Thought there would be some interest in my load workup on my new rifle.
I topped the gun with a 2.5x long eye relief scope:
Intending to hog hunt with it, so building a reasonable 240 grain hollow point, is the goal. Picked the Hornady 240 XTP, and worked up the loads from the Hornady manual using H110 powder. I started in the middle with 22.3 grains, then worked up in .5 grain increments. Loads started to kick hard at 23.8 (max load according to the Hornady table is 25 grains). At 23.3 grains I was getting an average of 1711 fps, plenty fast with good down range numbers and well within pressure levels. At this powder level I got 2-3/8" groups from a sand-bag. Can't complain about that.
44 Mag load workup 16" carbine 240 gr Hornady XTP
- HarryAlonzo
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Re: 44 Mag load workup 16" carbine 240 gr Hornady XTP
Nice setup! What is that scope? I like the old school Weaver rings.
XTPs wouldn’t be my first choice on hogs. Hogs are too tough. I use an RNFP soft nose, and give up expansion in exchange for penetration. Hard cast lead can be a good option, from what I read.
XTPs wouldn’t be my first choice on hogs. Hogs are too tough. I use an RNFP soft nose, and give up expansion in exchange for penetration. Hard cast lead can be a good option, from what I read.
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Re: 44 Mag load workup 16" carbine 240 gr Hornady XTP
HarryAlonzo wrote:Nice setup! What is that scope? I like the old school Weaver rings.
XTPs wouldn’t be my first choice on hogs. Hogs are too tough. I use an RNFP soft nose, and give up expansion in exchange for penetration. Hard cast lead can be a good option, from what I read.
If you can find it you might want to check out Lil'Gun. I've pretty much migrated all my H110 loads over to it and have been pleased with the results. Maybe I missed it but what range are you shooting for that 2 3/8 group. I sure do envy that open country.
Stay well, be safe, make smoke,
Curt... makin' smoke and raising my carbon foot print one cartridge at a time
Re: 44 Mag load workup 16" carbine 240 gr Hornady XTP
The scope is an old "Charles Daly" 2.5x scope. Of course, Charles Daly doesn't make their own scopes, this one was mfg in Japan, so it is likely, and appears to be, a quality unit. Obviously it's a long eye-relief scope. I think it's a good fit for this gun. I had a 1.5-5x Leopold on a 375 H&H when I was in Alaska (shot my Grizzly with it) and if that had a long eye relief, that'd be a good scope on this rig.
I'd love to try lil' gun, but I'm trying to reduce the number/types of powder I have/use with my different calibers.
Shooting at 100 yards. If you look at the ballistic table, this load is good to 125 yards point-of-aim, maybe even 150.... so, that makes it solid to a 100 yard "guestimate" in the field. If I need 200 yards, pick a different gun.
Yes, I love our range here in Utah. It's a county range, free to use. It has 5 50 yard ranges, one measured 200 yard range with concrete shooting tables, and the range I'm using in the picture is a 1000 yard range with steel plates at 200/300/400/700/800 and 1000. It's a hoot. I bring my 308 AR10 there and ring steel out to 1000... very satisfying to hear that clang... BANG... wait, wait, wait.... CLANG!
I'd love to try lil' gun, but I'm trying to reduce the number/types of powder I have/use with my different calibers.
Shooting at 100 yards. If you look at the ballistic table, this load is good to 125 yards point-of-aim, maybe even 150.... so, that makes it solid to a 100 yard "guestimate" in the field. If I need 200 yards, pick a different gun.
Yes, I love our range here in Utah. It's a county range, free to use. It has 5 50 yard ranges, one measured 200 yard range with concrete shooting tables, and the range I'm using in the picture is a 1000 yard range with steel plates at 200/300/400/700/800 and 1000. It's a hoot. I bring my 308 AR10 there and ring steel out to 1000... very satisfying to hear that clang... BANG... wait, wait, wait.... CLANG!