Pac-Nor 45-Lesson Learned-07/25/2010
Jul 27, 2010 0:16:24 GMT -5
Post by boarhog on Jul 27, 2010 0:16:24 GMT -5
The Bride had to work Sunday, so I took the opportunity to shoot a while. Rangeball was interested in knowing the speed of VV N-110 as a single load under the 200 gr XTP, and the Harvester Blue Sabot. I weighed up several vials of 36, 38, and 40 grains, along with several loads I wanted to test for me. Temp was 96*, with a slight breeze.
Targets 1, 2, & 3 were the N-110 loads I was testing for Rangeball. The various chronograph data was reported under the N-110 as a single load thread. I had re-positioned the scope to adjust eye relief, so I shot several rounds for adjusting it. I noticed that the Harvester smooth blue sabot seemed to be tighter loading than before, and seemed to be stretching or flexing. Grouping wasn’t great, but I attributed that to my barrel not liking N-110 as a single, and I was getting good chronograph readings that were pretty consistent.
Target # 4 – 200 gr XTP, Harv Blue, and 12/60 N-110/A-2015. Please note that I have mistakenly reversed the numbering of # 4 and # 5 in the photo. The 2nd shot went about 12” right, and through the target sideways. Shot 3 was back within 2.5” of shot 1. The chrono didn’t show the typical huge drop in FPS usually associated with a blown sabot.
1. 2698 2. 2618 3. 2654. ES-80, AV-2656, SD-40.
At this point, I searched out as many sabots as I could find, and noticed that several petals looked like they had been stretched and torn. Not at all shredded like I expected, and that’s when the light bulb came on! I am relatively certain that my bag of sabots were heated during the trip from my store to the JCGC range. It only took 20-30 minutes, including a stop for ice to fill the rod cooler and ice chest, but my range box is black metal. Even though I unloaded my truck quickly, and put everything in the shade of our firing line roof, the box must have held enough heat to soften the sabot plastic. So I dropped the zip-lock bag of sabots into my ice chest for about 20 minutes.
Target # 5- 200 gr XTP, 10/60 N-110/N-120, Harv Blue.
1. 3051 2. 3043 3. 3071. ES-28, AV-3055, SD-14. 3 shots went in to just a hair over 1”.
This time the sabots loaded smoothly, with no hint of sticking.
Target #-6- 225 gr FTX, 62 gr H-4198, sabot less, 1 .060 V wad.
1. 2623 2. 2605 3. 2618. ES-8, AV-2614, 3 in 2.5”
Target # 7- 225 gr FTX, 15/55 N-110/H-322, 1 .060 V wad, Sabot less.
1. 2746 2. 2763 3. 2780. ES-34, AV-2763, SD-17. 3 in 2 ¼”.
Target # 8- 225 FTX, 13/55 N-110/H-322, 1 V wad, sabotless.( no cool rod or cleaning between shots.
1. 2725 2. 2719 3. ------. ES-11, AV-2719, SD-5. 3 in 1”.
Conclusion:
The full length rod cooler, and the Cool Rod works great, but can’t overcome softened sabots if you let them get too warm on the way to the range. It is obvious that accuracy returned with cool sabots and sabot less loads.
Targets 1, 2, & 3 were the N-110 loads I was testing for Rangeball. The various chronograph data was reported under the N-110 as a single load thread. I had re-positioned the scope to adjust eye relief, so I shot several rounds for adjusting it. I noticed that the Harvester smooth blue sabot seemed to be tighter loading than before, and seemed to be stretching or flexing. Grouping wasn’t great, but I attributed that to my barrel not liking N-110 as a single, and I was getting good chronograph readings that were pretty consistent.
Target # 4 – 200 gr XTP, Harv Blue, and 12/60 N-110/A-2015. Please note that I have mistakenly reversed the numbering of # 4 and # 5 in the photo. The 2nd shot went about 12” right, and through the target sideways. Shot 3 was back within 2.5” of shot 1. The chrono didn’t show the typical huge drop in FPS usually associated with a blown sabot.
1. 2698 2. 2618 3. 2654. ES-80, AV-2656, SD-40.
At this point, I searched out as many sabots as I could find, and noticed that several petals looked like they had been stretched and torn. Not at all shredded like I expected, and that’s when the light bulb came on! I am relatively certain that my bag of sabots were heated during the trip from my store to the JCGC range. It only took 20-30 minutes, including a stop for ice to fill the rod cooler and ice chest, but my range box is black metal. Even though I unloaded my truck quickly, and put everything in the shade of our firing line roof, the box must have held enough heat to soften the sabot plastic. So I dropped the zip-lock bag of sabots into my ice chest for about 20 minutes.
Target # 5- 200 gr XTP, 10/60 N-110/N-120, Harv Blue.
1. 3051 2. 3043 3. 3071. ES-28, AV-3055, SD-14. 3 shots went in to just a hair over 1”.
This time the sabots loaded smoothly, with no hint of sticking.
Target #-6- 225 gr FTX, 62 gr H-4198, sabot less, 1 .060 V wad.
1. 2623 2. 2605 3. 2618. ES-8, AV-2614, 3 in 2.5”
Target # 7- 225 gr FTX, 15/55 N-110/H-322, 1 .060 V wad, Sabot less.
1. 2746 2. 2763 3. 2780. ES-34, AV-2763, SD-17. 3 in 2 ¼”.
Target # 8- 225 FTX, 13/55 N-110/H-322, 1 V wad, sabotless.( no cool rod or cleaning between shots.
1. 2725 2. 2719 3. ------. ES-11, AV-2719, SD-5. 3 in 1”.
Conclusion:
The full length rod cooler, and the Cool Rod works great, but can’t overcome softened sabots if you let them get too warm on the way to the range. It is obvious that accuracy returned with cool sabots and sabot less loads.
Thanks again for the Goodies, Rusty
