ronlaughlin

Today the objective was to see if the 250g XTP really did shoot better with a 100g powder load than with a 90g powder load. The primer was W209. The sabot was short black Harvester. The powder used was Blackhorn. Range was 99 yard.







The rifle is the Omega Dream Season. The scope is 4 power equipped with CDS dial.

Right away i grabbed the wrong bullet box, so the first target was poked with 45 caliber 240g XTP magnum pushed by 100g powder.









Then somehow i was clever enough to grab the correct bullet, and shoot the second target. The 250g XTP did fine pushed by 100g of powder. Noticing there were 3 vials of 140g, i thought why not?







The 250g XTP was loaded on top of 140g of powder 3 times, and the bottom target was the aim. These bullets hit the top target.



Then, it seemed fair to give the 240g bullet another try. The bottom target was the aim, and that is about where they hit; 5 of them.










Then the last target was shot, using up most all of the 100g vial. Bottom target was 44 caliber 300g XTP carried by smooth green Harvester sabot.

pluckit

It looks to me like you can't go wrong shooting XTP's out of that rifle with any number of Blackhorn charges. I can see any one of those shots putting meat in the freezer. Nice shooting.

Gm54-120

Im surprised the 250gr XTP/140gr load hit that much higher at 100 yards even though that is roughly equal to upper end Savage "recommended powder" performance. I would not think that 300fps difference would make such a higher impact that close.

The groups is very respectable!

The 240gr XTP MAG you shot after the 250grXTP/140gr was also 140gr or was it 100gr?

Again another nice group!

ronlaughlin

Yes, i too was surprised at how high them bullet flew when the load was changed from 100 to 140 grain.

There were only 3 vial of 140g loads left from yesterday. All shots using the 240g bullet were using 100g loads.

It is kinda too bad we can only use 1X scope here during muzzle loader season(s). Otherwise, it would be kinda fun to try either a 300g XTP or Deep Curl pushed by 140g of Blackhorn. However, i guess if we could use magnified optic for muzzle loader hunting, i would try smokeless to reduce the recoil some, and to minimize clean-up. My guess is them 300g bullet pushed by 140g Blackhorn, should fly out at 2200 fps or so, and be supersonic out to 350 yard or more. After the fella moves his cows out of where i can get a 370 yard shot, i may see what happens using 140g charges behind 300g bullet, at them 350+ ranges. Whatever..............

If you go shoot with Chet, and i know about it, i will join you, if i am welcome.

ronlaughlin

Thank you. Me too.

bronko22000

Ron - like the others, I was surprised at the elevation change (POI) with the 140 gr charge. I wonder what the POI would be at 150? That looks like it may be much flatter shooting without any loss in accuracy.

Gm54-120

The 325gr FTX and about 130-135gr will wake you up. IIRC FPS is almost 2100fps. Personally i don't shoot the big FTX much faster in my Savage. Im sure the deer won't mind but my shoulder is thankful.

Recoil is a bit less with certain loads. When using the faster recommended powders, you use far less powder. Some of the other slower powder weights are 60gr+ by weight or much higher. In my 45 i can achieve over 2400fps with as little as 39gr of powder. Normally i use around 56-63gr of a slower ones and get upto 2700fps+ Shooting a 200gr is a cream puff compared to a BH209 load at 2400fps+.

I would enjoy meeting you and Chet although the force will compel me to turn you to the dark side. Once you get a 45cal shooting sabotless with smokeless or even BH209, all else seems....lacking when you are just shooting for recreation.

Your guess about a 300gr bullet is probably very close. I get that much fps with 140gr sabotless with a 300gr in my 45cal.....actually i get a little more. Recoil is quite brisk even in a 11lb rifle.