Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .308 Copper Raptor 135 gr.

I posted my range set up on the .257R thread. Targets are stapled to a folded length of cardboard which is stapled to a couple of wood stakes. I put chunks of wood on the skirt part for stability. You can see the target bank in the left distance. It'll hold around 10 targes. When finished I fold it up, throw it in the truck and remove the targets when I get to the shop. Often I'll swap out targets during a shoot.

This set up is 3/4 mile behind my house on a major drainage canal berm, canal to the left, pasture to the right.

You see the PACT set up. It misses some data, even when perfectly aligned. It has been back to PACT. I even got their IR screens, but I'm not impresssed. This unit replaced an older PACT that died. The older one worked better than this one.

I have a Magnetospeed that works better than the PACT, but attaches to the barrel. I like to shoot one gun, let it cool, rotating guns so the one I'm shooting is always cool. The magnetic gun rack helps, guns with open bolts stacked like that cool pretty fast. I've found this method to be most efficient, no gun getting too hot with no lost time waiting for one to cool.

The Magnetospeed is less handy rotating guns. And, as reported by others, it's hard to keep the unit attached to the barrel. Recoil seems to move it forward no matter how tight. I may need to wrap the barrel with some magic Fire blue tape...

Oh well. Who said it was gonna be easy...

Testify!

Yep...

DF

I usually fire 3 shot groups when working up a load. Then verify with 5 shot groups or several?

Nice setup DF!

Thanks, Esox.

I forgot to add, it seems I get some vertical stringing with the Magnetospeed attached. I've read reports of no change with POI or group size. I haven't used it that many times, as this one is new. It just seems to be the case.

Would appreciate comments on that.

DF

I wish I knew but I have not used the magnetospeed, so no help there? Hopefully someone else can share their experience?

I have a number of WT rifles, but the two first string starters for early season are the 135 Copper Raptor out of this Kimber and the 100 TTSX out of my recently finished .257R.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10382140/6

DF

DirtFarmer,
With a set up like that you can easily adapt your Magneto Speed to a stand alone unit. I did & I love it. It packs easily into a Plano tackle tray.

DF,

I did shoot a big whitetail doe with what was then the 150-grain Raptor from a .30-06. Not much to report, except the deer went down within a few feet and the base of the bullet exited. Didn’t find any of the detached petals but it was late in the evening and didn’t look very hard. Lungs were full of holes. Hoped to shoot an elk with the load but was gimping around due to a knee injury and it didn’t happen. Might try to kill something with one this year. I don’t think there will be any problems with penetration.

Loder,

You got photos of that set up?

If you don't have them on Photobucket, PM me and I'll give you my email address.

Thanks,

DF

Thanks, JB.

Eileen's pronghorn success with the .22 cal version got me to thinking.

When I finally tried them in the .308, I was surprised how tight they grouped, wasn't expecting that.

A bullet that shoots that good deserves to be introduced to WT's and hogs. Sometimes I think I get more pleasure out of shooting one of those nasty things than a WT.

DF

Follow up on the 135 Gr. .308 Copper Raptor.

Shot a 125# sow this PM at dusk, DRT at around 100 yds.

High chest hit, bullet entering from the left, exiting right. The spine shows effects of the hit, although not in direct line of flight. Lungs and heart were messed up.

I would say this bullet performed as advertised.

DF




Edited to add photo.

This one bit the dust from my .308 Win shooting 150 gr. Nosler AccuBond with 46.5 grs. Varget.

Total group size was .308"!!

Kansas whitetail 2014 by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

That's a good looking deer.