Max loads for a .54 cal Rice bbl.

[Daryl]

sleddman - I think you should test again. The drop figures don't work very well in my opinion.  1 1/2"high at 50 puts it about zero'd at 70.  On the other hand, 6" low in the next 30 yards at 100, but only 2" low in an additional 30 yards after that is not reasonable? Maybe I'm missing something. The top of the back hold for a centre hit is about right, however.

I think you'll find the drop at 100 is closer to 3 1/2". Dropping another 4 1/2" to 5" is about right for 130yards with that light a charge, I'd guess.

[sleddman]

Ill be back out this week.  My 130 was free hand and not on sandbags  .  Ill double check.  Oh gee I get to shoot some more  . I do want to be sure of the sighting before I go out with it.  Will let you know. 

[BrownBear]

You had me really going there!  In my favorite 54 (32" barrel) 90 grains of 2f is the pet load.  Sighted in at 75 yards, it's not quite an inch high at 50 yards and 2-3" low at 100.  I've never shot it past 100, but wouldn't expect so much drop at your 130.  To further confuse things, my 32" barrel chronoes right at 1450, and I'd expect your 38" barrel to top that by +/- 100 fps and shoot a little flatter.

[sleddman]

Well guys. Shot the gun till the cows came home. Went to North carolina for my first deer hunt with my new rifle. Well all my ballistics where thrown out the window when I got there. It went from 4" low at 100 yards to up 2.5 " at 100 yards.  Well im not complaining but how did this happen??  was it the elevation?  Was it the level of my range?  or maybe it was me.  What ever it was the old kentuck was right on. After taking a ribbing from the group for using a kentucky, by the end of the week they had all found new respect for our Kentucky.  The group of nine hunters, may I say all who have much experiance, found the Kentucky to strike first with a nice doe and the first 8 Pt. buck of the group. What a great huny.    Back to the load real quick. I returned to a 80 gr. load of 2F powder because it was much more accurate than the 90 and 100 gr load.    God bless the ol' kentucky and keep your powder dry. 

[sleddman]

here is a link to a pic of my deer and rifle

http://www.lilypondcreek.com/trophy/trophy.php?gazpart=view&gazimage=281

[roundball]

That's outstsanding Sled...congratulations !!



(PS: if you did your final sight-in from the bench, it is not unusual for the POI to then be higher when shooting from normal hunting podsitions)

[nosrettap1958]

During the off season I would experiment more, that change from 4" to 2.5" has me spooked.  That rifle hasn't settled on a load it likes just yet. Instead of just boosting the powder, experiment by changing the patch/ball combination maybe even the patch lube you're using AND the amount of patch lube you're using with the differing powder charges.

You have a lot of work to do and you're burning daylight.

[sleddman]

I think your right crawdad.  Just does'nt make any sense.  So far it looks like the 80 gr of 2f is the most accurate. I will have to shoot some different patch widths as well as lubed and pre lubed patch's

[Dphariss]

When shooting a long rifle (or anything else) where the gun is rested, at what point on the barrel, can change the point of impact. So just shooting it from a different bench with a rest in a different place could give a change in impact. But requires testing to confirm.
Most have a sweet spot for resting the barrel and finding it can sometimes dramatically reduce group size.
Shooting from a rest may give a different point of impact than shooting prone with no rest or from a sitting position.
Dan

[longcruise]

To further confuse things, my 32" barrel chronoes right at 1450, and I'd expect your 38" barrel to top that by +/- 100 fps and shoot a little flatter.

Well, here's some more confusion.  My 32" Lyman shoots at 1668 fps with 80 grains of 3f Schuetzen.  Daryl seems to expect much lower velocities in an even longer barrel.  Some of the results I've gotten say there are many other factors at work in the end velocity than caliber and charge size.

I have a 24" .50 cal that shot at 1450 with 80 grains of 3f goex.  With a tighter patch and dry lube shooting 70 grains of 3f scheutzen it hits 1551.