325 FTX Loads

[chas06]

I have been reading a lot of you guys shoot the Hornady 325gr FTX bullets. I have a lot of 4759 powder and I see you use 4198 also. any help?

[hunter]

IMO 4198 would be a better powder with the 325 gr bullets.

[picks]

I have used 68-72 gr of Rl10x or 63-66gr of RL7 with very good accuracy

[dannoboone]

"I have a lot of 4759 powder"

You just became the envy of many here.

[deadeer]

In 50 cal, Harvestor Black Crush Rib sabot, Fed 209a or CCIM- 43gr sr4759, 42gr n110, 70gr h4198, duplexes 5/65 n110-h4198, or 10/60 sr4759-h4198 have all been consistently accurate in several different guns for us over the years.

Jay

[XTR]

I'm taking a look at this bullet for my 50 as well.

I'm working on a duplex with SR4759/IMR4198. Was about to try 5/65 but reading here is 10/60 the better answer?

What kind of MVs are people getting with the 325s with the 10/60 load?

[nemohunter]

I shot 67grs of strait h4198 into sub moa. No reason to use anything else IMHO.

[XTR]

I lost a deer on a 175 yard shot (shooting a 250 not the 325s) last yr and I'm certain it was due to temperature sensitivity of 4198 causing a velocity change. I'm duplexing to help reduce that effect.

[artjr338wm]

My best performing load was:
<>.458 325 FTX
<>68 grains H-4198
<>Harvester Black Crush Rib Sabot
<>Federal 209
<>Guessing MV of 2350fps

Although I had many, many MOA and sub MOA groups at both 100 and 200, this load gave me consistent =+/- 1.5" groups at 100 and =/- 2.5" groups at 200, but is not for the recoil shy. I am admittedly the wrong person to ask if a load kicks to much because recoil is a non issue with me.

XTR, I am surprised you had temp issues with H-4198, have you been able to confirm temp related velocity issues with a chronograph? I have shot over 3lbs of H-4198 under bullets weighing 245, 250, 290, and 300 grains in temps as low as 15* and although I don't own a chronograph I never experienced a change on POI in cold temps large enough to warrant even the slightest of concerns.

[cowhunter]

Use a 4759/4198 duplex and avoid the temperature or loading pressure problems.

[XTR]

I'm using IMR-4198, not sure it makes a difference (Hogden marketing would say it does) maybe it wasn't the load, but I took a shot last yr that I'm certain hit low. Lost the deer. I was sure I broke a good shot. I shoot a whole lot of competition, I know when I pull one. Could have been a whole lot of things, but I'm taking precautions to see that it doesn't happen again.

I'll go to the range and see how it shoots. I've all but missed ML season this yr anyway. (maybe I can get out this weekend)

[XTR]

Nov 18, 2014 12:13:14 GMT -5 cowhunter said:

Use a 4759/4198 duplex and avoid the temperature or loading pressure problems.

That's what I'm working on, looking for input on the load.  5/65 or 10/60 or something else? (SR4759/IMR4198)

[XTR]

Testing with 5/65 4759/IMR4198 and orange MPH sabots. I was getting erratic results which may or may not have been the load. I've just put this together in a RIchards stock and the ramrod is putting way too much pressure on the barrel. I'll look more into the duplexed load. I did find a sabot that was showing lots of expansion in the base (it looks like a funnel) and the petals were beginning to tear at the base. I also found one petal sans base so I think that's pretty close to all the sabots can take.

I backed the load off to 65gr of IMR4198 without the booster and I'm getting good results. I was trying to get into the field to hunt but it looks to be shooting MOA or less at 200 yards(less for the two shots I put on paper, which is plenty to kill deer.

The drop from a 100yd zero 100 to 200 in a cold barrel at 40* is 11.5 inches, that works out to be about 1950FPS. (all powder and rifle kept in the truck outside for hours, one shot at 100 yards to confirm zero, 15 minute wait to load, then two shots 10 min apart at 200 yards printed exactly 1" center to center)

[GMB54-120]

A 250gr would be pressure starved with 4198 in a 50cal. The 325gr most likely will not be with 65gr. You might even want to take it up 2-3 grains and verify the muzzle velocity.

[XTR]

Nov 20, 2014 17:43:08 GMT -5 GMB54-120 said:

A 250gr would be pressure starved with 4198 in a 50cal. The 325gr most likely will not be with 65gr. You might even want to take it up 2-3 grains and verify the muzzle velocity.

I'm pretty sure that is what happened to me last yr shooting the 250s.  When I get time I'll go back and do a little load testing.  I've been out of town for the entire ML season here and I had today and tomorrow to hunt so I was really just wanting a load that I could depend on for the next two days.

(as for the hunting, saw a little buck today but didn't take a shot.  I had one short window of opportunity to pull the trigger on him and I was too undecided because he was small.)

Back in the woods in the AM.

[wilmsmeyer]

Just to throw in some experience on H4198 and 250 gr bullets in a stock .50:

IMO, there is no pressure starvation here IF...IF you use enough powder and have a tight fit. I used 76-80 gr for 2 years and probably shot more of this combo then all others combined in my hay-day. All seasons all temps and mostly Barnes 250 TMZ's and 245 Spitfires that don't obturate and are limited to the stock sabot due to the boat tail. Several deer succumbed to this load.

If you are not trying to reach mach speed, don't use H4198! Use something else like a book load powder.

H4198 has been given a bad rapp by some. To me, I know what this powder has done for me and none of the reports I hear mean a hill of beans to me. Dry gun, dry swab (if any swab at all), if cold, leave loaded gun outside, no lubes, no oils. It's one of the best singles there is in a .50 when looking to get the most speed in 250-325 gr saboted loads. No fuss no muss. I can not attest to this if below zero degrees but above that, it has been lights out.

Show me a better single for high performance, speed loads in a saboted .50.

[XTR]

Last yr I was running 70 grains under the 250, sounds like I wasn't quite there, and FWIW I will say again, I am running IMR-4198.

[bigmoose]

I'm a big fan of H4198, all my testing and hunting were with it, its a super combo with Barnes 290gr Flat base all cooper bullet.
With Barnes X bullets 300 and 350gr. it will take just about any animal walking the earth, except Elephant, but we have very few in South Florida.

[jims]

Bigmoose: There used to be more elephants there but the big boomer guys pretty much cleaned them out. 4198 is a good powder. Hard to find locally however.