Tn_Huntaholic
AH member
To save cluttering up the other thread about pet loads, I figured it might be better served to the AH community if I posted another thread. My rifle, a whitworth express, shot the 250gr ttsx loads great with RL15 but lets face facts, they are pretty expensive for anything short of Africa or dangerous game so my quest began to find another load. Thanks to someone on here I think, I ordered 6 boxes of the speer 285gr grand slam bullets from graf and sons for around 17 bucks a box.
I shoot my rifles off a bench sitting. Large Caldwell bag up front, small rabbit ear bag in the rear. I much prefer a benchrest bipod up front but with the barrel band stud that's not possible with this gun. After 8 loadings of 5 shots each group and 2 rounds of deep cleaning with J&B bore compound, I finally found a load that groups to suit me. I tried all the favorite powders, seating bullets to 3.600 and nothing really impressed me. 68gr of Varget, Fed 215, new ppu brass, speer 285 GS bullet, seated to 3.570, produced a GREAT group. 1st shot was 7 oclock in the bottom of the dot, 2nd shot was 11 oclock in the top of the dot, now here is where I kinda messed up, 3rd shot pulled high by almost 1.5 inches. I figured it out before shooting the 4th and 5 rounds, I WAS PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE pulling the rifle into my shoulder with my right hand, left hand never touches the rifle btw. The 4th and 5th shots I basically let the rifle free recoil and those shots made a perfect hole cutting clover leaf with the 1st shot.
Yeah, this gun kicks a little but its not going to hurt you! Let it do what it wants to do. Don't try to tame the beast. In full disclosure, I do have a PAST magnum strap on shoulder pad and I do put a half full sandbag between the stock and my shoulder when shooting seated off the bench with bigger guns. The problem with using both hands and pulling a rifle in tight is that you cant get the pressure exactly the same every time and that WILL affect accuracy.
I hope this long winded post helps some of yall that are having problems getting good groups out of your rifles!
I shoot my rifles off a bench sitting. Large Caldwell bag up front, small rabbit ear bag in the rear. I much prefer a benchrest bipod up front but with the barrel band stud that's not possible with this gun. After 8 loadings of 5 shots each group and 2 rounds of deep cleaning with J&B bore compound, I finally found a load that groups to suit me. I tried all the favorite powders, seating bullets to 3.600 and nothing really impressed me. 68gr of Varget, Fed 215, new ppu brass, speer 285 GS bullet, seated to 3.570, produced a GREAT group. 1st shot was 7 oclock in the bottom of the dot, 2nd shot was 11 oclock in the top of the dot, now here is where I kinda messed up, 3rd shot pulled high by almost 1.5 inches. I figured it out before shooting the 4th and 5 rounds, I WAS PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE pulling the rifle into my shoulder with my right hand, left hand never touches the rifle btw. The 4th and 5th shots I basically let the rifle free recoil and those shots made a perfect hole cutting clover leaf with the 1st shot.
Yeah, this gun kicks a little but its not going to hurt you! Let it do what it wants to do. Don't try to tame the beast. In full disclosure, I do have a PAST magnum strap on shoulder pad and I do put a half full sandbag between the stock and my shoulder when shooting seated off the bench with bigger guns. The problem with using both hands and pulling a rifle in tight is that you cant get the pressure exactly the same every time and that WILL affect accuracy.
I hope this long winded post helps some of yall that are having problems getting good groups out of your rifles!
