After what has felt like an eternity with waiting for components, waiting for the build, COVID, working away internationally, a "failed" first attempt at a build etc, etc, etc today I finally got to try out the rifle with my name on it. Suitably impressed and more than happy so far, cant wait to try it on something other than paper and worthy of its performance.
Initial loadings were developed referencing Quick Load and Gordons Reloading Tool, and I must say these modern tools are a great asset when starting from scratch. See comparison below and how close predictions were.
I did in fact assemble 12 x cartridges, firing the first cartridge offhand to assess how the rifle would feel so that one didn't pass over the chronograph. All subsequent shots were form the bench and recoil was certainly noticeable but definitely tolerable, almost enjoyable, and I really wished I had loaded more but with the future of Woodleigh where its at I didn't want to burn up too many at this stage.
For some reason photos aren't uploading at the moment. I'll post some when I can.
My loads;
AR2208
68.0gn = 2234/2242 fps
70.0gn = 2293/2312/2311 fps
AR2209
76.0gn = 2260/2283/2260
78.0gn = 2300/2310/2307
Quick Load predictions;
425 Schade Belted Express - Load variations
Cartridge : .425 Schade Belted Express
Bullet : .422, 400, Woodleigh SN WeldCore 33A
Useable Case Capaci: 80.469 grain H2O = 5.225 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.600 inch = 91.44 mm
Barrel Length : 25.0 inch = 635.0 mm
Powder : ADI AR 2208 (VARGET)
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop. Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 78 56.00 1871 3111 29133 5113 93.0 1.757
-18.0 80 57.40 1913 3251 30916 5259 93.9 1.716
-16.0 82 58.80 1955 3394 32803 5400 94.7 1.675
-14.0 84 60.20 1996 3540 34802 5537 95.5 1.636
-12.0 86 61.60 2038 3688 36904 5669 96.2 1.598
-10.0 87 63.00 2079 3839 39112 5796 96.9 1.557
-08.0 89 64.40 2120 3992 41440 5917 97.5 1.517
-06.0 91 65.80 2161 4147 43904 6032 98.0 1.478
-04.0 93 67.20 2202 4305 46514 6140 98.5 1.440
-02.0 95 68.60 2242 4465 49278 6242 98.9 1.405
+00.0 97 70.00 2282 4627 52208 6337 99.2 1.370
+02.0 99 71.40 2322 4790 55315 6424 99.5 1.336 ! Near Maximum !
+04.0 101 72.80 2362 4956 58612 6504 99.7 1.303 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 103 74.20 2402 5124 62113 6576 99.9 1.272 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 105 75.60 2441 5293 65833 6640 100.0 1.241 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 107 77.00 2480 5464 69790 6695 100.0 1.212 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Powder : ADI AR 2209 (H4350)
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop. Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 85 62.40 1776 2800 24454 5063 79.4 1.875
-18.0 87 63.96 1821 2945 26029 5259 80.9 1.826
-16.0 89 65.52 1867 3095 27712 5453 82.3 1.777
-14.0 91 67.08 1913 3250 29513 5645 83.7 1.729
-12.0 93 68.64 1960 3411 31439 5834 85.0 1.683
-10.0 95 70.20 2007 3576 33504 6021 86.3 1.638
-08.0 97 71.76 2054 3748 35719 6203 87.6 1.594
-06.0 99 73.32 2102 3924 38098 6381 88.8 1.549
-04.0 101 74.88 2150 4106 40655 6553 90.0 1.504
-02.0 104 76.44 2199 4294 43402 6720 91.1 1.460
+00.0 106 78.00 2248 4486 46376 6880 92.2 1.417
+02.0 108 79.56 2297 4685 49582 7033 93.2 1.376
+04.0 110 81.12 2346 4889 53051 7177 94.1 1.336 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 112 82.68 2396 5098 56811 7313 95.0 1.297 ! Near Maximum !
+08.0 114 84.24 2446 5313 60895 7439 95.8 1.259 ! Near Maximum !
+10.0 116 85.80 2496 5534 65342 7555 96.6 1.222 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Initial loadings were developed referencing Quick Load and Gordons Reloading Tool, and I must say these modern tools are a great asset when starting from scratch. See comparison below and how close predictions were.
I did in fact assemble 12 x cartridges, firing the first cartridge offhand to assess how the rifle would feel so that one didn't pass over the chronograph. All subsequent shots were form the bench and recoil was certainly noticeable but definitely tolerable, almost enjoyable, and I really wished I had loaded more but with the future of Woodleigh where its at I didn't want to burn up too many at this stage.
For some reason photos aren't uploading at the moment. I'll post some when I can.
My loads;
AR2208
68.0gn = 2234/2242 fps
70.0gn = 2293/2312/2311 fps
AR2209
76.0gn = 2260/2283/2260
78.0gn = 2300/2310/2307
Quick Load predictions;
425 Schade Belted Express - Load variations
Cartridge : .425 Schade Belted Express
Bullet : .422, 400, Woodleigh SN WeldCore 33A
Useable Case Capaci: 80.469 grain H2O = 5.225 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.600 inch = 91.44 mm
Barrel Length : 25.0 inch = 635.0 mm
Powder : ADI AR 2208 (VARGET)
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop. Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 78 56.00 1871 3111 29133 5113 93.0 1.757
-18.0 80 57.40 1913 3251 30916 5259 93.9 1.716
-16.0 82 58.80 1955 3394 32803 5400 94.7 1.675
-14.0 84 60.20 1996 3540 34802 5537 95.5 1.636
-12.0 86 61.60 2038 3688 36904 5669 96.2 1.598
-10.0 87 63.00 2079 3839 39112 5796 96.9 1.557
-08.0 89 64.40 2120 3992 41440 5917 97.5 1.517
-06.0 91 65.80 2161 4147 43904 6032 98.0 1.478
-04.0 93 67.20 2202 4305 46514 6140 98.5 1.440
-02.0 95 68.60 2242 4465 49278 6242 98.9 1.405
+00.0 97 70.00 2282 4627 52208 6337 99.2 1.370
+02.0 99 71.40 2322 4790 55315 6424 99.5 1.336 ! Near Maximum !
+04.0 101 72.80 2362 4956 58612 6504 99.7 1.303 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 103 74.20 2402 5124 62113 6576 99.9 1.272 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 105 75.60 2441 5293 65833 6640 100.0 1.241 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 107 77.00 2480 5464 69790 6695 100.0 1.212 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Powder : ADI AR 2209 (H4350)
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop. Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 85 62.40 1776 2800 24454 5063 79.4 1.875
-18.0 87 63.96 1821 2945 26029 5259 80.9 1.826
-16.0 89 65.52 1867 3095 27712 5453 82.3 1.777
-14.0 91 67.08 1913 3250 29513 5645 83.7 1.729
-12.0 93 68.64 1960 3411 31439 5834 85.0 1.683
-10.0 95 70.20 2007 3576 33504 6021 86.3 1.638
-08.0 97 71.76 2054 3748 35719 6203 87.6 1.594
-06.0 99 73.32 2102 3924 38098 6381 88.8 1.549
-04.0 101 74.88 2150 4106 40655 6553 90.0 1.504
-02.0 104 76.44 2199 4294 43402 6720 91.1 1.460
+00.0 106 78.00 2248 4486 46376 6880 92.2 1.417
+02.0 108 79.56 2297 4685 49582 7033 93.2 1.376
+04.0 110 81.12 2346 4889 53051 7177 94.1 1.336 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 112 82.68 2396 5098 56811 7313 95.0 1.297 ! Near Maximum !
+08.0 114 84.24 2446 5313 60895 7439 95.8 1.259 ! Near Maximum !
+10.0 116 85.80 2496 5534 65342 7555 96.6 1.222 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
