ronlaughlin

This morning i did some shooting using the Omega Dream Season with a 4X scope. Bullet was the 250g XTP initially. The first load tried was 50g of Blackhorn. Primer is/was W209. Sabot was/is short black Harvester. Aim was the top bull, and 3 shot all hit between the targets, but reasonably tightly grouped. At 8 1/2' the clock measured an average speed of 1300 fps. Recoil was negligible. This load doesn't meet minimum requirements so to be used for hunting in South Dakota, but it seems 60g of Blackhorn would provide the required energy with low recoil. If the 60g load is as accurate as this 50g load, it could be an excellent beginner load for around here.







Then the powder load was increased to 90g, and 3 more shots taken using the 250g XTP. Aim was the top bull, and the shots scattered kinda centered. Group size was awful. I wondered if i got the jitters, or maybe the warming barrel was shooting haywire. Well, i had some 44 caliber 300g XTP with, so the switch was made to the heavier bullet, and a green sabot. The aim was the bottom bull, and the 3 shot were some low, but nicely clustered. It seemed the 90g of powder worked good with the 300g bullet, but not the 250g bullet.

Then i got the idea of dumping a 50g vial of powder into a 50g vial of powder, and thus creating a 100g load. Once again the top target was sighted, but now the load was the 250g XTP, and 100g Blackhorn. Wow! what a difference that made!








Right or wrong, i conclude that 100g of Blackhorn is a much much better charge in the Dream Season than 90g, when using 250g XTP.

Then i took a short hike, and found and ate a large number of Service Berries. Then, just before i completed the loop of about 2 1/2 mile, i stumbled into a mother lode of raspberries. It concerned me i might get sick from eating too much, but i feel fine.

lemoyne

Well Ron I set the Chrony [I have one of the original F version] up and tried a few loads. Blackhorn is a surprising powder I do not know exactly where the limit should be I do know that 140 grains gives just slightly more pressure than 120 grains of 777 and my chrony averages 3 shots at slightly over 2400 FPS with a 200 grain 50 /40 and they have shot accurately for me before I do not set up targets when I chronograph.
The 250 came out at 2240 FPS. Since my chrony is very old I am hoping I can get someone with a newer chronograph to check my figures.

ronlaughlin

Well Lee, i made it out this morning with some Lane tube filled with 140g of Blackhorn powder. The primer used was W209.


From the muzzle of the Knight Extreme to the middle of the clock was 8 1/2 feet. First the 200g Shockwave in the provided blue sabot was shot.
Speeds were 2389, 2398, 2415, for an average of 2400 fps.

Then 250g XTP in short black Harvester sabot was shot. Speeds were 2298, 2298, 2283, for an average of 2293 fps.



That old chrony of yours seems to work. My clock isn't a chrony.

Gm54-120

Wow!!!

The extreme spreads of "mega" loads of BH209 are excellent and the speeds are darn nice too. I don't shoot a 250gr much faster than that with smokeless, although that is by choice.

I have shot those kind of sabot loads in a 45cal with a 200gr and my fps is slightly higher from a 27" barrel. Its actually more like a 25.5" working bore.

Ron, would it be too much to ask you to shoot a 50 yard group or two. I realize the recoil can get annoying but with that kind of ES, it has some serious potential for accuracy.

BTW we got a nice harvest of wild and other black raspberries. They are now in many mason jars of jams, jellies and bags for cobbler. It is a wonderful treat

ronlaughlin

This morning the target was set at about 30 yard, because this morning the scope was just mounted. Some of the taped holes are made as i was moving the scope adjustments closer to center. There are 6 taped over holes around 1" high and mostly center in the top target, that were punched whilst clocking both weight bullets. Then the scope was adjusted lower in preparation to make the move to 100 yard. That hole is center and left on the top target and taped.

After moving the target 100 yard out, the bottom target was holed 3 times with the 200g shockwave bullet; those holes are centered, vertical up, and taped.









Then the many time taped top target was holed using the 250g XTP, and those holes are now residing. Because the XTP seemed more accurate than the shockwave, i tried it again out 200 yard, after adjusting the scope yet again. Results are the visible 3 holes in the bottom target, which, in my mind, should be better, but perhaps a hot barrel, breeze, and sore shoulder can be cited. The first two shots are in the red. This bullet has such a low ballistic coefficient, i am kinda surprised it did so well at 200 yard, in the moving air. Of course the 200g shockwave would probably do more better in a 45 caliber rifle. Fifty yard targets can still be done if you wish.

There are no tales of berries to relate today.

Gm54-120

Thanks Ron, that is more than sufficient. Hard kickers are no fun when you are just punching paper or gathering data. Did you recover any sabots?

I may have to experiment with the Savage when i get a new scope for it. Its additional weight will make it more tolerable than my other 50cal option. My 45cal though is ideal for testing loads that exceed Western's recommendations.

If you wish to experiment further, ive found 91gr by weight (130ish by volume) and 300gr to 325gr 458s show a lot of promise in my 52cal.

lemoyne

Thanks Ron, its nice to know its still works I spent most of my spending money on my strain gage at the time I was buying equipment. I can tell you that some of my loads group out to 250 yards with minute of deer accuracy. And that the last 3 deer I shot with the muzzle loader were big deer for around here [ nothing like what I used to get in IL and they all dropped on the spot and the loads were all 140 BH and the bullets were a 200grain50/40 Lehigh a 200grain Shock Wave and a 250 grain bonded Shock Wave the damage inside was amazing to me and the Exit holes were about normal say 1/2 inch.