I got to shoot the new rifle

[Idaho Ron]

Today I got a chance to shoot the new rifle and I decided to go straight to 100 yards. I shot my 408 gr RCBS 11mm rifle bullets paper patched. I was using 80 gr of powder measured. With an over sized over powder wad.

The wind was off and on but not super hard. Not knowing where to set the sight I just shot one with the sight setting set at 0-0. That ended up with a bullet into the dirt that threw gravel into my targets. If you see some tiny holes it was from that. After some shooting to get it on the paper I was finally close. By this time the sun was fully behind me.

This is where my sight was set for 100 yards. If I understand Lee's numbers that one is .016

I was struggling with windage. I would be 2" to the left. Then I was 2" to the right. What I realized was I was not seeing the bubble right.

.

So after figuring out that I needed to shade the front sight a bit more. I shot my second group.

That group was right at 2" neighborhood.
I was very happy with the way the gun shoots without playing with loads. That load has been my standard load that I have recommended for barrels like this one.
I worked the trigger over and the set trigger is perfect with no creep and is set at 10 ounces.
I haven't shot groups in years. All I shoot is steel and over cross sticks. Going back to shooting my targets I can tell I need a different target. The one target I printed only printed half and it was very hard to see.
I got to be honest I am having more trouble seeing the target than I used to. That is disappointing for me to admit.
All in all the new rifle is starting out great and I am happy with it. Next time I hope to get out to 150 and 200 yards.

 

[deermanok]

Nice shooting.

 

[Crawfish]

Good shooting!!! How do you like those sights?

 

[SDSmlf]

Looking forward to hearing more about this setup. Have been debating trying one of these or possibly the long range Shavers sight. Don’t need one, but would be neat to have just to have. Own a few new and unused GM LRH barrels I can play with. See s opportunity to shut up some of the MILSURP guys I shoot with at 600 and maybe even 1000 yards. Blackpowder and a muzzleloader. Perfect if it works. Looking forward to hearing more. Oh, and don’t worry about the targets getting tougher to see, it gets easier as you get older........

 

[M. De Land]

Today I got a chance to shoot the new rifle and I decided to go straight to 100 yards. I shot my 408 gr RCBS 11mm rifle bullets paper patched. I was using 80 gr of powder measured. With an over sized over powder wad.

The wind was off and on but not super hard. Not knowing where to set the sight I just shot one with the sight setting set at 0-0. That ended up with a bullet into the dirt that threw gravel into my targets. If you see some tiny holes it was from that. After some shooting to get it on the paper I was finally close. By this time the sun was fully behind me.

This is where my sight was set for 100 yards. If I understand Lee's numbers that one is .016

I was struggling with windage. I would be 2" to the left. Then I was 2" to the right. What I realized was I was not seeing the bubble right.

.

So after figuring out that I needed to shade the front sight a bit more. I shot my second group.

That group was right at 2" neighborhood.
I was very happy with the way the gun shoots without playing with loads. That load has been my standard load that I have recommended for barrels like this one.
I worked the trigger over and the set trigger is perfect with no creep and is set at 10 ounces.
I haven't shot groups in years. All I shoot is steel and over cross sticks. Going back to shooting my targets I can tell I need a different target. The one target I printed only printed half and it was very hard to see.
I got to be honest I am having more trouble seeing the target than I used to. That is disappointing for me to admit.
All in all the new rifle is starting out great and I am happy with it. Next time I hope to get out to 150 and 200 yards.

Yes, that is 16 points on your vernier staff ! I'm thinking the twist is to slow for that length of bullet . One in twenty was the standard for .45 cal bullets in the buffalo rifles and I have one each 1 in 18 and 1 in 16 in my 45-70 match rifles shooting 1.5 Swiss black, Good to 600 yards tested.
The bullets look like they are tipping a bit. You will be able to tell as you get out farther for sure.

 

[SDSmlf]

Yes, that is 16 points on your vernier staff ! I'm thinking the twist is to slow for that length of bullet . One in twenty was the standard for .45 cal bullets in the buffalo rifles and I shoot 1 in 18 and 1 in 16 in both of my 45-70 match rifles with 1.5 Swiss black, Good to 1000 yards.
in

I have thought about faster twist barrels, but have found the same bullet paper patched that @Idaho Ron is using accurate to 300 and 400 yards in the GM LRH barrels. Move up to 500 grain plus bullets and can’t stay on the paper. Possibly see faster twist barrels in my future.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Yes, that is 16 points on your vernier staff ! I'm thinking the twist is to slow for that length of bullet . One in twenty was the standard for .45 cal bullets in the buffalo rifles and I have one each 1 in 18 and 1 in 16 in my 45-70 match rifles shooting 1.5 Swiss black, Good to 600 yards tested.
The bullets look like they are tipping a bit. You will be able to tell as you get out farther for sure.

That bullet shoots good out to 300 in rifles with 1-30 twist

 

[Carbon 6]

Keep posting Ron, You're going to make a paper patch convert out of me yet.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Looking forward to hearing more about this setup. Have been debating trying one of these or possibly the long range Shavers sight. Don’t need one, but would be neat to have just to have. Own a few new and unused GM LRH barrels I can play with. See s opportunity to shut up some of the MILSURP guys I shoot with at 600 and maybe even 1000 yards. Blackpowder and a muzzleloader. Perfect if it works. Looking forward to hearing more. Oh, and don’t worry about the targets getting tougher to see, it gets easier as you get older........

Unless you are planning to go past 800 yards I wouldn't get the long range. Lee Shaver thinks my set up will hit 800 easy. It might go 1000 with the right bullet.

 

[Carbon 6]

Something of interest if you haven't seen it.

 

[M. De Land]

That bullet shoots good out to 300 in rifles with 1-30 twist

Well then let's see a target that you shoot at 300 yards with that load and bullet.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Ron hasn't done any experiments yet and shot off the cuff so to speak.
Maybe 20gn more powder would just increase RPM enough to give him what he wants! I love the rifle

 

[Idaho Ron]

Actually I have been shooting that bullet for hunting for about 8 years. Its not a new to me bullet just new to that rifle. That bullet has been my go to bullet for hunting. I haven't shot groups with that bullet in years, but when I did they were not tumbling. I mostly shoot steel gongs. If you see my youtube channel I don't just sit down and shoot paper.
I have a lot of 1 hole groups.

 

[Capnball]

Today I got a chance to shoot the new rifle and I decided to go straight to 100 yards. I shot my 408 gr RCBS 11mm rifle bullets paper patched. I was using 80 gr of powder measured. With an over sized over powder wad.

The wind was off and on but not super hard. Not knowing where to set the sight I just shot one with the sight setting set at 0-0. That ended up with a bullet into the dirt that threw gravel into my targets. If you see some tiny holes it was from that. After some shooting to get it on the paper I was finally close. By this time the sun was fully behind me.

This is where my sight was set for 100 yards. If I understand Lee's numbers that one is .016

I was struggling with windage. I would be 2" to the left. Then I was 2" to the right. What I realized was I was not seeing the bubble right.

.

So after figuring out that I needed to shade the front sight a bit more. I shot my second group.

That group was right at 2" neighborhood.
I was very happy with the way the gun shoots without playing with loads. That load has been my standard load that I have recommended for barrels like this one.
I worked the trigger over and the set trigger is perfect with no creep and is set at 10 ounces.
I haven't shot groups in years. All I shoot is steel and over cross sticks. Going back to shooting my targets I can tell I need a different target. The one target I printed only printed half and it was very hard to see.
I got to be honest I am having more trouble seeing the target than I used to. That is disappointing for me to admit.
All in all the new rifle is starting out great and I am happy with it. Next time I hope to get out to 150 and 200 yards.

I was thrilled to be grouping shots at 100 yards but I think my 150 and up days are behind me. I can see targets that far with a scope but my last set of Rx glasses are just not up to it. Life and age have robbed me of being able to see things like 10" plates out that far.

 

[M. De Land]

I was thrilled to be grouping shots at 100 yards but I think my 150 and up days are behind me. I can see targets that far with a scope but my last set of Rx glasses are just not up to it. Life and age have robbed me of being able to see things like 10" plates out that far.

Ron, I shoot paper patch bullets in my 45cal black powder cartridge match rifle and .303 magazine rifle a bit but usually shoot grease bullets. One thing you may want to try is shortening the patch to just as long as where the ogive on the bullet starts. The patches can be wet patch applied or dry patched, either will work equally well. Typically in history paper patched bullets were loaded through a false muzzle to get them seated square and into the grooves.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Ron, nice goat and mule deer. We are heading to Wyoming this coming Oct. for them if we draw tags for the area we want to hunt, not too worried about the goat tag but a little on the draw for mule deer. Have a hunt lined up on private property, was out in 2019 for antelope and seen a couple decent mulies and this was during late antelope season. The antelope now graces my wall with his mount.

 

[SDSmlf]

Well then let's see a target that you shoot at 300 yards with that load and bullet.

Curious what you consider accurate? I often leave up my targets after a Milsurp match just to play or practice with my muzzleloaders. I have found the RCBS 11mm bullet paper patched out of my GM LRH barrels capable of staying in the 10 ring of a SR3 target at 300 yards and scaring the daylights out of a SR ‘X’ ring at 200 yards. Using 80 to 90 grains of 3F Swiss, Lyman 57 peep and Shavers inserts in a globe. My biggest issue is seeing or focusing on the targets. Seems to depend on lighting (and wind), with some days better than others. Suspect my ‘best’ days are in the past. Have only shot at steel past 300 yards, out to 450 yards max. Not sure I can shoot better with iron sights at 300 yards to get the accuracy improvement you are seeing with your faster twist barrels.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Ron, I shoot paper patch bullets in my 45cal black powder cartridge match rifle and .303 magazine rifle a bit but usually shoot grease bullets. One thing you may want to try is shortening the patch to just as long as where the ogive on the bullet starts. The patches can be wet patch applied or dry patched, either will work equally well. Typically in history paper patched bullets were loaded through a false muzzle to get them seated square and into the grooves.

I have actually been shooting paper patched bullets for hunting for over a dozen years. I know this will sound like bragging but I am responsible for a large number of people using paper patched bullets for hunting over the last dozen years. Most of it is due to my success on big game, and my methods working not just for me but most of the guys that have tried those methods.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Curious what you consider accurate? I often leave up my targets after a Milsurp match just to play or practice with my muzzleloaders. I have found the RCBS 11mm bullet paper patched out of my GM LRH barrels capable of staying in the 10 ring of a SR3 target at 300 yards and scaring the daylights out of a SR ‘X’ ring at 200 yards. Using 80 to 90 grains of 3F Swiss, Lyman 57 peep and Shavers inserts in a globe. My biggest issue is seeing or focusing on the targets. Seems to depend on lighting (and wind), with some days better than others. Suspect my ‘best’ days are in the past. Have only shot at steel past 300 yards, out to 450 yards max. Not sure I can shoot better with iron sights at 300 yards to get the accuracy improvement you are seeing with your faster twist barrels.

Our 1-30 twist is perfectly fine with the 11mm bullets. In this picture this is a bullet twist calculator for the 11mm bullet at the speeds I push it.

The stability is 1.663 and the box is green. That means it is good to go. But how does that equate to other rifles?
In this picture the stability chart is for a 270 Winchester with the standard 1-10 twist with a 140 gr boat tail. Well the stability factor in the green box is 1.706

The twist calculator is saying that the 11mm bullets are as equally as stable in the 1-30 twist as the 140 gr bullet is in the 270.
Guys that have never shot this bullet paper patched just simply don't understand. I have seen a lot of guys shooting that bullet, and they all say the same thing. That bullet is the most accurate they have ever shot.

 

[M. De Land]

If your happy with that accuracy then that is all that really counts and for hunting it is good enough as your pictures confirm but for competitive target work out to 1 K you need at least 1.5 minutes consistenly to be in the game. We use bullets in the 500 to 560 grain range and all the current records are held with grease bullets to my knowledge. This is the reason for the faster twist barrels. Our stability numbers are derived from a slightly modified GreenHill formula. It's not the same as jacketed bullets.
Lots of our competitors shoot PP bullets but far as I know no PP bullets holds any of the current national records when competing with grease bullets.
In Creedmoor days 1-20 was as slow as was used in 45 cal match rifles which was also the standard for the buffalo Sharps and Remington rifles which of course were black powder cartridge guns but still primarily use patched round nose bullets. The bullet does not care if it is seated from the muzzle or not only that it is straight with the bore at launch.
I think some of this target stuff I've mentioned to you would aid your rifle in enhanced performance if applied.