Old E

[Mike]

Yesterday was the first day of test driving the Olde E. powder in the Shiloh .40/65. A decent day or so I thought until I got to the range, and the switchy variable speed 10-2 o'clock winds were waiting for me to show up. Yuk. Several times I could feel the wind on the side of my bald head (bald headed is good for something) while looking through the scope the mirage was going the other direction at 200 m. It was ugly.

Anyway, the 10 loads were 63 gr. Olde E. drop tubed/compressed to 0.433 below the Starline brass case mouthes on full length neck sized annealed cases. Next a wax paper wad, 3/16" lube cookie, another wax paper wad, and last a BACO 0.392 pp bullet dry wrapped w/ Paper Mill 9#onion skin. For comparison I had another 10 rds. loaded exactly the same except w/ 65 gr. KIK 2f which occupies the same volume as the Olde E. loads. Typically, the KIK load will shoot 5 shot groups of about 2-2.5" at 200 m., if the nut behind the buttplate is correctly tightened.

The switchy, variable winds were a real bearcat, and the targets showed that, too. I shoot the different loads alternatively on separate targets so that any changes in conditions, form, etc. are going to show up on both targets. This helps equalize any variation in the targets that might be wrongly attributed to loads. Anyway, the horizontal for both loads was really bad, and there was no consistent conditions that could be expected to return anytime soon.

As others have noted fouling mgmt. was even better for me than for KIK, which already was good. The elevation was very consistent for both loads; group size isn't worth mentioning considering the wind. Next I need to get the chronograph out, and get some averages and SD data.

To summarize a little, I do like the Olde E. powder, and intend to do more shooting and experimenting w/ it.

Regards
IR

IR, Let me ask which Olde E are you using, 2F? And what is the weight of your paper patched bullet? Yes, I would ask more questions but that all I can think of for now. Shoot sharp, Mike