It’s finally hot enough…….

[memtb]

to start my load development! 94 F in the shade…..110 F in the sun!

As some of may know, I advocate working up max loads in hot weather…..so as "not" to have any surprises when shooting/hunting in hot weather!

I started out by shooting my previously developed "hunting load" to determine what it's "hot" velocity would be as compared to typical "hunting" temperatures. I know that my powder is not considered "temperature stable" but was a little surprised at the velocity gain over cool/cold weather velocities….. about 60 fps.

Using that knowledge as a "sort of" baseline as to what to expect/anticipate with the new bullet using the same powder used in the proven load….I ran 3 round# across the chronograph.

I was pretty close to my cool weather velocity goal. The load showed no obvious pressure signs, heavy bolt lift, severely flattened primers, no primer cratering, ect. Though, the 3 shot group wasn't anything to "write home about"……hopefully with powder changes and seating depth changes, I can tighten up the groups! I also hope that I can pick up another 125 to 150 fps in the heat, without any pressure signs.….which will put me at my goal velocity of 3K mv in the cool weatherIf I can get good accuracy and that "magic" velocity number…..I'll be a "pretty happy camper"!

If it all comes together as planned, a 270 grain Barnes LRX's from my .375 AI @ 3000+ …..should be a pretty good hunting load! memtb

 

[MagnumManiac]

I shot my 375 Weatherby in 40°C weather up in northern Australia with loads using H4350 and Win 760 and was very surprised that the 760 loads using 300g Woodleigh PP's at 2860fps on water buff and Nosler 260g Accubonds at 3,000fps on pigs/donkeys/scrub bulls, were just as non temperamental as the load using H4350 and Woodleigh 270g PP's I also tried on water buff, they were travelling along at 2960fps.
Also had my 416 Rigby and 500 Nitro Express 3 1/4" with me, the year before also had my 505 Gibbs and 600g Woodleigh RNSN doing 2350fps with Retumbo.
Lucky the 416 runs low pressure because RL22 doesn't like hot weather and the recoil was definitely heftier in that heat.
I didn't take my 416RM barrel with me on those trips, probably should have…

Cheers.

 

[memtb]

I shot my 375 Weatherby in 40°C weather up in northern Australia with loads using H4350 and Win 760 and was very surprised that the 760 loads using 300g Woodleigh PP's at 2860fps on water buff and Nosler 260g Accubonds at 3,000fps on pigs/donkeys/scrub bulls, were just as non temperamental as the load using H4350 and Woodleigh 270g PP's I also tried on water buff, they were travelling along at 2960fps.
Also had my 416 Rigby and 500 Nitro Express 3 1/4" with me, the year before also had my 505 Gibbs and 600g Woodleigh RNSN doing 2350fps with Retumbo.
Lucky the 416 runs low pressure because RL22 doesn't like hot weather and the recoil was definitely heftier in that heat.
I didn't take my 416RM barrel with me on those trips, probably should have…

Cheers.

Wow…..you have a collection of some " pretty high horsepower" stuff there! I certainly wouldn't turn down any of those if someone were giving them away…..but the Gibbs has always fascinated me! Nice firearms…..I'm a tiny bit envious! memtb

 

[MagnumManiac]

No longer own the Gibbs, it is the hardest recoil I have ever experienced and the problem was the rifle weighed 8.5 lbs without the 1lb mercury recoil reducer…The others are pussycats in comparison.

Cheers.

 

[Rosebud]

You can call me a wuss, Shot a 460 weatherby once, just once.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

you can call me worse, I wouldn't try it.
416 rem is no biggie but that 460 is another story

 

[memtb]

No longer own the Gibbs, it is the hardest recoil I have ever experienced and the problem was the rifle weighed 8.5 lbs without the 1lb mercury recoil reducer…The others are pussycats in comparison.

Cheers.

The only ones I've tried in your list were the 416 Rigby in a #1 Ruger which really was a pussycat, and my 375 AI which is equivalent to your 375 Weatherby.

I suspect that the 500 Nitro wouldn't be too bad….but, I've heard the horror stories about the Gibbs. I wish that before I get too old, I could one day "take the Gibbs'Challenge"! memtb

 

[Rosebud]

you can call me worse, I wouldn't try it.
416 rem is no biggie but that 460 is another story

I was much younger, equated with stupid. I had no idea what was coming. Believe that to be the start of my right shoulder problems.

 

[memtb]

I was much younger, equated with stupid. I had no idea what was coming. Believe that to be the start of my right shoulder problems.

That would be my concern…..a shoulder injury!

While I quit doing push-ups several months ago due to near overwhelming workload around the place, and due to an onset of acute laziness…..I firmly believe that good muscle tone can help prevent injuries and mitigate the discomfort of heavy recoil rifles!

I was doing 45 to 50 push-ups, along with a few other exercises, every other morning! I really need to get motivated again…..I ain't getting any younger! And ….with age comes the increased risk of injury! memtb

 

[skipglo]

You can call me a wuss, Shot a 460 weatherby once, just once.

My second favorite hunting rifle! Packed one for 15 years. Had a moto for it " Life ends...at .460" Never had to track an animal shot by it.

 

[memtb]

Did a bit more shooting today, once the heat was up! Though with the heat we also got a fairly decent crosswind!

While I'm primarily trying to determine where the max load is …..I'm also conscious of group size. I am also a little discouraged with my velocity increases with charge increases….it seems to have somewhat "flatlined"! With the last two step increases of 1 grain per step, yet seeing a gain of only about 25-30 fps per charge increase. Maybe this is all I should expect….just don't know how much more I can increase before seeing pressure indications!

I'll try again tomorrow!
Here's a photo of the last group, which looks promising….
considering that I hurried the shots and a bit of crosswind! memtb

 

[MagnumManiac]

Wow…..you have a collection of some " pretty high horsepower" stuff there! I certainly wouldn't turn down any of those if someone were giving them away…..but the Gibbs has always fascinated me! Nice firearms…..I'm a tiny bit envious! memtb

Well, that's just some of my big guns, also have 375H&H, 458WM, 458 Lott, 404 Jeffrey, 585 Nyati and 600 Nitro.
I had full rotator cuff surgery in 2012, no shooting for over 12 months, but with all the rehab, it was better than before and still gets sore, but not from shooting.

Cheers.

 

[cape cove]

I have an unbraked 30/378 Weatherby MV. This is about all that I can take. How do some of your compare with this.

 

[memtb]

I have an unbraked 30/378 Weatherby MV. This is about all that I can take. How do some of your compare with this.

I'm not sure, but there is a program on this website, where you can easily compute the ft/lbs recoil for your rifle/cartridge…..just fill in the blanks!

Just to give you a "baseline" …..my rifle produces 58+ ft/lbs. My wife's rifle comes in at a pretty tame 38+ ft/lbs. memtb

ShootersCalculator.com

Online ballistic calculators to help shooters calculate bullet trajectory, bullet kinetic energy, maximum point blank range, and recoil. Explains how to make these calculations and produces charts and graphs that compare various firearm cartridges and firearms.

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