Reloader 17

[Ben Lamb]

Refining some of the results from yesterday at the range, and having worked all weekend I skipped out early today and headed up to the range again with some different loads to run through the 06 and 35 Whelen using Reloader 17.

The 06 was showing promise, so I got a little adventurous with the loadings and was able to go over 3,000 fps w/ a 180 grain Sierra Game King.

The accuracy wasn't there though, and the bolt was sticking a little bit. Ultimately, it's looking like right around 57.5 grains is the best load yielding around 2900 fps and 1 inch groups.

The Whelen got up to a little bit over 2700 fps w/ a 250 grain Hornady Round Nose. Recoil was a little stiff, but no pressure signs out of the old Mauser.

Again the accuracy wasn't there with the top end, so I'll settle on 2650 or so and use 65.5 grains of RL 17. That loading was shooting at about .5 MOA.

Here's the gals side by side:

 

[257 Wby Mag]

Good lookin shootin irons Ben. My first custom was a Whelen, built on a 1917 enfield. My second was a 700 Bdl I bought about 15 years ago. Killed my best bear and a few bucks with em, good round. I always shot 225's with good results..... Later

 

[Papa-Zulu]

That rifle on the right looks like a pre-'64 Model 70 with a cocobolo fore-end. Am I correct? Who did the stock work?

 

[Papa-Zulu]

Oops! I think it is just a reflection from the redwood strip in the background--no cocobolo fore-end.

 

[belly-deep]

3,000fps with a 180gr bullet in a 30-06? Holy shit...

 

[shoots-straight]

3,000fps with a 180gr bullet in a 30-06? Holy shit...

That's what I was thinking. That's not the old 30-06, that's the newer 30-06 magnum.

 

[Ben Lamb]

3,000fps with a 180gr bullet in a 30-06? Holy shit...

Bolt was a little sticky so it's not a safe load. I backed off quite a bit.

Yes, It's a pre-64 featherweight. Incredibly accurate rifle. Leupold VXII 3x9 on top.

 

[1_pointer]

Those are some impressive velocities! I'm wanting to give R17 a try in my 338 sometime. I'm thinking I could pick up a few fps over the R15 load I'm currently using. Glad to see you back off the 30-06 load some. You're not pretty, but a bolt sticking out of your forehead wouldn't help any...

PS- How do you like the ProChrono Digital? Any problems with not recording shots in certain lighting conditions?

 

[Ben Lamb]

PS- How do you like the ProChrono Digital? Any problems with not recording shots in certain lighting conditions?

It's got about a 70% favor-ability rating right now. It's temperature sensitive so no load development work below 32 degrees. It misses about 1 out of every 10-15 shots which sucks when you're working up in .2 - .4 grain increments and you only get one reading out a two rounds w/ the same charge.

I'd be interested in seeing what you can do w/ 17 and a 338 WM. It would probably take a 250 grain bullet or bigger to realize the potential.

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks for the info on the chrono. I keep hearing really good things about the CED digital so may go that route.

I'll let you know how it does in my 338, but if it takes a 250+gr bullet for it to work well I won't be using it. I've only used 200/210gr bullets thus far and am considering giving the 225gr Accubond a try. I can't see them not working for the hunting I'll do. I'm pretty sure my dream of a brown bear hunt as went the way of the dodo and passenger pigeon...