Roskoe

With temperatures in the low 80's, blue skies, and no wind - had to get out to the range this afternoon. A couple of weeks ago, I tried the .429 Nosler Partition HG bullets in my Black Diamond XR with very poor results. The green Harvester crushed rib sabots were coming apart with 130 grains of Pyrodex pellets.

Gave this a little thought, and tried putting a Ballistic Bridge sub base behind the crush rib sabot. This got them hitting the target at least - but for some reason the group was a vertical line where each shot hit about and inch or so below the previous one. After five shots, I had a 6" group. The barrel was getting hot, so that may have been the culprit. I also tried some black MMP sabots for .429 bullets and got a five shot group around 4" - about the same as what I had gotten previously with a 270 grain Speer Gold Dot bullet. Mediocre, but would probably kill game inside of 150 yards.

I also tried the Ballistic Bridge sub base with the new 300 gr. Saber Tooth bullet. Had previously gotten good groups with 130 grains of Pyrodex pellets as well as 100 gr. of fffg Triple 7, but very poor groups with 120 grains of ffg Triple 7. The sub base did not help. Groups were still around 12". I chronoed the 100 gr. of fffg Triple 7 load, which shot around MOA,and got 1770 fps.

Towards the end of the session, I had an unpleasant surprise from my Black Diamond. I pulled the trigger and, when the stiker didn't fall, I figured I must have the safety on. Just as I relaxed and reached up for the safety, the gun discharged. Ouch!! I have had problem occasionally in the past with gunk getting underneath the striker on extended shooting sessions, but this is the first time it caused delayed ignition. I cocked it again and this time couldn' get it to let go. Had to remove the striker assembly and clean it to resume shooting. Guess this is one of those little design flaws of an otherwise pretty decent weapon.

cayugad

I am aware of the striker getting fowled to the point where it will not slide forward. About every 10 shots I pull the striker out, then twist the nipple and breech plug on my Diamond to make sure that is all behaving, and while I have it out, I wipe the striker down real good and then the striker slide area. Takes only a minute. I also learned that lesson the hard way when I pulled the trigger and it did not fire, then suddenly did.

I think for over all accuracy of a rifle, the Black Diamond XR is hard to beat. I feel it will shoot with any of them. The real draw back of the rifle is the exposed breech design and the bad fowling. Other then that the rifle will really shoot impressive groups.

Right now I am testing some .451 diameter Barnes 454 Casull 250 grain XPB Cannelured in black harvester sabots. They shoot great out of the Knight Rifles and I want to shoot them in the Diamond. These look identical to the Barnes Expander but are a lot more cost effective. They can also be pushed real hard. I think the Diamond will like them.

Pittsburghunter

I would not blame the gun for that I have seen it happen on other guns using the same type of bolt/striker as the Blackdiamond. Most of the time it was either too much oil or too thick of an oil. The oil mixes with the fouling and becomes mud. You pull the bolt and clean it and your back in service. Check your trigger group and make sure the sear and release are all cleaned of this goop before you go out next time.

Also try some of the Hornaday 265g flatpoint .429 bullets. They shoot great with most sabots including the green Knights and the T/C Magexpress.

Roskoe

I hate it when I learn things . . . later have to re-learn them . Haven't shot either Black Diamond enough in a single session for this problem to raise its ugly head in quite awhile.Last month- when I was crawling on my hands and knees through the sage brush sneaking up on those elk . . . I looked down and noticed that I had sandy soil on the left side of the rifle sticking to the stock and left side of the receiver. Not quite in the "ejection port", but almost. All it would have taken was one grain of sand and I don't think the gun would have fired. Next time I'm taking the Omega.

Cayugad - let us know how the XPB's work. This whole little exercise, for me, started out with a box of Nosler Partition HG bullets on sale and thoughts of an inexpensive alternative to the Barnes Expander MZ's. I have also thought about trying the 265 gr. Hornady's. They have a great reputation in the .444 Marlin.

As good as those 250 grain Shockwaves load, shoot, and drop game; I sometimes wonder why I am still playing with loads. [8D]

cayugad

After shooting 250 grain Shockwaves out of the Wolverine, and I know they shoot good out of the Black Diamond XR I think I am about ready to pick a bullet and just shoot the rest of them off. After that just shoot the ones that I would normally hunt with. I'd hate to think what I have in projectiles around here

I will let you know how those Barnes shoot. They look identical to an expander except they have the crimp mark is all....

cayugad

I shot some of the Barnes XPB's with 120 grains of Goex 2f today out of the Black Diamond. I was shooting at 50 yards and not really all that impressed with the accuracy. Then again, today was one of them days when I could not hit anything. So I am going to try them again. Only next time try them with some Triple Se7en around 100 grains and see what happens...

Man it was a ruff day on the range. I just could not get anything to group. I even shot three different rifles..[]

Roskoe

I have days like that too. I just pray it's not "one of those days" when a monster whitetail buck decides to show himself from the other side of the field

Have you ever tried Pyrodex pellets? I know they are expensive, but they sometimes shoot real well at the higher end of the velocity range.

cayugad

Nope I never have. I think next time I am in the big city I will pick up a box of the 50 and 30 just to try some different combinations....