last Saturday at the range testing a new load.

[PopsBdog]

45.2 Gr of RamTec BigGame.
150 Gr .312 Hornady Interlock
CCI 34

I can't wait to get a Chronograph on it.
It is supposed to be about 2500 FPS.
50 yrds
100 yrds
Oh yeah it's .303 British out of a 1944 Lee Enfield MK4#1*

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[jjackffrost]

cool hope it works out for you. just finished reloading my hunting loads for the 30-06
hornady interBond 165grs had to use a odd powder been out of my imr 3010 for ever but got a can of IMR 4350 and worked up a nice load 57 grs gave me 2568fps from a 24 in barrel in a vanguard weatherby 0.60 for 5 shots at 100 yds hate changing powder.

 

[PopsBdog]

This load is for deer.
I need to set up a 175-180 gr load for elk

I agree, changing powders is a hassle.
If I can't find more BigGame, I'll have to use something else.
I have a lb of 8208 XBR. It should work once I dial it in.

 

[AMProducts]

IIRC Barnes has a TSX bullet that's ~150gr in .311" I've had very good luck with the TSX bullets on pigs (I actually dropped .30 cal and started using .223 rem so I could carry a lighter rifle for pig). The big difference is being able to get the deep penetration through heavy animals that most lead cored bullets can't seem to manage.

The powder I would look for (if you can't find any more big-game) is IMR3031 this was the original powder designed for the MKVII 303 brit round, which would push a 174gr FMJ-BT @2600FPS, just switch the bullet and you still have a very good elk round. With the TSX I would say it would probably perform well on bear.

Either way, good shooting there, it's always fun to take those old rifles out and make 'em bark like they were supposed to.

 

[PopsBdog]

I got a box of the Barnes TSX .311 in 150.
It shoots about 2" higher than the Hornady Interlock at 100yds.
The copper bullet seems to out perform the jacketed soft point in velocity and expansion.
Nice to know it really works...

It's very expensive to keep testing the Barnes TSX, it is at least two to three times the price of a jacketed soft point.
Now that I have a tested load I like, I can make a few with the TSX.

 

[AMProducts]

Yea, they sure are expensive, but for a hunt I have pretty much dropped everything else. I havn't had a chance to try out the nostler solid copper bullets yet, but I've been totally impressed with the performance of the TSX when hunting, to the point that it's all I use.

Pig is a different game from most, in that you're usually taking running shots at close range, first time I took a pig with a .308 softpoint was my last, that 150gr bullet literally exploded, destroying a good portion of the meat and penetrating less than half way through the animal (it barely reached the vital cavity). With the TSX in .223 I usually get penetration through the vitals and into the other side of the animal, in a few cases it has gone completely through, but the animal dropped dead within 1-2 seconds (he was dead, just didn't know it yet).

Unfortunately, I don't think .22 centerfire is a legal method of take in many places, I know it's not in california (where I do most of my hunting), and I think even for pig in WA it's not allowed.

I just checked, here are the hunting regs for modern rifle hunting:

Modern Firearm Regulations
Rifles:
Big game, except cougar, must be hunted
with a minimum of
24 caliber (6mm)
centerfire rifle
Cougar may be hunted with
22 caliber centerfire rifle
Rimfire rifles are
not legal for big game