Well, miracles of miracle I actually made it to the range this morning. Left the house at 0615 and reached the range at 0645. Temp according the thermometer in my truck said 68*. Wind was forecast to be calm and was blowing about 6 to 12 MPH quartering the range from the southwest.
The rifle was the custom Mauser in 7x57 as mentioned earlier and the load was 45.5 gr. Re17, Remington brass, CCI 200 primer and the 150 gr. ABLR. I shot three shot groups. All powder charges hand weighed.
Load #1. two shots 15/16" No third shot. Dud primer failed to ignite the powder
I've been getting quite a few misfired from those primers.
Load #2. 2 1/8" x 1" Best group of the test series.
Load #3. 2 3/8" x 1 3/8" Group was vertical in nature with the 2 3/8" the height.
Load #4. 2 1/16" x 1 3/8". Load #5 1 3/4" x 2 3/8". Not quite a perfect triangle.
This rifle is an enigma. Not only is accuracy eccentric, but loads will extract nice and easy one time that hard to open the action the next and this even with a known mild load. Here's where it gets even more weird. Case head expansion and pressure ring expanse are perfectly normal. Primer pocket after and average six loadings of hotter than normal loads from slightly over max to possibly close to absolute maximum for that particular rifle are still tight in that batch of brass. I've run those same loads in my M70 FWT and more reaching a very accurate load with the Nosler Partition and running 2900 FPS+. I also reached that 2900 FPS with the ABLR but with dismal or should I just say lousy accuracy. (with the ABLR)
I'm a bit on the stubborn side. I once bought a Ruger M77 RSI (The one with the Mannlicher style stock) on the cheap because it's original owner could not get it to shoot a group with anything he tried. It took me a little over two years to find a load that would give reasonably accuracy for hunting. I figured if I could get a consistent load that would do 1.5" at 100 yards then I'd call it good. Well it took a stiff charge of W760 and the Speer 165 gr. Hot Core. Velocity is only 2550 from the stubby 18.5" barrel but I've taken deer from 35 feet to 250 yards with it. Try any other 165 gr. bullet and forget about it. That's the only combo that will work in that rifle. My point being, I'll get that Mauser to shooting right. May not be tomorrow or next week but I'll figure it out hopefully before I turn toes up.
Paul B.
