Ya, I used them in my first hunting rifle ever, a ruger m77 30-06, the 165 grainers. Killed a few deer and a couple elk with them, and one coyote as well. Dang near split the coyote in half!Hope she gets to light the torch on a lope today!
Wonderful project, thanks for the play by play.
Side note, that 160 Sierra HPBT is a lean mean killing machine plus generally big time accurate.
Good job Cody. Pretty good numbers for a 20" barrel with accuracy!Ok, got load developement finished.....all using VV N-565
I tested the 177 Hammer, the 175 ELD-X, and the 170 PVA Cayuga.
The 177 maxed out around 2920 fps
The 175 maxed out around 2928 fps
The 170 PVA maxed out around 2980 fps, as I ran out of powder space, even using a 6" drop tube (70 grains)
Surprisingly, the 175 ELD-X shot ridiculously accurate and better than the other two, I ran .025" off, from 60.0 grains up to 68.0 grains, in 1 grain jumps, to see velocity. It ranged from 2568 @ 60.0, up to 2928 @ 68.0 with first signs of pressure. With those 9 shots, they grouped .78" @100 yards, incredibly accurate for such a massive spread. When I ran a similar pressure work up with the 177 Hammers and the 170 PVA's, the Hammers grouped 1.5", and the PVA's slightly less at 1.6", though both had clusters of groups. I ran a smaller work up on the upper end with the PVA's using 3 shot groups, and they averaged about .7", not great. I didn't continue with the Hammers, as I was more interested with the 175 eld-x's. No matter what I did, they just seemed to shoot stupid good.....
Did a ladder at 600 yards from 65.8 up to 67.2 grains, in .2 grain increments, so 8 shots. 65.8 and 66.0 both climbed slightly, but 66.2 - 67.2 grains all went within a 1.7" vertical, with 66.8, 67.0, and 67.2 going within .6" vertical, and having only 13 fps e.s. between the three, where 66.2 - 66.6 had 30 fps e.s., seemed like it really steadied out at 67.0 grains, going 2895 fps.
So, her load developement is now finished, 67.0 grains N-565, 175 ELD-x seated .025" off, going just a shade under 2900 fps out of her 20" barrel, and she loves it. She did most the shooting in load developement by the way, and shot some fantastic groups. So now, the only thing left is for her to drill some critters with it, which will likely happen later today!!! Doe/fawn pronghorn season is open!
Thanks Steve, she is probably the most patient shooter/hunter I have been around. We were there for nearly 20 minutes waiting for the perfect shot, the bucks kept herding them tight together, and she knew that there are tons of opportunities with pronghorn, so she wouldn't accept anything but a perfect broadside, very clear shot. There were tons of times where there was clear quartering shots, or good broadside shots with a fawn right against the hind end of a doe, or a buck withing a couple feet of a doe, but she had great patience, and didn't want to chance it.Atta girl!! Way to impress the guys with that first blood. Great shot!
3.015", .025" offNice shooting and congrats on the doe. Just out of curiosity, what is your OAL with this particular load?