just wasted an enormous amount of time and money. Once you buy a custom rifle you are duty bound to find the perfect load. At the end of the day it is an expensive hobby.

Settled on the 145 LRX



Same results as the photo a couple posts above (when I don't mess it up)

Made final corrections for zero and finally convinced myself not to get a VX6 2-12 and stay with the FX3 6x42. The extra mag might be good for groups on paper, but the steel coyote at 440 being hit every time with the 6x said I don't give a [bleep] about paper.

One more time at the range, best group yet. Outside to outside was .469 for a .185" group. Before I hunt it I certainly need to dirty up the barrel with a shot, then call it good. Finally put a couple through a chrono, average of 2970. Slower than expected, but oh well

He was kidding you, notice the smiley face winking at the end of his comments. BSA is a damn good guy, sorry the humor was lost in typing.

Don't think I can learn much more about the rifle at the range, so wanted to step it out a ways and see how it did. Unfortunately I didn't find any place where I could set up a target and some water bottles, but I did find a few rocks to shoot at. Forgot what it was, maybe 470, had an elk vital size rock I was popping every time with the CDS adjustment. Had a smaller one at 595 that I shot high on twice before going down two clicks and was either right on it or right next to it. Either way, would have been vital shot. I think the high shots were from being at 8540' instead of the 8000 my chart was for, plus it was downhill slightly. That's the stuff I want to learn. Was fun

Sweet rig Taco.......really nice. Maybe you could buy a relatively cheap RF like the Leupy 1000i TBR (gives you true ballistic range), takes out all the guessing. Nice shooting too....I really like the CDS.

Thanks, and that's a good suggestion. Have the standard RX1000 right now, but the TBR would be a nice touch.

2970 with a 140gr, that is right on the heels of a .270

I would be pizzed.

2970 with a 145 Barnes. Don't know why they run slower. Have had 160 Abonds at 2930 and 150ttsx at the same?

Lots of proven, accurate loads have been ruined by a chrono.......

This is true.

Taco, if you are happy with that load, run it.

Although it only chrono'd at 2970 I can't argue this accuracy. Every time under .5" @ 100 unless I knowingly pull one. And with a 6x scope.