Had a Range mishap this morning

[Kurt]

I had a bunch of loads loaded for the .44 and in between the thunder showers I shot 14 3 shot ladder groups with the new E powder well everything was going good till on one shot I saw movement in my left eye just as I broke the shot, (I always shoot with both eyes open even with the scope) and when I picked up my head I saw feathers flying all over the place seems a black bird flew into the flight path of my 500 grain .44 bullet and the impact was off only 8" on the paper with a nice round hole

A little side note about this Eynsford.
I shot a three shot ladder group with the 1.5 and 2f starting at 80 grains to 92 grains in 2 grain steps. Most of the groups stayed inside 2" @ 200 yards except three that were 2.5" and 2 3/4". Several two shots were touching with one just out of the group. I didn't shoot the 3F E loads because the lightning was getting to close.
This powder dosen't seem to be compression sensitive in the .44 and what little I shot the 1.5, 2, and 3F in the .45-70 it has not been as good as it has in the .44-100 but I just shot 10 rounds in the .45-70.
The way this powder is shooting in the .44 I will be using it at Lodi in a few weeks at least for shooting the sighter shots and if it holds during the sighter shots It will get used for the match.
Today I wiped between shots and one damp patch followed by a dry patch I could use the dry patch the second time it was that clean. Most came out with the damp patch of 50/50 mix of RV antifreeze and water.
This powder is really starting to grow on me. I really like it.
Tomorrow I will set up the chronograph again to check the velocity for the 3F in the .44-100 and the .44-90 bn.
The .44-90bn should be interesting with a .485 grain bullet pushed by 115 grains of 3F

Kurt

A bad day at the Range is still better then a good day at work!

[Don McDowell]

Kurt great shot on that blackbird!
Makes me think it's time to brave the snowdrifts and get those test loads on the 44-77. After Mikes episode with his 44 yesterday with the 2 f. I'm think that I need to load some with that instead of concentrating on the 1.5

[Kurt]

Don,

This is my 7th work up load for the 100 going up by 2 grains-3 shots and all of those loads 84 grains of both 1.5 and 2F have given me the smallest clover leaf group from 5/8" to 1 7/16 @ 200 yards. the compression for the 1.5 has been .232 AVG and the 2F .140 avg. But the high compression of .450+- the groups are under 3" as well as the 0 compression the groups are staying 3" or better. But if you take just two of the three shots they run 1.5" Avg.
All of the ladder developments have been with the heavier 507 grain elliptical bullet cast with the KAL mould.
I havent worked much with the Brooks 473 gr Prolate yet I want to use one a little more in weight.

Kurt