.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

quote:

Fury01,

The propellant chart check on AA-2015 would be worthwhile for comparing that powder to others, in a relative way.
Take specific pressures and velocities all with a grain of salt for each grain of powder burnt, however

I will run the 3 charts for your three bullets
if you specify a Bullet Overall Length and a Cartridge Overall Length for each one:

425 gr 1.1"
433 gr 1.1" Same bullet just different alloy
485 gr 1.35"
OAL for all three is 3.275
51 Grains of AA-2015 for all three over dacron filler. Never weighed a big tuft. Couple of grains probably.

Specify a powder charge for each one of those also, just for yucks.

Thank you sir Rip!

Fury01, yours are coming, it will take a dozen scans,
but first the pressure traces from crshelton are in the queue.
The point being made here is that VV N133 is remarkable for giving good velocity for low pressure due to the pressure curve that is low and prolonged.
Relative to other powders,
VV N133 has a large area under the curve, product of pressure over time, achieved with low peak chamber pressure:



Compare to another 300-grainer load in the .405 WCF, this one has lower MV and higher pressure:



And a handload for 400-grainer with TAC:



crshelton may want to comment on that last one,
like getting .450/400 NE classic ballistics from a Model 1895 .405 WCF.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Back to the Fury01 .458 WIN cast bullet loads,
one at a time, first the 425-grainer, BOL 1.100", COL 3.275" with a nominal load of 51.0 grains of AA-2015:

Propellant table was expanded to 60% to 100% LR,
since the Fury01 loads are only about 70% to 80% fills.


Also pressure maximum for the propellant table is for 32,000 psi, though Fury01 loads are only about 20,000 psi with lightest bullet (425-grainer),
and about 28,000 psi with heaviest bullet (485-grainer).

Use a filler for less than 85% loads, but I have ignored the weight of the filler for simpicity here:

Page 2 of propellant table for 425-grainer:

Page 3 for 425-grainer:



51.0 grains of AA-2015 with filler is definitely a great choice for softer bullets.
Close to 100% burn with low pressure and low LR/fill.
The AA-2495 is still tops for harder bullets at 32,000 psi.
Actually the AA-2015 is just a tad better than the VV N133 at 32,000 psi.
So now I gotta try a propellant table limited to about 24,000 psi,
to compare AA-2015 to VV N133, FWIW.
Past my bedtime now. Later, Alligator.
.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Some of those traces kind of scare me a little bit due to the really long plateau before the rise. Those are looking like rounds that are close to being click-bangs or even hang-fires.

Thanks Rip for the work and data! I have fired many of these loads at 51 grains, with Dacron filler, in all temperatures, with no adverse results. That longer "rise" is kind to the bullets I would say and helps them arrive at the target in good fashion.
With this data, I will probably try some more AA-2015 in the case just for fun and THE MISSION!

Maz,
The only click bang, hangfire I ever had was with 53 grains of Varget and CCI 250 primers at 10 degrees F.
Good thing I had hit the does heart on the first shot and she was charging me blind dead when the firing pin went click. Dropped at my feet.
I would also note that was during my experiment with light crimps, a practice I have stopped.
The other good load I have used with the 425/433 bullets is 39 grains of SR-4759. 42 grains is supposed to be the max load of that powder in that case says the public domain data I could find. I have never tried working up from 39 because it wasn't broken so I didn't fix it. All with Dacron filler and a good Lee Factory Crimp to get consistent start pressures. I'm still using CCI 34's with good results, though stock is low and WLRM wait for their chance to fire off the stack. I expect them to work well.

A comment on AA2015: Shortly after that propellant came to market, I tried it in both an 1895 Marlin in .45-70 and my No.1 Ruger in .45-70 (NOT my second #1 Ruger in .45-70 with the long throat).

It was that powder that was tested for me at Accurate before they were taken over by Western. Bill Falen Jr. tested the load for my #1 Ruger (without modification). It was a 500gr Hornady that in my rifle gave an average of 2015 fps (60 grains AA2015) at 2.93" COL. WLRM primers and Rem brass. In their testing they had to seat the bullet deeper due to a shorter throat (my Ruger had the same throat as that used by Hornady and Lyman). They used the same load at 2.83" and got an average of 2096 fps at 63,200 psi, and nothing over 65,000. Bill said the psi in my rifle was likely less due to the longer COL by 0.10". Anyway they had no qualms over that psi in a Ruger #1.

AA2015 was only replaced when my 2nd #1 Ruger in .45-70 had the throat lengthened by 0.30". I then started to use H335 (a ball powder, with a slower burn rate) and improved ballistics by 200 fps over the former Ruger using the faster powder and shorter COL.

And, I couldn't load nearly as much H4895 in the "improved" .45-70 cartridge as H335 which proved it's worth beyond expectations. It was very consistent under variable temperatures. (see Hornady in that regard for both the .458 Win and Lott.) So, it became my premium go-to powder for the CZ550, with H4895 my second choice. AA2460, using 2 grains more than H335, was it's equal. But it may have been possible to have used more of the "then" AA2460, than I did. It was two years later when I was able to obtain a can of AA2230. It was on "back order" in Canada. And it looks like the "new" 2230 is better, but I'm doubtful that the new 2230 is yet available here. But for some reason, unknown to me, 2460 was available long before I bought the CZ550 in .458 Win back in 2007.

Here, in Canada, it's often a "waiting game" to get what is so readily available "south of the border". Plus the cost is often double due to import taxes and our relatively "weak" dollar. Still, we are blessed beyond what we really need. Thanks to our Father above.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

quote:

crshelton may want to comment on that last one,
like getting .450/400 NE classic ballistics from a Model 1895 .405 WCF.

Indeed! The object of the project was to obtain 400 grain Woodleigh performance similar to the 450/400 and that objective was achieved.


The MAZ,
When sharing these traces with others, considerable explanatory text is usually provided. To keep it simple, the shooting was done at a busy and noisy indoor range with two young guys shooting 10 and 20 round AK47 clips just to my right. Their noise caused some traces to be shifted to the right and one trace was so damaged as to be useless and was dropped. Some value was retained and worthwhile:
1. The extended .405 chamber allowed use of the Woodleigh 400 grain .411 bullets crimped at the cannelure. .405 long COL?
2. The extended chamber reduced all peak pressures somewhat
3. The extended chamber held peak TAC pressure safely under 50,000 psi. Some mentors think it would have been well above 50k psi in a factory chamber.
4. The N133 loads achieved their velocity without sharp pressure peaks, providing less risk for "heavy" loads.

Further testing has yielded 400 grain N133 loads of 2060+ fps with pressures BELOW 40,000 psi. Good for my .405 double rifle(also .405 long COL).

The Maz,
Hangfire ? Nah, look how speedy the VV N133 is in getting off the starting line.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Fury01,

I have run a 24,000 psi table and a 32,000 psi table for your 485-grainer, and the incremented charge table for both AA-2015 and VV N133 to go with those.
The nominal charge on the VV N133 is set at 50.0 gr so it runs in 1-grain increments, the 2% increments of QuickLOAD.
Just read one line lower for the 51.0 gr charge of VV N133.

The 433-grain bullet is so little different from the 425-grain bullet, it might be too boring to post here.
Same propellant results, minor fps and pressure differences.

433-gr bullet, 51.0 grains AA-2015, 3.275" COL >>> 1689 fps, 20725 psi, 70% LR/fill, 96.0% propellant burnt.

485-grainer pending.

SR-4759 is not in my QuickLOAD, but look to the IMR-4227 and H4227 in the propellant table for some approximations.
Both are 100% burners at 32,000 psi.
H4227 is a 100% burner at 24,000 psi.
IMR-4227 is a 99.7% burner at 24,000 psi.

24,000 psi table coming soon.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

4sixteen,

I like that .450 Marlin dummy with the Barnes Banded Solid 450-grainer.
I will add a .458 WIN+P dummy with that bullet set to HEAD TRAUMA standards.
I have two itty-bitty 20-count boxes of that bullet in storage,
like a fine wine in the cellar.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Bob,

We dance with the one we brought, but the more powders the merrier at this square dance.
H335 is no doubts a top choice.
I am about to see if AA-2495 is really as good it seems (per QuickLOAD) for reduced, cast bullet loads.
It beats them all at either 24,000 psi or 32,000 psi,
according to QuickLOAD, FWIW.
.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

crshelton,

Nice little buffalo taken with
one of Teddy's big sticks made bigger by your handload.

Is that one of the forest buffalo of central Africa or an old cow cape buffalo?
I am surely no zoologist.

Buy a donkey for supporting THE MISSION.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

RIP,
One of a small group of very old cows separated from main herd between Kruger Park and Moz.
Great performance by DG PH, trackers, and Woodleigh Weldcore bullet which entered just behind rearmost rib and exited between front legs, after transiting the heart.
Euro mount skull and horns above gun safe here in my study with some other dead critters.
I posted the hunt story somewhere on this site, but can not find it now!?? Oh well, you saw the picture.

IIRC, this is one of Fury01's recovered 485-grainers from the .458 WIN(-)P :



Here is the 485-grainer AA-2015 incremental charge table and the propellant table with pressure upped to 32,000 psi,
24,000 psi propellant table will follow in next reply, for same bullet.









.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

The 485-gr cast bullet incremental charge table with VV N133 and propellant table for 24,000 psi,
for softer bullets in the 17 to 19 BHN range:









These 485-grain-bullet tables are very applicable to my 480-ish-grain cast bullets.
Also the 425- to 433-grain-bullet tables will be applicable to my Red Pig bullets when I cast them in the heavier 92-5-2-1 alloy instead of Linotype.
They will all be filed in a binder,
sure as a Mitt Romney binder of women.

Here is one of my past sins, a bullet shot too fast, at too high a pressure for its hardness.
It stood the velocity for impact just fine, but for better accuracy, I am thinking AA-2495 again.



In the .458 WIN(-)P loads, AA-2495 might allow a good compromise for better accuracy with near full case, low pressure, near complete powder burn,
and a useful velocity that the BHN 25 alloy will surely hold up to on impact,
even if not for elephants.
The uncertain ThermoBallisticIndependence of this powder is of little consequence in this application.

For elephant switch back to .458 WIN+P, like with the HEAD TRAUMA load of .458"/ 450-gr brass FN solid at +2300 fps MV.
That can be done with short COL (3.340") or long COL (3.580").

The "Plus P" part of that load with short COL might be only a pressure slightly greater than 60,000 psi,
but less than the 62,500 psi MAP of the .458 Lott.

The .458 WIN+P LongCOL load: The "Plus P" certainly stands for greater power, but to simple-minded Lottites
and other sufferers of bore envy,
it may simply stand for "bigger whatsit."

(Little guy beating on the short throat of the .458 Lott, again.)

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

4sixteen,
Along those lines about 300 grain .458 velocities,
The gunsmith that handled the purchase of my Winchester 1886 45-90 for me advised me that he had one like mine and that he had loaded it up to 2800 fps with 300 grain jacketed soft point bullets.

When prepping 300 grain ammo for our African bullet testing trip, one of our team loaded 300 grain Nosler PP bullets to 2600 fps in my 1886 45-90, but they expanded too fast and blew up on goat test targets. So he backed the trip loads down to 2200 fps - superb on Leopard and thin skinned game.

As you may know, the .45-90 (.458 2.4) case holds 96% as much as the .458 Win Mag.

416 - I read somewhere of using BLR mags for WSM cartridges in a 450M BLR. If they work they might make useful unblocked mags for longer 450M loads.

BTW I think the 450M SAAMI chamber has a shorter leade only throat, sort of like a short 458M throat.

quote:

Originally posted by crshelton:

quote:

crshelton may want to comment on that last one,
like getting .450/400 NE classic ballistics from a Model 1895 .405 WCF.

Indeed! The object of the project was to obtain 400 grain Woodleigh performance similar to the 450/400 and that objective was achieved.


The MAZ,
When sharing these traces with others, considerable explanatory text is usually provided. To keep it simple, the shooting was done at a busy and noisy indoor range with two young guys shooting 10 and 20 round AK47 clips just to my right. Their noise caused some traces to be shifted to the right and one trace was so damaged as to be useless and was dropped. Some value was retained and worthwhile:
1. The extended .405 chamber allowed use of the Woodleigh 400 grain .411 bullets crimped at the cannelure. .405 long COL?
2. The extended chamber reduced all peak pressures somewhat
3. The extended chamber held peak TAC pressure safely under 50,000 psi. Some mentors think it would have been well above 50k psi in a factory chamber.
4. The N133 loads achieved their velocity without sharp pressure peaks, providing less risk for "heavy" loads.

Further testing has yielded 400 grain N133 loads of 2060+ fps with pressures BELOW 40,000 psi. Good for my .405 double rifle(also .405 long COL).

Thanks for the clarification. I just saw that really, really long ramp up and puckered up. You're getting excellent results!

That bullet was recovered from a Plastic 200 LB tub of protein supplement which has a pretty high moisture content as well. It's the only thing that has ever held one of my .458WM cast loads. The rest bled and died while the bullet went on to the recycling of Earth's minerals.
Thanks Rip for that great data! Ken Waters often called for 4227 instead of 4759 in Cast loads as he liked it better; but both gave similar velocity and pressure at the same loads.

4sixteen,
Buy a donkey for this good support of THE MISSION:



That is an interesting historical document,
it would be much more interesting if you had not whited out the powder charges.


Squinting at it I can make out some of the powder charges,
especial the lower ones in the column, since you swiped from top to bottom and the White-Out got a bit thinner at the bottom.

Yes, if you get too close to 2800 fps with the Sierra 300-gr HP it will turn to dust, maybe even before it gets out of the barrel.
One blew up inside Bobbarrella's muzzle brake.
She survived no worse for the wear, regarding accuracy.
.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Fury01's .458 WIN cast bullet loads are good for elk and moose and lesser game at moderate range. One shot, MEAT !
For more extreme needs, no more than the following loads will be necessary:



1 ... .458 WIN+P 3.580" COL 450-gr Barnes Banded Solid or other brass or copper 450-gr FN solid like North Fork, CEB, maybe even the Nosler 500-grainer.

2 ... .458 WIN+P 3.560" COL same bullet as #1, with a prettier crimp.

3 ... .458 WIN+P 3.560" COL 450-gr Barnes TSX

4 ... .458 WIN+P 3.560" COL 400-gr BBMT T6

This might be best:



.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Hey guys,

FOR THE MISSION!

Saw this fantastic article on the.458 Winchester and just had to share it...

https://www.americanhunter.org...8-winchester-magnum/

What I really like about it is the author is usually very negative about the .458 - but it seems he has called a truce... and why not? There’s nothing left to criticise.

Heck, maybe he has been reading this topic and it’s opened his eyes!!!

Enjoy!

Russ

Yep. I'd take that Trio anywhere Rip. Mourning the loss of the Barnes Banded Solid.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
This might be best:



.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

quote:

Originally posted by Fury01:
... Mourning the loss of the Barnes Banded Solid.

Indeed. Still unexplainable.
Is it because it can be used in a .458 SOCOM to defeat body armor so easily ?
What about all the other bullets that will also do that ?
Unfathomable !

quote:

Originally posted by badboymelvin:
Saw this fantastic article on the.458 Winchester and just had to share it...

https://www.americanhunter.org...8-winchester-magnum/

What I really like about it is the author is usually very negative about the .458 - but it seems he has called a truce... and why not? There’s nothing left to criticise.

Nice to see that Phil Massaro is making a move away from the dark side of the Lottite Storm Troopers. The Lottite Emperor may charge him with desertion.
But no worries, that emperor also has no clothes.

Sadly, Phil's article has no specific documentation of any bad events occuring with the .458 WIN in the past.

You know, like when and where and by whom was a .458 Winchester Magnum used to bounce a factory loaded bullet off of an elephant ?

I somewhat understand, as I am privy to a history of a revered PH running around with a .458 Winchester Magnum that had performed so successfully that he had shot it into a smoothbore, yet he still carried it as primary PH rifle.
Looking at a bullet recovered from his rifle, I hypothesize:
.458"-bore/land diameter and 0.459".-groove diameter.
A .458" bullet was being cosmetically marked to a depth of less than 0.0005" when it bumped into those 0.0005" deep grooves twisting all around it.
I am sworn to secrecy to protect the frugal and not so innocent.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Philip Massaro, July 8, 2020:

"And in spite of all of those reports early-on, I can happily say that the problems with the .458 Winchester Magnum have been sorted out."

Phil is a handloader and commercial custom ammo seller.
He does recommend factory loads.
Phil's favorite "light load" is TB Bear Claw 400-grainer at 2250 fps:

I reckon he also likes the Hornady 500-gr DGX/DGS at bona fide 2140 fps:

Almost as good as the 450-grainers at 2400 fps
and 400-grainers at 2600 fps
in the .458 WIN+P.
.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

The .300 Winchester Magnum has a leade-only throat that is wide-based and with zero parallel-sided freebore, SAAMI homologation:

Throat: 0.315" diameter base and 1*26'37" hemi-angle of leade
Jacketed Bullet: 0.3090" - 0.0030"
Rifling: 0.300" bore diameter, 0.308" groove diameter

Shades of the .458 Winchester Magnum, the .300 Winchester Magnum is another super-successful chambering.
It would be great for .310"-diameter, powder-coat-painted, gas-checked, hardcast bullets loaded up to proper pressure for BHN of bullet.
That is for smokeless cast bullets.
For paper-patched soft lead bullets of .308" patched diameter use black powder.
The .300 Win.Mag. would be a great BPCR.

My old Ruger M77 MK II .300 WIN is a 0.5-MOA deer killer with Barnes X-Bullets,
topped by a Tasco "World Class" 3-9x40mm Mildot.
It has a Zytel boat-paddle stock with factory drop-in fit needing no bedding work, stainless with the Ruger factory open sights on the barrel.
I would never change a thing about that combo of perfections.
.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Hate to break the bad news to CIP .460 Weatherby Magnum shooters that their rifles are pretty useless for cast bullet shooting,
unless they want to stick to soft lead, paper patch, and BP.
Dubious even then.

.460 Weatherby Magnum homologation by CIP:
Throat:
Parallel-sided freebore diameter: 0.4583" minimum --- same as maximum bullet diameter
Length of this PSFB from chamber mouth to start of leade: 0.7559"
Leade hemiangle: 1*05'20"
Length of throat from chamber mouth to bore diameter: 0.9732"
Rifling:
bore diameter = 11.43mm = 0.4500" minimum = .450" to practical digits
groove diameter = 11.63mm = 0.4579" minimum = .458" to practical digits
Bullet diameter maximum = 11.64mm = 0.4583" to significant digits = 0.458" to practical digits

What a mess it would be to squeeze a .460" diameter lead bullet through the .4583" smoothbore throat for 3/4" before it started getting into the rifling.

The .458 Lott has a similar though less severe handicap.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Here are the Bob Hagel loads I posted on page 204 that 4sixteen modified with White-Out.



I thought they looked awfully familiar.
Now I do not have to squint through the White-Out to read the powder charges.
Much more interesting this way.

Bob Hagel was good:
0.60-MOA (5-shot) group at 100 yards with 500-gr Hornady RNSP at 2216 fps MV
with 78.0 grains of N-203, 24" barrel, Browning-brand brass, CCI-250 primer.
also
0.90-MOA (5-shot) group at 100 yards with 500-gr Hornady RNSP at 2245 fps MV
with 79.0 grains of IMR-4320, 24" barrel, W-W brass, CCI-250 primer.

Nothing wrong with the SAAMI .458 WIN, or Bob's your uncle.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

We might want to slow our .458 WIN(-)P loads with cast bullets down to no more than 1500 fps for all the penetration needed for buffalo or oil drum.
About a half-inch wide wound passing through the critter like a non-cauterizing laser beam is a fantastic killer with minimum punishment of shooter.
Might be how Selous killed the big five with his ".450-bore" using paper-patched lead 540-grainers at about 1300 to 1400 fps ?

The Garrett folks say 1350 fps is the sweetspot for penetration with hardcast FN bullets,
and diminishing returns come after 1500 fps,
according to sharpsguy.

Borrowed, for support of THE MISSION:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com...hp/topics/15022337/1

By direction of sharpsguy, pics from above thread:

55-gallon steel drum filled with water:



Orientation of drum in front of oak tree backstop:



The .45-70 Govt. load fired from a 24"-barreled vintage Winchester 1886 (made in 1892 before the smokeless vogue):
492-grain FN, grease-grooved, 16:1 alloy
70 grains of FFg BP (OE)
1256 fps from 24" barrel




Large entrance wound on left (top of barrel), exit wound on right (bottom of barrel) in this photo of dying barrel:



Exit wound on bottom of barrel, equivalent to a perfect Reverse-Texas Heart Shot on a big bull barrel:



Where the bullet came to rest in a "live oak tree,"
a wound that might require a followup shot.
That happens sometimes when herd-shooting oil drums and trees,
and you line 'em up on purpose:



So, the slower-twist, antique .45-70 works wonders with a 490-ish-grain lead bullet about 1.2"-1.3" long.
The 1:14" twist .458 WIN(-)P might need a heavier and longer bullet, a "Selous Ruse" load, for business purposes.

.458 WINCHESTER MAGNUM PERFECTION

Non Illegitimi Carborundum

A report on shooting 5, 405gr Remington 45-70 bullets from my #1 Ruger in .458 WIN this past week:

Load: 75 grs RL-15 (73 grs H4895 would give about the same results.)

WLRM primers

Hornady cases (3x fired)

COL = 3.25". Crimped into bottom cannelure by Lee crimp die.

Didn't use Chrony as I knew the corrected MV from previous testing.

The Ruger was sighted for the 300 TSX load (2768 fps) at +1" at 50 yards. Sighted at zero on the target, the 1st shot hit @ -3.875". Crosshairs adjusted to 1" below the .458" perfectly round hole... thinking the next shot would be +1" at 50 yds. Instead, it was +3.875" high! Back to the drawing board... I then counted the number of clicks on my Nikon scope to put the next bullet at +1" at 50 yds. Third shot went +1.375". Close enough. Fourth shot cut the third with 0.13" separation. Last shot I slightly pulled, nonetheless it was on the exact elevation as the other two at .875" to the right. Had my hold on that last shot been good, I would have had a single-hole trio. I have my "bear load" at 2085 fps/3909 ft-lbs at the muzzle and 3003 ft-lbs at 100 yds.

Recoil a mere 30-31 ft-lbs with the Mag-na-ports. Actually the rifle speed is only about 15 ft-sec. or 160 mom.

I know that load will kill any size bear at any reasonable distance where a shot might be taken.

For THE MISSION.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

Thank you for the 'blow by blow' on the scope adjustments. We've all been there.

the question arises:
Was there something funny with the first shot?
Or did the Nikon adjustment "hang" and not move until the next shot was fired?
I like to pound my rifle's butt on the ground after any scope adjustment, "just in case it needs a nudge," something learned long ago with cheaper scopes. But it disturbs me to think of the Nikon not tracking well.

416Tanzan;

The Nikon is a 2 - 7x32mm slug-gun scope, and has stood up to some heavy recoil from my former #1 Ruger in .45-70 LT (weight 2 lbs lighter with the equivalent of .458 WIN loads). But, like you, I wondered what was going on! I already knew that it would hit about -4" on the 1st shot as that is what happened two weeks ago being sighted for the 300 TSX, and I'd never changed that because I wanted to see if the 405gr was consistent and accurate from the Ruger with that load.

After each shot I always tap the head of the adjustment screw several times with a used case - have done that for years with heavy recoiling rifles. Not sure what happened there. But when I counted the number of clicks needed (1/8" each click at 50 yards) the next shot was about where it should have been, and also the two following. So I'm thinking and hoping that the Nikon is OK. It's been one of the toughest scopes I've ever used on heavy hitters. Plus, it has very bright optics for a 32 mm and has less inertia than bigger scopes.

Your comments and questions are appreciated.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca