Groundhog Ammunition

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  • Last Post 02 June 2017
Scearcy posted this 31 March 2017

The signup sheets have started arriving so if anyone feels like sharing or discussing their groundhog ammo, here is the thread. Once again Ken the instigator put me up to it.

Here are 150 little beauties that shoot well but lead like Hades. 

Jim

ammo-development

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Scearcy posted this 02 June 2017

It is time to post results but everything is documented on a Xcel spread sheet. Does anyone know the easiest way to post the information from a spread sheet? PDF? Document photo?

Jim

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Scearcy posted this 31 May 2017

The last day! I realized yesterday that we did not have a single 30-30 entered in our PB match. So I dug out a rifle I don't use very much. It is a Marlin 336T which features a straight grip and an 18 inch barrel. I had left over bullets from the 3006 and primed brass in a coffee can so it was a simple matter to load 40 for a trip to the range. I used 6 gr of BE. The rifle is equipped with both a scout scope and receiver sights. I used both and shot 2 targets with crossed sticks. It is a fun little rifle to shoot with this load. Actually I think it might make weight for the Bunny matches now that this match is over.

Jim

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Scearcy posted this 25 May 2017

It was a busy day at the mail box. We have 17 rifles submitted now. There are enough of both iron sights and scopes to separate them. If anything the irons are shooting better than the scopes, however. We are almost certain to go over 20 rifles. Thanks to all.

Jim

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Scearcy posted this 24 May 2017

All

I shot my first target today. I used 7.0 gr of Bullseye as suggested by Ed Harris. While getting a zero off a rest, I had no trouble holding 1 1/2" at 50 yds. The actual target w/o the bench and rest didn't go so well. I am going to try this load at 100 yds with a scoped rifle. 2-2 1/2" is about what I expect.

Jim

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 24 May 2017

glad to see trailboss mentioned a couple times .... i have put off using it for several years but it keeps showing up in a variety of loads ... need to buy a can ...

can't wait to see the load data from the g-hog shooters .... hopefully we can get it into a table .... i actually read the load tables from the  * fouling shot * hoping to see patterns ( g ) ...  it does appear it is more than luck ...

... while i am running my fingers here i might mention that i wonder/wish that the top competition shooters would reveal more of their secret tricks we all know they are using to consistently be at the top of that results list ....   does it come in a can ??

ken

 

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Bohica793 posted this 24 May 2017

Count me in for the next one.  I am already working on the next rifle for this match.

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Duke M posted this 24 May 2017

I have to say that I have had splendid results with the RCBS 30-150-CM in 30-30 lever guns, a Krag, and now my two Springfields and Jon's. I have read Mr. Harris' thoughts on the 6.0 gr of BE in the 06. I decided to try 6.0 gr. of Trail Boss as I treat it as a bulky Bullseye. As Jon said it will group better than we can hold from field expedient positions. The targets were mailed today.

Duke

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shake posted this 23 May 2017

Thanks for putting this on. It was good for me to get off the bench and shoot a rifle the way it was meant to be shot.

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Scearcy posted this 23 May 2017

Hey Jon,

Great to hear you had fun. I am really enjoying seeing the targets and tech info come in. At this point it looks like we may have as many as 25 targets returned. What fun and a wealth of practical data.

I am already getting questions about next year. I'll be in touch with everyone a little later about that.

Thanks for playing

Jim

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longhunter posted this 23 May 2017

Just finished up my 2 ground hog targets.  They are in the mail.

Thanks for a great,FUN shoot.

I to shot a 311284 unchecked. Did pretty well.

scope tgt I shot a RCBS 150 CB with 

trail boss. shot better than I could!

Thank you again for a great match.

Jon

Jon Welda CW5 USA Ret.

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Scearcy posted this 20 May 2017

I don't disagree that 4759 can be position sensitive but I have a large supply that I am not using at the moment.  The ground hog target is fairly large so 4759 should be adequate for what we are trying to do.

BTW an acquaintance is shooting 4759 in his 223 and doing very well. Who knows it is probably not position sensitive in that case.

Jim

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GWarden posted this 19 May 2017

I have found the 4759 to be very position sensitive. If I tip the bbl. vs just chambering the round, my groups will be almost half as small with the bbl. being tipped vs. just chambering the round. I am looking forward to getting a NOE mould that has the 311284 PB to try in comparison to the lyman  311284 GC and shooting without the GC. Thanks again for the groundhog shoot. 

Bob 

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GWarden posted this 19 May 2017

I had used the 311284 in my 98 Springfield 30 40 Krag. I had never tried shooting this bullet without GC until the groundhog match, a new learning experience for me. I size the bullets at .311 and NRA lube. I dropped from my normal charge of 17.9 gr imr4227 to 16.0 gr. this gave me a velocity of 1405 fps and I was getting leading. I dropped down to 15.0 gr and had a velocity of 1315fps, and my leading was eliminated. Bullets were made of mix of 15# new lead, 25# of magnum shot +2% tin. In my 32/40 and 38/55 I use a mix of 25:1 lead/tin and always shoot PB bullets in these rifles. Both of these I shoot both breech seated and fixed ammo. My 50yd groups with the 30 40 at the 15.0 gr of 4227 were very good. Again for me shooting GC bulllets without the GC is a new learning curve for me. 

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Scearcy posted this 19 May 2017

Time is running out soon. The targets are due the end of May. I think I am going to use 15 gr of 4759 in the scoped rifle and 7 gr of Bullseye in the iron sight rifle. Both are 3006  and using a 311291 PB bullet

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Bohica793 posted this 19 April 2017

I'm still working to find just the right loads for this shoot.  I went out this morning with the 38-55 and the 7.62x54R to test the latest version.  The 38-55 is pretty much locked in using 14gr of IMR-4227 with a 250gr RNFP cast from WW + 2% tin sized .379 and a Dacron filler.  Load chronographed at 1250fps with an ES of 26.  The proof is in the 10 shot grouping at 50 yards.

The Russian is another story.  Tested a new load consisting of 16gr of 2400 under a 170gr bore rider cast from WW + 2% tin and sized .312 chronographed at 1550fps with an ES of 65.  10 shots produced 4 actually on the 8.5x11 target at 50 yards.  This follows the 4 foot groups produced by my 200gr bullet load using IMR 4895.  I think I am about to dump this rifle and find something else.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 19 April 2017

ok, i think my racecar might have a flat tire.  in preparation for the 30 cal groundhog shoot .. and given that i am 3 weeks behind in my shop, feeling guilty... and all my lead supply is unknown scrap ( great for 35 yard plinking ) ...i broke my own rule and ...er ... ordered some commercial bullets ... they arrived today ... ah ... now i remember why i made that rule.

first the good news:  excellent service and nicely made ... 500 count all alike ... 130 grain round flat nose plain base ... great for 50 yard woodchucks ... nice and round too ... nice flat bases  ...  lucky me . 

supposed to be groove part at 0.310 ... mikes at 0.3075 nominal.  oops ... the long nose mikes  0.297-8 .  are round tho .  oh, they are hardball alloy ... heh ...

my wife reminded me i have perfectly good rcbs, lbt, etc. 3o cal molds ...  could i have gone wrong ?

i might be starting at the back of the pack ...  and my wife wants to shoot some groundhogs ...  storm clouds are gathering .....

reminds me of the movie _ letters from iwo jima _ ... from the japanese viewpoint ...

if you guys want to beat somebody that used to be good in his own mind , this might be a good shoot to enter ...

more to follow, i have no pride ...  pray for me ...

ken

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Bohica793 posted this 13 April 2017

I have never used Unique but I may need to pick up a pound to try.

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Scearcy posted this 13 April 2017

Do you have any Unique sitting around? It might solve your problem with position sensitivity.  I have never tried wads so I can't be much help. 2” groups will keep you in the 10 circle if you are well centered.

Jim

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bushranch posted this 12 April 2017

.250 Savage update - tested the loads in previous post ( 8.6 grains of 2400 ,4227 & 4759 ) with the RCBS 85 grain CB. All shot good groups hitting in the same target area. Noted slight tipping with 4227 & 4959 . 2400 was fine . Likely that 1 in 14 twist !!  Will stay with 2400 . No indication of leading with the short-fat-soft  (20-1) bullet .

Little History - First cast attempt with this rifle was about 1970 when I obtained Lyman 257418 , likely the worst combination of slow twist and long bullet I could have come up with . Cast in Revolvers worked fine and I pretty well wrote rifles off. I met a older Gentleman at the range shooting a Winchester Rifle 94 with 311291 . His load was 28 grains of 3031 and it really worked. He was willing to share and I was on my way. Found a few of those bullets and shot two yesterday just to see... Same results keyholes and 2 foot spread. CBA information today is at our fingertips ...and that is a good thing..

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Bohica793 posted this 12 April 2017

13 gr of IMR-4227 with a small TP wad in the 38-55 with a 250gr RNFP produces 1125 fps average and puts everything in a 2 inch circle at 50 yards.  Still seeing velocity variances so I think my wad is not big enough but it works well enough it seems.

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