Range Report .454 casull SRH

[sbyrd]

OK here goes went to the range yesterday I put 12# wolf hammer spring in it as many of you know I was getting alot of double fires the good news is I fired 30 rnds. through it double fired on me on the last shot it was my fault my hand was hurtin me and I had a lose grip on gun. The bad news is I could'nt get a group to save my life I put one of sixshots peep sights on it thinkin I might shoot better with it. I think its my reloads i'm shooting hornady 240 gr. xtp mag. brand new WW cases cci 400 S.R primers 38 gr. H110 max is 38.2 gr. cases trimmed to same length 1.380 O.A.L 1.765 with a stiff roll crimp everything is right on I have hornady electronic scale I trickle it in to 38 gr. these are very uniform loads @ 25 yds. I was all over with some touching then three or four that would make the group 8" sometimes bigger I was shooting off a bench with sand bags nothing touching the barrel just my hands and the trigger gaurd on the bags felt solid. AM I TO HOT?? with that load I have a muzzle velosity of 2000 fps!! do I need to reduce it, do I need a heavier bullet, different bullet, I plan on useing it for short range deer or elk would like to be shooting 100 yrds. comfortable. Any help info anything you can think of I would be very thankfull.

Thank You Scott


_________________
"They shall mount up with Wings like eagles''
Isaiah 40:31

 

[edfardos]

how do you double fire a revolver? Missfires?

try grip on bags and make a wood "X" to rest your barrel upon. You probably discovered that cylinderblast destroys bags?

a reddot scope can be had for 50 bucks,I use it to work up loads. A 1" group should be had at 50'.

nice revolver - have fun, be safe,

edfardos

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

You might try a ball and dummy exercise with someone observing you for flinching. Even off bags, a flinch will throw shots out of the group. I say this because I don't know your experience with big-bore magnums. I've shot thousands of 44 Mag and 45 Colt Ruger/TC level loads and I needed to get used to shooting a 500 S&W mag before I got accurate.

How does it shoot with Ruger-only level 45 Colt loads?

If you're not flinching, then maybe you should do a standard work-up for that bullet and powder combo.

 

[brushunter]

I can see perhaps several issues. First I had a SRH , 454 with the 7 1/2 inch barrel. A fine revolver I might add.

Your load of H-110 sounds like a max load , or very close to it. Unless your specifically working up a load to shoot T-Rex......back it down some. After a few rounds of that , you can't help but flinch. I was down that same road with mine , cept I was using W-296 ( H-110s twin ) . Was using , I think 36.5 grains under a 240 XTP/Mag....same results as you....some looked good , then all of a sudden it would throw several way out. I marked the cylinders to see if it was the same chambers throwing the flyers..nope , it was me ....preparing myself for the shock and awe. After a while I decided to adjust my thinking....what is in Pennsylvania that would require anything more than a 240 grain ball flying at 1500 fps to kill it...Now I use 2400 under my 240s , according to my chrony I'm getting just under 1600 fps , that will take anything I'm going after.

Try backing your loads off some , see how you shoot then. Or try some 45 colt , see if your groups tighten up any. Before I scoped my Ruger , I had a "one ragged hole" sight on the rear with a green fiber optic up front....a very nice arrangement. Good luck .

regards , brushunter

 

[sbyrd]

Thanks for the replys i'm going to back my loads down. If the barrel is resting on something will that open my groups up? I'm thinking of useing a 300gr. bullet since I might be hunting elk with it and want to use the same bullet for muleys and elk bigger and slower I think wil help me. The double fire comes from the recoil bounceing the gun of your hand and when it comes back down your finger resets the trigger and then it fires double action it happens so fast it sounds like one shot but feels like you fired a double load.
Thanks Scott

 

[Groo]

Groo here
Be sure your gun butt is not hitting the bench top or anything else..
The sudden stop will change the rotation of the gun and throw rounds allover.

 

[brushunter]

sybrd , Think your on to something , big and slow. I usually try to keep the frame of a revolver on the bag instead of the barrel....can't actually say it makes a difference , but have always been told it does. Also once you get your load and have it sighted in from the bags...sight it in again with only your wrists supported, it will make a difference. And as groo stated , don't have the grip resting on a bag, that will tend to mess things up especially with a high recoil load. Perhaps I missed it , or didn't understand , your plan is to use this for Elk hunting ?? That throws a wrench into my original reply...I would certainly recommend the 300 XTP/Mag at a moderate velocity. Hornady says the 300 XTP/Mag is good from 1200 to 2200 fps , I would think at 1500 or so should give you a good load , assuming the SRH likes it. Lots of people will tell ya to go with hardcast.....maybe they're right....but I've never had a XTP fail , and the bullets I have recovered were picture perfect. You might want to try Hogue " Tamer" grips. They have the blue insert. They're the best I've come across for heavy recoil handguns. I used to use a Pact shooting glove also..it helps. Gee , I'm glad I don't shoot loads like that any more. :lol:
Good luck and good hunting .

regards , brushunter

 

[gramps]

Just remember that you are only to reduce 296/110 by 3%. 38.2 grs - 3%=37.05 grs. Best to use 2400 or unique if you're going to reduce much. Yep I reccomend lswc. Cheaper and work well.
gramps

 

[sbyrd]

Come to think of it the grip was on the bag. still have to get one of those tamer grips the stock grip sucks!!

thanks scott

 

[cjs1945]

That is a hot load, the Hornady handbook lists 36.9 gr. of H 110 as a max. load for the 240 gr. XTP-Mag bullet and that is pushing it 1850 fps. According to Hornady you are loading a 3% overload.

 

[sbyrd]

That is a hot load, the Hornady handbook lists 36.9 gr. of H 110 as a max. load for the 240 gr. XTP-Mag bullet and that is pushing it 1850 fps. According to Hornady you are loading a 3% overload.

I got my load out of the hogdon book it says max load for a 240 gr. JHP is 38.2 after I read your post I went and looked at a buddys hornady book it says 36.9 grs. max I loaded mine at 38.0 grs. i'm going to load 10 rnds at 35.0 grs and see how that works also going to get a box of 300 gr. XTPs does anyone know if I need XTPs or XTP MAGs or does it matter?

Thanks Scott

 

[sbyrd]

You might try a ball and dummy exercise with someone observing you for flinching. Even off bags, a flinch will throw shots out of the group. I say this because I don't know your experience with big-bore magnums. I've shot thousands of 44 Mag and 45 Colt Ruger/TC level loads and I needed to get used to shooting a 500 S&W mag before I got accurate.

How does it shoot with Ruger-only level 45 Colt loads?

If you're not flinching, then maybe you should do a standard work-up for that bullet and powder combo.

Can you explain this exercise to me I have never heard of it. It might show me something i'm missing.

Thanks Scott

 

[Sax.45]

XTP MAG's

 

[Silent Sam]

XTP Mags do matter. They are built to stand higher velocity. Not sure how you ended up at a max load, but you should never start with one, especially with a high pressure round like the 454. The ball & dummy comment refers to letting someone else load your revolver leaving empty chambers so you do not know if the chamber you are firing has a cartridge loaded. If you are flinching due to anticipating recoil it will be obvious.

A 100yd shot at game is a long poke even for experienced handgun hunters. I recommend a 300gr+ WFN cast bullet at 1000-1200fps. That will do all the killing you need to do with a properly placed shot.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

You might try a ball and dummy exercise with someone observing you for flinching. Even off bags, a flinch will throw shots out of the group. I say this because I don't know your experience with big-bore magnums. I've shot thousands of 44 Mag and 45 Colt Ruger/TC level loads and I needed to get used to shooting a 500 S&W mag before I got accurate.

How does it shoot with Ruger-only level 45 Colt loads?

If you're not flinching, then maybe you should do a standard work-up for that bullet and powder combo.

Can you explain this exercise to me I have never heard of it. It might show me something i'm missing.

Thanks Scott

Make up some dummy rounds (case and bullet, no primer or powder). Then take 3 live and 3 dummy rounds, put them on a cup and shake them up. Load them without looking at the primers. That way you never know if the next round to be fired is live or dummy. Now shoot the cylinder. If you are flinching, it will show up real obvious when you shoot a dummy round.

 

[dleong]

Scott,

I reload for my 7.5" .454 SRH too. I started off with the Hornady 240 gr. XTP Mag projectile and, after some very fruitful experimenting, eventually settled on 34 gr. of W296 at an OAL of 1.755" using a CCI400 primer. This recipe yields an average muzzle velocity (measured about 10' from the muzzle) of 1691 fps with an SD of 26 fps. Recoil is brisk but entirely manageable, especially with the Hogue Tamer grips. In terms of accuracy, this load manages to achieve sub-3" offhand groups at 74', fired single-action.

In an effort to reduce component costs, I also experimented with the Hornady 250 gr. XTP (non-"Mag") projectile, with the goal of keeping the velocity under 1400 fps to diminish the chances of jacket separation with this projectile's thinner copper jacket. I eventually settled on 29.4 gr. of W296 at an OAL of 1.690", again using a CCI400 primer. Muzzle velocity with this load averages 1381 fps with an SD of 24 fps. Accuracy is likewise outstanding and recoil, while still somewhat stout, is not at all unpleasant.

Feeding the SRH a constant diet of magnum handloads using relatively light projectiles does, however, extract a small price: flame cutting.

 

[sbyrd]

Thank You, i'll try it out
Scott