Range day, 45-70

[Eric Johanen]

Today on the rifle range conditions were overcast and winds variable from 10 to 20 mph, North and shifting slightly left to right. 38 degrees. Shiloh Rough Rider 45-70 Sporting rifle: 30 inch standard octagon barrel. Target= SR with a Birchwood Casey "shoot N C bull posted at 200 yards. (Made shot spotting very easy under poor light conditions). 1'st load out used Winchester once fired brass neck sized (short brass at 2.095), primed with Federal Large Pistol primers and a under primer wad, 70.0 grains of OE 1.5 fg with a .060 vegi card wad, BACO 535 grain Money Bullet first band reduced (actual weight at 527 grains), seated to expose the first grease groove. Shot nicely after sighters with 5-9's, 6-10's and 4- X's. Much slight sight adjustments tracking light and wind. 2'nd load used Winchester once fired brass at 2.100, primed with CCI Large Rifle BR2, 67.0 grains of OE 3 fg, .060 poly wad and a Sagebrush PJ Creedmoor 540 grain bullet. Sagebrush lube sized to .459. 2- X's 5- 10's 3- 9's. X ring=2&15/16th's, 10 ring=6&7/8th's, 9 ring = 11&7/8th's. Do wish it would have been 20 degrees warmer and brighter light conditions but it was educational working with the wind. Another day where I learned something with this rifle and sights.

[Don McDowell]

Feels good when those iddy biddy groups show up on the paper.

[SgtDog0311]

Sounds like a rewarding day Eric!

[Eric Johanen]

Out this morning with the 45-70 Roughrider and some old smokeless loads to burn up. Lee 400 grain FN and Lyman 525 grain RN (457125) 26.5 grains with the 400 and 25.0 grains with the 525 grain bullets. Both loads really wanted to shoot but the trigger puller had a multitude of problems! Conditions looked to be greatly improved from yesterday but this was very deceiving. Wind flag was placed at 60 yards downrange and things looked good, light was nice and bright but the bullets were grouping center and to the right, had two groups going. Moved the flag down to 160 yards and things began to show actual conditions. Very squirrely winds from a cut just ahead of the 200 yard frames and started watching mirage and it was all over the place. Partner and I took turns shooting and when mirage and wind was right called for the shot. Major improvement right away! Conditions were much different at 160 yards and I did not think the 400 grain bullets would be pushed around that much but the target tell no lies. Partners 45-120 with 500 grain bullets was showing the same results just not as much as my lighter bullet. My 525 grain load was also effected just not quite as much. Turned out to be a very instructional day on the range. Learned more about wind and mirage!

[Eric Johanen]

Nice day for trigger pulling. The Shiloh Roughrider again at 200 yards with the bench rest cross sticks. Winchester fire formed neck sized brass, CCI Bench Rest Primers, 73.0 grains of OE 1.5, .060 poly wad and the BACO .459 545 grain Creedmoor first 2 bands reduced (JIM459545C4). Pan lubed as cast and lubed with DGL. 1'st round cut 6 O'clock just into the 9 ring. Elevation change and #2 just off the 10 ring at 7. Too much elevation and #3 out side 10 at 12. Down a smidge and X @ 12. Began shooting: X at 5, 10 just off the x ring at 6:30, X at 8 followed by a 10 at 12. Wind came up and a head wind pushed the next shot down off the 10 ring at 5:30, X at 4 then a 10 at 8 O'clock. Shooting continued paying attention to the head wind condition and shots were fired when it abated. 10 at 12 followed by a x at 5:30. Middle 9's at 3:30 and 4 due to winds cutting through the notch on the left side of the range. My partner also experienced the same thing with his 45-90...2 shots out the right about 3 to 3.5 inches. Really need the wind flag between the 100 and 200 yard butts to pick this condition up. 10 on the line at 10 and a 10 at 12 just off the X ring. Last shot a x at 4. This bullet has shot really well in my 45-90 Shiloh heavy barreled #1 and looks like it will perform well in the 45-70. I wiped between shots but it carries enough lube to work well with the blow tube. First time I've run this bullet out of the 45-70 and it works pretty well. Would use for midrange matches and steel. Nice bullet andload!

[Don McDowell]

Great !

[Lumpy Grits]

What are you doing for fouling control?
Gary

[Eric Johanen]

LG, for this string I wiped between shots with the 7 to 1 water and NAPA oil mix. In the 45-90 I have both wiped and used a blow tube. This bullet carries plenty of lube for my 30 inch barrels. In the 45-90 with 85.0 grains of Swiss 1.5 it's very good for Creedmoor competition. I usually prefer a Money Bullet design just because I do not have to use the extra elevation on my sight. I'm going to be using this load in the 45-70 quite a bit next season as it does shoot very well.

[Lumpy Grits]

THX for the info
One of the things I have always like about my PJ C'moor bullet is the amount of DGL they carry. This is shown by the good sized lube star on the muzzle.
G.

[Eric Johanen]

Same with the 545 grain BACO Creedmoor....Lotsa Lube! One other BACO bullet I have had very good luck with is the .458 500 grain RN Gov't. I've used this one with both 1.5 OE and 2 KIK in my 45-70 and out to 500 yards it is a very good shooter. Nose is sized perfectly to give a good fit and still clear fouling. Nice big lube grooves and can fire several shots without fouling control and then blow tube.