The New Brux is looking good
May 26, 2015 18:49:43 GMT -5
Post by Richard on May 26, 2015 18:49:43 GMT -5
New Brux .45
The morning started out cloudy with just a light breeze………which picked up as the morning went on. From inside our range house you could just see the tops of the trees swaying a little.
I started out with the 28” new Brux squeaky clean after a good J-B’ing/brushing at home. Rather than just throw a fouler into the dirt bank, I included it in the first group. It was pretty evident that the barrel needs at least one fouler
The starting group was using the 250 gr. FTX smooth sized with veggie wad. For this clean barrel a .4499” sized bullet will go down the barrel with a 1 ½ hands. After the first shot, it will be two hands but not a “grunting” two hands. I went with 5 gr. of Cl;ays and 60 gr. of H-4198. Needless to say I was happy with a .480 four shot group.
Dropping in weight I went to the 230 gr. HAP (Hornady Action Pistol) hollow point bullet. I had knurled the bullet up to around .454” and then full formed it + a veggie wad. (that is the only wad I use………….. .060”) (never found the wool to be any better and the “stink” when ignited). After putting three shots in what turned out to be a .605” group I added two more for a five shot .887”……….Happy?
You Bet!
As a comparison, I next shot a three shot group with the same bullet only smooth sized. I would have shot two more but it seemed like a waste of bullets and powder as the three shot turned out to be .390”…………Happy Brux Barrel! Based on these two groups, which I understand is a small sampling, …………..FF vs. Smooth?
Next up was a .458 Hornady 300 gr. #4500 bullet which I full formed and used the 10/60 duplex………………..Not so good……….at least not as good as the lighter bullets. It was a nice triangle @ 1.3” but nothing to write home about.
As a comparison I next went with the Hornady 300 gr. XTP which had been knurled up to .456” (two heavy bastard files will get you there) and full formed; same 10/60 duplex. This group started out similar but the triangle never formed. The third shot went right into #2 for a 1.1” group. These two bullets might get looked at with different powders or different ratios……………There is never an end to testing and for me, this is the fun part of the smokeless ML game.
Now for a more premier bullet……..the 275 Parker BE. Kicked it with the same duplex and it kind of strung diagonally to 1.2”………….Again, maybe it likes a single powder loading?
And last but not least, I went back to the FIRST load (250 FTX) and shot five at 200 yards. I very rarely complain about wind as the conditions are usually pretty good at our range but after firing shot #1 and then seeing #2 move right out to the left by 1 ½ “, I observed the tops of the Indian grass out in front………..it was bending right to left. Not severely, but a definite R to L intermittent blow . When I caught the right condition, it stacked them pretty good at 1”.
All in all I was very happy with the new barrel. While not super, the Extreme Spreads on most all the loads was very good. Its easier to get low ES with three shot groups than five………..and, its easier to shoot small with three than five. But that is nature of the beast. Every Win. 209 primer I shot today came off the bolt nose with no resistance and every primer looked as shiny coming out as going in.
My initial thoughts on full forming vs. smooth sizing is that there is or will be very little difference provided the fit is right and barrel in uniform…………..which this Brux is. Some of this will also be governed by the particular load one is using. I am inclined to believe straight powders might be the ticket in full formed bullets where obturation has already occurred. On the other hand a bullet that need to grab onto the rifling might need the fast boosters to fatten it up in a hurry.
These are my opinions based on my shooting experience with my gun. Your mileage might vary.
Richard
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The morning started out cloudy with just a light breeze………which picked up as the morning went on. From inside our range house you could just see the tops of the trees swaying a little.
I started out with the 28” new Brux squeaky clean after a good J-B’ing/brushing at home. Rather than just throw a fouler into the dirt bank, I included it in the first group. It was pretty evident that the barrel needs at least one fouler
The starting group was using the 250 gr. FTX smooth sized with veggie wad. For this clean barrel a .4499” sized bullet will go down the barrel with a 1 ½ hands. After the first shot, it will be two hands but not a “grunting” two hands. I went with 5 gr. of Cl;ays and 60 gr. of H-4198. Needless to say I was happy with a .480 four shot group.
Dropping in weight I went to the 230 gr. HAP (Hornady Action Pistol) hollow point bullet. I had knurled the bullet up to around .454” and then full formed it + a veggie wad. (that is the only wad I use………….. .060”) (never found the wool to be any better and the “stink” when ignited). After putting three shots in what turned out to be a .605” group I added two more for a five shot .887”……….Happy?
You Bet!As a comparison, I next shot a three shot group with the same bullet only smooth sized. I would have shot two more but it seemed like a waste of bullets and powder as the three shot turned out to be .390”…………Happy Brux Barrel! Based on these two groups, which I understand is a small sampling, …………..FF vs. Smooth?
Next up was a .458 Hornady 300 gr. #4500 bullet which I full formed and used the 10/60 duplex………………..Not so good……….at least not as good as the lighter bullets. It was a nice triangle @ 1.3” but nothing to write home about.
As a comparison I next went with the Hornady 300 gr. XTP which had been knurled up to .456” (two heavy bastard files will get you there) and full formed; same 10/60 duplex. This group started out similar but the triangle never formed. The third shot went right into #2 for a 1.1” group. These two bullets might get looked at with different powders or different ratios……………There is never an end to testing and for me, this is the fun part of the smokeless ML game.
Now for a more premier bullet……..the 275 Parker BE. Kicked it with the same duplex and it kind of strung diagonally to 1.2”………….Again, maybe it likes a single powder loading?
And last but not least, I went back to the FIRST load (250 FTX) and shot five at 200 yards. I very rarely complain about wind as the conditions are usually pretty good at our range but after firing shot #1 and then seeing #2 move right out to the left by 1 ½ “, I observed the tops of the Indian grass out in front………..it was bending right to left. Not severely, but a definite R to L intermittent blow . When I caught the right condition, it stacked them pretty good at 1”.
All in all I was very happy with the new barrel. While not super, the Extreme Spreads on most all the loads was very good. Its easier to get low ES with three shot groups than five………..and, its easier to shoot small with three than five. But that is nature of the beast. Every Win. 209 primer I shot today came off the bolt nose with no resistance and every primer looked as shiny coming out as going in.
My initial thoughts on full forming vs. smooth sizing is that there is or will be very little difference provided the fit is right and barrel in uniform…………..which this Brux is. Some of this will also be governed by the particular load one is using. I am inclined to believe straight powders might be the ticket in full formed bullets where obturation has already occurred. On the other hand a bullet that need to grab onto the rifling might need the fast boosters to fatten it up in a hurry.
These are my opinions based on my shooting experience with my gun. Your mileage might vary.
Richard
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jpg images
