.38-50 Hepburn

[Kurt]

They still look good Arnie.
Those double groups are puzzling. I have a rifle that does that on and off.
It's warm here also was out in a Tee shirt most of the day trying to revive my dead tractor. Perfect day for the range but it just cant happen for a few days.
The announcement box is full of different powder types and loads to see what will work.

[beltfed]

Kurt,,
I think that double group thing probably has to do with lack of complete consistancy in my shooting technique. Rusty. Have not shot for months, either.
arnie

[Kurt]

I finally had a chance to get back to the range for a ladder load test of 3F Swiss and 1.5 F Swiss 3 rounds each.
The range was full but mostly pistol shooters and the majority drive 130 miles from Chicago.
When I started shooting on the 200 yard line I got company from the pistol range wondering what the loud noise and smoke was from so about 1/2 hr later I could shoot again. I let two guys shoot some fouling loads at the iron swinger and when they got them all shot up questions started again. This seems to happen quite often when I start shooting, but this is OK.

I might get out again tomorrow and shoot the rest of the loads I have with the OE powder plus I want to confirm a couple Swiss loads again using 10 shots.

I'm pretty convinced this new bullet Arnie drew up the print for me for this new 371-459-E-DD is working very well.
I started shooting early hoping I can get ahead before the range filled and the tree shadows were covering the target and I had a hard time getting a good sight picture even with the scope on the rifle seeing the small 2" paster on the target and I had to go down range to see if I even got on the cardboard. I couldnt even see the holes through the Kowa scope.
Most of the shots are under 3" and some two out of three shots were 1-1/4" with one wandering out but I'm sure it was my shot break letting it get away.
Three shots were so close that it looked like an elongated hole with three shots that measured just 3/8". That group was one I shot when the sun finally hit the target. I want to recheck that load of 64 gr of 1.5 Swiss again with 10 shots.
There must be something about that 64 gr load looking at Ians post were he used it with a good showing.
But all in all all loads really don't look bad for just starting out.

Kurt

[beltfed]

Kurt,
Very nice results.
Funny how we both seem to have a sweet spot with 64 grains of powder.
That Load I shot with Jim Ruch's 37-287D FN Accurate molds bullet
had a compression of the Swiss 1.5 of about 0.080 to 0.100". In other shooting,
with the 38-50 /371360E and my 40-65, 403380E,
that amount of compression of the Swiss powder seems to work well.
Looks like we are on our way to duel of the 38s
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie,
Looking forward to that.

[Kurt]

Spring has sprung here 70º today but windy.
The wind was not to bad from 2 O-clock at 15 mph but walking down range and the wind cutting between open spots in the trees I felt different currents.
I can say this light .38 caliber bullet reacts more with the winds than the .44's or 45's and I saw some groups spreading 4 1/2" but they were horizontal not vertical and using yesterdays sight setting my groups were 5" left.
The 64gr load that shot so well yesterday put 4 1/2" vertical and 2-1/2 horizontal and one walked out to 3-1/3" oblique.
A 65 gr load all 5 stayed 2-1/8" Hero and 1" vertical.
I'm a happy camper the way the rifle and load is working.

[beltfed]

My load of 64.5 grains of the newer Swiss 1.5 works well,
and I load 67 grains of my real old Dense Lot of Swiss 1.5.
with my 360 grain bullet.
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie,

It's showing a load of 64 or 65 Grains of 1.5 swiss is at 1 MOA or very close to it not counting a wanderer that might be me causing it. Even in bright sun on the target face the large dark floater gets to be a problem looking through the scope.
You once mentioned liking to try this bullet when I get the mould and I could send you some but I don't think using it in a none freebore chamber it would have to be seated very deep in the case.

[ian45662]

Shot at Friendship last weekend and it was windy. It did seem to move my little bullets around a little more than I thought but still wasn’t anything terrible. Not much more than my 45 ,or that’s the way it seemed like to me anyways I made a bunch fundamental mistakes over the weekend. Not sure what my deal was but I was having an off weekend. 26 on Saturday and 28 on Sunday. I won’t shoot it at a match again until the fourth weekend of April. Over all I am still very pleased with the way it is progressing and it was shooting better than I did. . Now that the weather is starting to warm up I think I will start going through an actual load development. Plus I have my case extension some 381 and 375 wads to try and my bushing die came in so I can experiment with various amounts of mouth tension.

[ian45662]

This also happened Sunday. Thankfully it wasn’t for score so no harm.