Thanks for all the advice. I finally got out today to the range to shoot the loads I made up and based on my typing speed, my hands are still here.
Here’s the data:
Conditions were sunny, 60F, LtoR gusting headwind @3-10mph, target was moving back and forth.... 50yd target, 1959 Husqvarna, 19.5” barrel, mounted with a 1-4x20 Leupold scope
Varget:286g HSP:WLR primer: COAL 3.298
53.5g:2170fps avg:1 2/16” group 55.5g:2245fps avg:1 4/16” group 57.5g:2308 FPS avg:1 10/16” group
Big Game:286g HSP:WLR primer: COAL 3.292
56g:2065fps avg: 1 4/16” group 58g:2112fps avg: 2 10/16” group 60g:2242fps avg:1 8/16” group 62g: 2345fps avg: 2 9/16” group 63g: 2394fps avg: 1 10/16” group 64g: 2386fps avg: 1 12/16” group
Yeah yeah yeah....I didn’t use the lowest common denominator....blah blah blah....
So the target would sway back and forth as the wind gusted...and I was using a 4X scope....and I didn’t clean the barrel or let the barrel fully cool off between group sets...so accuracy could be improved...
Takeaways:
Seems to be that 63g of BigGame is the ticket. I had max velocity and an OK group. Don’t exceed 63g of BigGame as the velocity drops and your max load has been reached? I had no signs of pressure (although these were my first shots at reloading) as the primers all appeared to be uniform and good and no sticky bolt lift was experienced. Any velocity over 2250 caused my safety to slide back into the SAFE position, which I thought at first was a stuck bolt. This could present a problem with follow up shots, but nothing a gunsmith shouldn’t be able to remedy....? I have a suspicion that my data for 62g of Big Game could be an outlier.
Future steps:
Take Varget a step further and throw some lead with 57g-58g-59g. I’d like to see pressure signs, vel decrease, or reduced accuracy before stopping. This will depend on case capacity I suppose... Play with the COAL with BigGame at 63g and see if that changes anything. Clean the barrel between switching powders. ANY OTHERS??????
My goal with this rifle is for moose, within 150yds, and with open sights. Hitting a 2’ diameter circle offhand at 150yds is all I need. I’d like to stick with 286g bullets for their SD and maintain a velocity of at least 2300fps.
