Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 5, 2013 8:45:55 GMT -5
David, the rifle was a Classic controlled round feed M70. To be honest, it wasnt all that great of a shooter with alot of the bullets I tried in it. I only really got any degree of what I considered useful real field accuracy out of the thing with the 210 grain Partition bullets. I cant remember the powder charge offhand but I could get 1.5 inches consistently at 200 yards with the thing. For the most part, most other bullets were just mediocre in that rifle and some were downright terrible. Especially the Barnes, which were the earlier versions, all copper bullets.
Even the Nolser 210 Partition bullet would vary. My original load, that shot so well was seated just off the lands so as NOT to mark the bullet. After a shooting my supply of 50 rounds boxes I went to the gun shop and picked up a few more. These turned out to be slightly different as I later discovered much to my disgust that the ogive was NOW contacting the rifling. I found this out very much by accident. After loading some of the new bullets I missed a very good whitetail buck at 185 yards from a solid rest. It was nearly dark when I took the shot and I spent considerable time second guessing my decision to shoot in such poor light. Still, a complete miss? A few days later, I took a shot from the seated position, in pretty strong wind, at a Nilgai at 250 yards. The shot was solid and broke cleanly. The Nilgai sat down and then went down while I bolted in a fresh round. Imagine my shock, and the amount of crap I took later, when I arrived at my kill to find him very much alive and shot through both back hocks!
Sigh. I refused to shoot at anything else on that hunt. I was quite sure I had broken my custom leupold by now. When I made it to the range, I put up a Redfield sight in target at 200 yards, and carefully fired a shot. It hit the left edge. Another shot, lower right corner just on the paper. The third shot missed completely. Now Im befuddled to say the least. I went to fire another round and thought better of it. I opened the bolt and the case left the bullet in the rifling and powder spilled all over my action. I had been jamming these "new" 210 Partitions into the lands.
Seating them deeper helped, but the accuracy had declined to the point that I considered the barrel shot out. I could no longer achieve the 1.5" groups at 200 and hey, a man has to have what he can hold. So, I understand what you are saying, but once I can no longer get what I want from a barrel I consider it shot out. I might also add that case life in this rifle was shorter than any other I had.
Another example can be shown by my foray in the 6mm/284 Wildcat. My original barrel gave exceptional accuracy up until and past the point the throat was pretty well shot out. There, accuracy remained BUT the velocity declined to the point of a standard 243. I pulled the barrel and had a new Hart put on. Same twist, length, reamer, etc. The new barrel too was quite accurate but showed pressure before I could get to the velocity I wanted. It went down the road......
Even the Nolser 210 Partition bullet would vary. My original load, that shot so well was seated just off the lands so as NOT to mark the bullet. After a shooting my supply of 50 rounds boxes I went to the gun shop and picked up a few more. These turned out to be slightly different as I later discovered much to my disgust that the ogive was NOW contacting the rifling. I found this out very much by accident. After loading some of the new bullets I missed a very good whitetail buck at 185 yards from a solid rest. It was nearly dark when I took the shot and I spent considerable time second guessing my decision to shoot in such poor light. Still, a complete miss? A few days later, I took a shot from the seated position, in pretty strong wind, at a Nilgai at 250 yards. The shot was solid and broke cleanly. The Nilgai sat down and then went down while I bolted in a fresh round. Imagine my shock, and the amount of crap I took later, when I arrived at my kill to find him very much alive and shot through both back hocks!
Sigh. I refused to shoot at anything else on that hunt. I was quite sure I had broken my custom leupold by now. When I made it to the range, I put up a Redfield sight in target at 200 yards, and carefully fired a shot. It hit the left edge. Another shot, lower right corner just on the paper. The third shot missed completely. Now Im befuddled to say the least. I went to fire another round and thought better of it. I opened the bolt and the case left the bullet in the rifling and powder spilled all over my action. I had been jamming these "new" 210 Partitions into the lands.
Seating them deeper helped, but the accuracy had declined to the point that I considered the barrel shot out. I could no longer achieve the 1.5" groups at 200 and hey, a man has to have what he can hold. So, I understand what you are saying, but once I can no longer get what I want from a barrel I consider it shot out. I might also add that case life in this rifle was shorter than any other I had.
Another example can be shown by my foray in the 6mm/284 Wildcat. My original barrel gave exceptional accuracy up until and past the point the throat was pretty well shot out. There, accuracy remained BUT the velocity declined to the point of a standard 243. I pulled the barrel and had a new Hart put on. Same twist, length, reamer, etc. The new barrel too was quite accurate but showed pressure before I could get to the velocity I wanted. It went down the road......
