$400 Rifle Range Day

[orygun]

Hornady now has factory 180gr loads at 2850fps. Must be doable if it can be done at the factory with todays lawsuit culture.

Hornady's had Superformance and other high performance ammo for years. I've tested some and I didn't find it nearly as fast as claimed. It's about 100fps faster than typical 30-06 velocities, not 200. Nosler has listed a load with RL22 that supposedly goes 2880 in a 24" barrel, but that's about 100fps faster than I could get before I ran into pressure problems and I was still a grain and a half short.

I can get 2900 out of a 30-06 Ackley Improved (180gr, 22" tube) and have am pretty close to max. To do it in the standard 30-06 case would be a big accomplishment. One I'd love to see.

 

[No_Regerts]

Hornady's had Superformance and other high performance ammo for years. I've tested some and I didn't find it nearly as fast as claimed. It's about 100fps faster than typical 30-06 velocities, not 200. Nosler has listed a load with RL22 that supposedly goes 2880 in a 24" barrel, but that's about 100fps faster than I could get before I ran into pressure problems and I was still a grain and a half short.

I can get 2900 out of a 30-06 Ackley Improved (180gr, 22" tube) and have am pretty close to max. To do it in the standard 30-06 case would be a big accomplishment. One I'd love to see.

It can be done in a Ruger No. 1B for sure. I've gotten 2900 using H4831 and 180gr Accubonds.

Before I reloaded, I used Federal High Energy and would get 2800+ with a 22 inch barreled rifle.

 

[BigDanS]

2800 - 2900 fps is doable with a 165 gr, but for a 180 is a bit much in my opinion. Using H 4350 makes my bolt hard to open.

D

 

[No_Regerts]

2800 - 2900 fps is doable with a 165 gr, but for a 180 is a bit much in my opinion. Using H 4350 makes my bolt hard to open.

D

When I used to use 165gr bullets, I used a load of 59.5gr of H4350 without problems. Published 30-06 loads are mild IMO. Ive never had pressure signs at max with a 30-06. 270s on the other hand, have shown pressure signs prior to reaching book max. An M70 of mine wont do the fabled 130gr bullet and 60gr of H4831 load.

When I bought my M70 Featherweight in 7x57, I ignored the weak sauce loads and used max 7mm-08 loads and worked up to lower end 280 loads.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Sticky.... Every new shooter who hasn't won the lottery needs to be aware of how to get into the game.

Well done, @No_Regerts !

I agree. I actually looked to find this thread because I wanted to compare my new $400.00 +/- rifle with no regerts. It's a steven's 200 22-250. I'll use it for deer and yotes. I went to the coast with my wife over the weekend and spied this brand new rifle ( been sitting on the shelf for years). Talked the shop owner down to $300.00 on it and he agreed. Great deal, since I've been looking for one of these steven's 200 rifles for a long time now. I remember my buddy owning one in 22-250 and it was a tack driver. I was playing with some thrown together loads today and this is what she looked like:

That's a brand new Burris FFII 3-9x40 I paid $131.00 for. I'll eventually get some better mounts (maybe talleys) and a higher power scope. This scope is going on my new to me 30-06!!!

Anyway, here are the first 10 shot groups from the rifle today. Burning up this powder, I'll try something much better next time out..:

The cases were loaded previously with some 53gr. v-max bullets for a different rifle I've long since sold off, so after pulling the 53gr. bullets, I dumped the powder out and replaced both powder and bullets with something new. H335 that I'd like to burn up one of these days and some 50gr. v-max bullets. The neck tension was not optimal, since I'd just pulled the bullets. But nonetheless, I can see the rifle has some potential. Now to glass bedding and fine tuning the trigger... She'll be a shooting sumbug when I'm done..

 

[BigDanS]

I do not know which you shot first, the left or right group, but the left group is stringing either up or down due to heat. I believe if you slowed your time between shots you would find that is a fine load for your gun.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I do not know which you shot first, the left or right group, but the left group is stringing either up or down due to heat. I believe if you slowed your time between shots you would find that is a fine load for your gun.

Keep a watching big Dan. I believe this will be an eye opener for you, and maybe a little educational. That is not a proven load, and the rifle is not glass bedded yet. I'll also fine tune the trigger. I'll bet you are the type that really relies on the belief of barrels heating and stringing shots. Let's just say, this is the "before".

 

[BigDanS]

Keep a watching big Dan. I believe this will be an eye opener for you, and maybe a little educational. That is not a proven load, and the rifle is not glass bedded yet. I'll also fine tune the trigger. I'll bet you are the type that really relies on the belief of barrels heating and stringing shots. Let's just say, this is the "before".

Oh yes I hear you. First, that gun has a pencil barrel and was built cheaply. The 22-250 is a speedy round and heats the gun quickly. Bedding and trigger work will definatley help, but the shot string on the left is a classic vertical string. IMHO.

I look forward to your results. I have several $400 rifles that shoot sub MOA, also a hobby of mine. I have an SKS that shoots 1 inch iron sight groups at 50 yards, two 30-06's a .308, and a .243 that shoot as small as .35 inches.

 

[No_Regerts]

Gonna bump this because there have been some questions lately about hunting rifles for reasonable prices.

 

[JRuby]

So where do I buy a new Weatherby rifle and Burris scope for less than 400$?

 

[Kruel J]

Gonna bump this because there have been some questions lately about hunting rifles for reasonable prices.

I had forgotten about this one!

 

[No_Regerts]

Twas a fun experiment and a fun day at the range!

 

[Kruel J]

Twas a fun experiment and a fun day at the range!

It 'twas!

 

[Ura-Ki]

Just found some Buffalo bore 180 grain loads in .30/06 that's claiming 2880 FPS out of a 24 inch tube, naturally i'm a bit suspect, but I figured I would get some and see how it runs, I have the Tikka SuperVarmint and both 1903's here to test them with, so we will see what the hot sauce is all about! Naturally, I suspect the Tikka with it's 26 in bull barrel tube to run these nice and fast, but the 22 and 23 inch 03's should be able to hang with it! I seriously doubt I'm going to see those velocities, but then again, B.B. does tend to load pretty hot, so I might be in for a surprise!

 

[No_Regerts]

It can be done. I've seen it out of a 26 inch barrel. Whether its necessary or worth it is another story.

 

[Mike7b]

I spent about $400.00 for a savage, was looking for a used one for a project rifle. Didn't find a used one so bought a new one. Shot good, but shoots better now with a boyds stock and a new scope, the original didn't make it through a box of shells before coming apart. It also looks a lot better, I have a few barrels for it, not as quick as changing uppers on a ar, but pretty versatile.