scotth
.30 Stingray
Posts: 214
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Post by scotth on Nov 18, 2019 10:05:59 GMT -5
i think i need a contender carbine barrel in this .251 TCR for small game hunting. looks great
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 19, 2019 2:25:22 GMT -5
I threw a quickie finish on the gun with Van's Instant Blue. Once the gun has it's new cylinder and is properly finished I'll strip it and properly rust-blue it. More load development today; I'm convalescing and forbidden from serious work, so what the hell, right? Today i was playing with Power Pistol powder, and I am liking the results! All loads used Federal small pistol primers. Today's loads- Power Pistol Loads 38gr. LSWC- 2.0gr. 698 fps. 41 ft/lbs 38gr. LSWC- 2.7gr. 912 fps. 70 ft/lbs 50gr. FMC- 2.7gr. 831 fps. 77 ft/lbs 50gr. FMC- 3.5gr 1065 fps. 126 ft/lbs 35gr. GDHP- 2.7gr. 769 fps. 41 ft/lbs 35gr. GDHP- 3.5gr. 1214 fps. 115 ft/lbs 35gr. GDHP- 4.0gr. 1464 fps. 167 ft.lbs* *This figure is suspect; I was only able to get a good reading on one round of this string. This should also be considered a Maximum Load using the Federal primer.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 21, 2019 2:00:50 GMT -5
First range day for the .251 TCR was a mixed bag; much good, some bad. Miraculously the gun shoots to POA, so that's something. The 50gr. FMC at 831 fps. was deadly accurate at 7 yards- this is a five-shot string. Of course there's a flyer. Dammit. The 38gr. LSWC produced a tight cluster of miniature cookie-cutter holes, but the 35gr. GDHP at 1464fps. was not accurate and 3 out of 5 bullets keyholed. This bullet doesn't have much surface contact area; I suspect I'm over-driving the bullet. It was designed to work at around 800 fps., so I'll see if some lower velocity loads fare better. Looks like I am going to playing with this cartridge for some time to see what works and what doesn't. Going to busy swaging bullets, but that's OK... I've got a couple feet of 1/4" lead wire to play with...
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scotth
.30 Stingray
Posts: 214
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Post by scotth on Nov 21, 2019 11:36:46 GMT -5
looking good
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 22, 2019 1:12:17 GMT -5
this looks like fun... 55gr JHPWC at 1065 fps. Be interesting too test this in ballistic media.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 29, 2019 19:59:51 GMT -5
More .251 TCR testing from the 3-1/2" barreled test gun:
31gr. LHP, 2.5gr Unique, Federal #100 SPP
843fps., 49 ft./lbs.
SD: 79 fps.
31gr LHP, 2.8gr, Power Pistol, CCI 550 MSPP
1104 fps., 84 ft./lbs.
SD: 57 fps.
50gr. FMC, 3.5gr. Power Pistol, Federal #100 SPP
1108 fps., 136ft./lbs.
SD: 21 fps.
50gr. JHPWC, 3.5gr. Power Pistol, Federal #100 SPP
1013 fps., 114 ft./lbs.
SD: 13 fps.
65gr. LSWC, 2.8gr. Power Pistol, CCI 550 MSPP.
1038 fps., 155 ft./lbs
SD:15
The 31gr. LHP shows the largest standard deviation, while the 50 and 65gr loads are pretty tight.
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Post by Rimfire69 on Nov 30, 2019 7:36:49 GMT -5
Nice work Tinker, you've been busy. From your earlier numbers these don't look like your pushing things, have you accuracy tested as well ?
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 30, 2019 8:21:03 GMT -5
Nice work Tinker, you've been busy. From your earlier numbers these don't look like your pushing things, have you accuracy tested as well ? I've tested some of them; the supply of brass has been limited, so I've mostly been confining my efforts to velocity testing. The 50 grain FMC have proven very accurate, as this seven yard target attests (of course there's a flyer...) The 38gr SWCs are similarly accurate. Now that I've made a decent amount of brass I'll be doing more accuracy testing. I suspect the 31gr lead hollow-point pellets will be a relatively low-velocity proposition, but I have high hopes for the 35gr. GDHPs. I have a full box of those loaded up and I plan to hit the range again today and see what they'll do. As you can see I've also been experimenting with Magnum Small Pistol Primers, but I don't expect to gain significant velocity from them. I'm trying them mostly because at the higher end the Federal primers were not looking too happy; so far the CCIs are doing much better in the hotter loads. It's true, I haven't been pushing the boundaries much, but the 65gr LSWC and the top .35gr GDHP load exceed the muzzle energy of .22 WMR from a 3-1/2" barrel, and a number of loads are comparable to .22 WMR. I'm experimenting with a lot of lighter loads because this cartridge isn't meant to be a one-trick pony, and loads in the .22LR range and even lower are part of the program.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 30, 2019 18:19:39 GMT -5
Not good news on the 35gr. GDHP front. I'd be OK with this group at 25 yards... but this was shot at 7 yards, and many of the bullets are yawing or even keyholing. These were the 1250+ fps. loads. The 1450+ loads were worse. I'll load some down to 1000 fps. or so and try them there; they work pretty well from mouse-guns at around 800 fps. This is a bummer- I'd really put a lot of my hopes behind that little bullet...
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Post by tinkerpearce on Nov 30, 2019 23:57:14 GMT -5
The apparent failure of the 35gr. GDHP was a bitter pill, but I cast my nets (Googled) and found these- rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-25-acp-55-gr-fp-per-500.html Looks almost tailor-made for my purposes, and when I get a bit of coin set by I'll be picking some up. Holidays bearing down of course, so disposable income will be at a premium, but it's good to know they are out there.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Dec 3, 2019 1:46:24 GMT -5
More load development- 57gr SPJSWC, 3.8gr. Power Pistol, CCI 550 MSPP
1078fps 147ft/lbs SD: 13.4 fps. This load yielded mixed results; most hit the target squarely with good accuracy, but occasionally one would yaw or keyhole. I think this bullet shows promise. 31gr. JHPWC 2.5gr. Power Pistol, CCI 550 MSPP
726 fps 36 ft/lbs SD: 44.5 Since the 31gr. GDHPs weren't working out I swaged some of them into hollow-point jacketed wadcutters. I've started with a modest charge just to see if they would stabilize, and at this low velocity they have. Cookie-cutter holes with good accuracy. Time to start bumping up the velocity.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Dec 3, 2019 2:36:52 GMT -5
It's occurred to me that this load is pushing the sound barrier- I'm wondering if the odd keyhole is a result of trans-sonic turbulence in slightly faster than average loads? The SD suggests otherwise. but I'm going to back off the velocity a tad and see what happens.
57gr SPJSWC, 3.8gr. Power Pistol, CCI 550 MSPP
1078fps 147ft/lbs SD: 13.4 fps.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Dec 3, 2019 2:55:23 GMT -5
Oh, also these- 38gr. LSWC 2.5gr Power Pistol, CCI MSPP
875 fps 65 ft/lbs SD: 26.3
Cookie-cutter holes, good accuracy. Going to push the velocity up a bit, but these are pretty soft lead. Probably not going to take them over 1000 fps.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Dec 3, 2019 18:40:19 GMT -5
The first gallery load.
31gr H&N Grizzly hollow-point pellet, 1.0gr. Power Pistol, Federal #100 SPP
257fps., 4.6 ft/lbs, SD: 27.5
At 15 feet they fly straight, group well and always leave the barrel. About what you want in a gallery load.
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Post by ddixie884 on Dec 9, 2019 1:28:47 GMT -5
Elmer Keith wrote, in "Sixguns" that the .25 Stevens long RF was a much better killer than .22 Long Rifle on pests and small game........
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