I got back from the North Slope Monday afternoon. One of my items on the to do list for my break was to get to the range for some load testing. I spent nearly the whole day there yesterday. It was bright and clear, about 20 degrees with just a light, maybe 5mph, headwind. I had loaded four different 350 grain bullets with IMR 3031, to approximate Keith's loadings when he was using a 400 Whelen.

I loaded three rounds each with the North Fork 360, Swift 350 A-Frame, Hawk 350 and the Speer 350 (resized from .416). My loads were 61, 62 and 63 grains of IMR 3031. My previous testing had gone to 60 grains with the Hawk 350 grain bullets, clocking in at 2254 fps. Elmer Keith's letter spoke of his load of 63 grains of 3031 with the Western Tool and Copper 350 grain bullet. My goal was to see if that was a doable load. It seems it is.

I realize three shot groups do not provide enough of a sample to make any real definitive observations but they do provide a starting point. With that in mind here are some of my results. All my loads were in Norma 30-06 basic brass and primed with Winchester 120 primers. I have a good supply of them from a gun show find.

Swift 350 grain A-Frame

61 gr. IMR 3031 - 2306 - 1.5" group
62 gr. IMR 3031 - No reading, forgot to reset chrono - 1.5" group
63 gr. IMR 3031 - 2380 - 1.25" group

North Fork 360 grain

61 gr. IMR 3031 - 2353 - 1.25" group
62 gr. IMR 3031 - 2300 - 2" group
63 gr. IMR 3031 - 2331 - 2" group (odd that both the higher loads posted lower velocities than the 61 gr. load)

Hawk 350 grain

61 gr. IMR 3031 - 2335 - 3" group
62 gr. IMR 3031 - 2355 - 2" group
63 gr. IMR 3031 - 2379 - 5" group (proving again to myself that my rifle doesn't like 350 grain Hawks)

Speer 350 grain (resized .416)

61 gr. IMR 3031 - 2361 - 4" group
62 gr. IMR 3031 - 2347 - 1.5" group (another lower velocity anomaly)
63 gr. IMR 3031 - 2385 - 2" group

Barnes 400 grain Super Solid

54 gr. H4895 - 2027 - 6" group
55 gr. H4895 - 2077 - 2" group
56 gr. H4895 - 2081 - 3" group
57 gr. H4895 - 2116 - 3" group
58 gr. H4895 - 2133 - 1.25" group

I tried a few test loads with RL15 (61, 62 and 63 grains) and found the velocities to be too low (2100 fps for top velocity) to warrant further use of components. I will pull the remaining bullets and discontinue any further testing with RL15.

I found some of the Speer loads difficult to chamber leading me to believe they are springing back some in diameter. I need to measure some of the remaining bullets. The Hawks shot as inconsistently as they did the last time I tested them. For whatever reason the 300 and 350 grain seem to pattern rather than group. The 400 grain Hawks shoot well, on a par with the 400 Woodleighs. With the good velocities and accuracy from the Swifts and North Forks I really don't see any need to keep trying with either the Hawk or Speer bullets.

I'll load a few five round sets of the top loads for the Swift and North Fork and get a more substantive set of readings for those loads. I was concerned that the Swifts would turn in sub par accuracy as they miked only .4095. It was not an issue. They shot very well. The North Forks turned in some odd velocities. The lowest charge gave the highest readings. That requires some more testing although I could be happy with the 61 grain load. Good velocity and accuracy if more testing verifies the initial results.

The Barnes 400 grain Super Solids didn't start to perk up accuracy wise till they started to close in on the 2150 mark. Oddly enough that's where both the 400 Hawk and the Woodleigh seem to shoot the best.

Mart

I never got the Hawk bullets to really work in either my 400PDK or the 416PDK. Like you say more of a pattern than a group.

I had much better luck with IMR4895 than H4895. Might be due to the larger case.

Mart,
Thanks for saving us some time and money on Hawk bullets and RL-15.
Will await your chosen 5-to-10-shot chrono of the chosen loads.
Rusty has established a high standard of 10-shot chrono plus Sd, but most of us COWboys will settle for 5-shot chrono.
Rusty is happy with the 350-grain/.416 Speer bullets.
I am watching some to see if they want to grow back beyond the .411 diameter I get with .410 Lee sizer in a bench vice (first pass),
and then a second pass with another .410 Lee sizer in a bench press.

I reshot with TAC today, using WLRM primers. This session used Ron's Oehler 35P. I like the results with it better than my Chrony.

350 Speer,65 gr TAC, 35W R-P brass.
Ave. Vel. - 2354 fps
sd - 14
Ex. spread- 50
13 shots

300 TSX, 65 gr TAC, 35W R-P brass.
Ave. Vel. - 2424 fps
sd - 16
Ex. spread- 53
12 shots

65 gr is all that will comfortably fit in the case with the 300 TSX. It is a little longer even than the 350 Speer.

I am going to reshoot the AA2230 powder with magnum primers. I started today with my previous maximum load, but the extra heat pushed the pressures into a sticky area. Two shots were enough. I will back off and try again.

Thanks, Rusty. Trusted data, much appreciated.

Ramshot TAC and the 350-grain Speer are the energy champ so far, and an Sd of 14 fps for 13 shots fired is very good uniformity.
This trick of using Magnum Large Rifle primers with the Ball Powder charges is a good one.







10 loads now.
What is next?
AA2230 with WLRM.

I have this when next I shoot:
H4895 with 300-grainers, both Hornady varmint grenade stubbies and Barnes TSX longtoms.
I will use the F215 primer in those since it is a rather slower powder and will be a compressed charge, I hope.
Michael Petrov got a high velocity with that powder and 300-grain Hornady:

http://finegunmaking.com/page33/page51/page51.html

http://www.finegunmaking.com/p...3/page52/page52.html

Copied from part 2 above, needs to be tested, though 10 years later, powder lot might have changed, maybe?
Petrov loads:

********************************************************************************************************************

WARNING! This loading data is for MY Winchester Model 70 only!
There are so many incorrectly chambered .400 Whelen rifles or dies
that reduce the shoulder diameter you need to make sure what you have before you proceed.

.400 Whelen 24" Barrel

Bullet..Bullet..Powder...Powder.......Average...................3-Shot.....5-Shot
Make....Weight..Type.....Weight.......Velocity........Yards.....Group......Group........Notes


Hornady 300.....H-4895..[60.0 gr]....[2543 fps].......100 .................[1.145"].....22ºF


Hornady 300.....H-4895..[61.0 gr] ....................50........[0.410"]


North Fork 300..H-4895..[61.0 gr] ....................50........[0.341"]

Running out of case capacity with the Barnes TSX .411/300-grainer:
Longer throat and longer than 3.250" COL might be what is needed to get that bullet over 2500 fps?

Dave Manson has my reamer order, I telephoned him last week.
He is just swamped.
It is odd, but the current feeding frenzy on guns and ammo buying seems to have lit a fire in the reamer making business too.
Gun-related business is booming everywhere.
It sure is at the local emporium.
Since after Christmas people have been lining up,
sometimes at 3AM on a Saturday morning,
to get in the door and sweep up rationed powder, primers, ammo, guns, and all gun-related gear.
Shelves are quickly bare and needing restocking, so they put in their orders and mob the UPS truck in the parking lot whenever it arrives ...


I am about midway in the queue to get into the store, picture looking at those ahead of me:



One person comes out, and another person can go in, fire marshall's rules. Here is the queue at the cash register waiting to get out:

quote:

Longer throat and longer than 3.250" COL might be what is needed to get that bullet over 2500 fps?

Well now you have me curious. So I'll have to put it on my to do list for when they let me start shooting big bore again. Don't expect an answer for a couple months.

RIP,

I'm headed back to the range tomorrow to run some ten round tests on some of those loads I tried last week. I am trying the Swift and North Fork bullets with H4895 and doing a ten round test on the Hornady .410 400 grain and 58 grains of H4895.

That's some line at the store. I have been checking the reloading suppliers online. There is nothing out there.

Had an odd occurrence with my chronograph last Tuesday. There was a gentleman about 8 tables down from me shooting an FAL with a flash suppressor/muzzle brake. Every time he fired a round I would get a reading on my chronograph. I first noticed it when I was running a three shot series and noticed a fourth shot registered. It showed 4 rounds and I knew I only fired three. One of the shots showed 1800 fps when I was running 2300+ for the others. I noticed when I was writing some notes down after I had cleared and reset my chronograph that it had 2 shots registered. About that time my neighbor fired another round and it registered. He was not firing anywhere close to my chronograph but I must have been picking something up from the shock wave from the suppressor. He was a good 20-25 feet away. I watched as he fired 6 more rounds and it registered every one of them. All about 1800fps. I have never seen anything like this before. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Mart

Mart,
More work with H4895 is much anticipated.

Yes, I have seen the unfortunate chronograph phenomenon you tell of, it has happened to me, and last time I was at the range it was, and before that at least once before.

Might be when the light and atmospheric conditions are just right, and a muzzle blast at the side causes a shock wave to go through your screens that the instrument reads as a bullet.
Either optically or through some other electronic trick, I do not know.

Both times it was with a Prochrono Plus.
I have not seen it with an Oehler 35P with 4-foot screen spacing and proof screen between.
Those are my favorites, and I have compared one of each, side by side, at the same public range.
Close.

Rusty has his own range, no neighbors at his elbows.
I am hoping to get back out there to shoot again, and use the Oehler out there, but I pay $5/day for elbow room at the local range.

I'm getting excited, my dies ship tomorrow, I recieved 100 brass on Friday (qual cart), I have some bullets for fire forming, my rifle should be in my hands in 3 weeks, I just need to get some H4895 and I'll be in business.
I'll try to post a picture when my rifle is back from the "smith".

quote:

H4895

Don't rule out IMR4895. I've had better luck with it.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

H4895

Don't rule out IMR4895. I've had better luck with it.

I would but there is none to be found currently. I am on my last precious 2/3s of a pound of H4895. I sure hope this shortage clears up soon.

Mart

I may be in luck, a buddy of mine said he has a fresh pound of IMR 4895 he'll let me have !!
I better order more bullets.

I made it out to the range today but it was miserable. Snowing hard and just enough breeze to blow it in my face. I had the range to myself though.

I suffered some damage to my old Weaver scope on my 400 as a result of using the Lead Sled. I had heard of this happening but hadn't seen it till today. The scope set back and managed to twist the lock plate on the rear mount. It also some how caused the scope to blur. It was sharp and clear but I noticed after the first set of ten it was slightly blurry. I passed it off as the snow. After a set of five and a second set of ten, it was to blurry to see the diamonds on the target clearly. That's when I noticed the locking plate askew. Guess I won't be using the Lead Sled any more.

My load results were as follows.

Swift A-Frame 350 grain

Ten shots 63 grains IMR 3031 - 2388 - one blown primer and 4 cases with shiny spots on the base. Ten shots provides a much better chance to observe possible high pressure than just a three round group. I will have to back this load down. I still have to do some work with H4895 and this bullet. Maybe I get some better weather on my next R&R.

Hornady 400 grain RN

Ten shots 58 grains H4895 - 2081

Barnes 400 grain Super Solid

Five shots 58 grains H4895 - 2142 I only shot five rounds as I have a very limited supply of these and doubt I'll find many more.

I will be backing down the loads with 3031. It is a little faster than the H4895 and may be better suited to the 300 grain bullets.

Here"s a couple of pictures of the scope.



The scope set back some.


Mart

Mart,
Weather! It is freezing and snowing in KY too! This global warming is a beach!
I have sworn off Lead Sleds for sure now. I shoot more accurately without them anyway!

I see two good loads worth posting there, 400-grainers with H4895:

Both are sub-400-Whelen-caliber, .410-caliber bullets, eh?
But the Barnes Super Solid is long enough to get pressure and velocity up compared to the stubbier Hornady, eh?
Even though the Swift 350-grainer is sub-caliber too, you succeeded in getting pressures too high anyway, I see.
Can't post that one.

Reviewing your data, for each of the two loads:

1. Barrel length: 24"
2. Cartridge case make: Norma?
3. Primer specification: W120?
4. Powder specification and charge weight: Got it from post above.
5. Is the loaded case not full, full, or compressed?
6. Bullet make and weight: Hornady .410/400-grain RNSP? DGX? and Barnes .410/400-grain Super Solid?
7. BC of bullet if known: I can look those up
8. Cartridge Overall Length: for each of the two loads
9. Chronographed velocity for 5 or 10 shots: Got it.
10. Any comments on the load desired to be recorded for posterity, such as accuracy, uniformity, or any sort of bragging, etc., besides busted Weaver mounts.

RIP,

The Hornady 400 Grain I believe is the RNSP. I picked up a couple of boxes of the Midway blems last year and they don't specify which bullet it is but it looks just like the RNSP. The OAL on it is 3.250. It is a .410 diameter bullet.

The Barnes Super Solid is a .411 diameter bullet and was loaded to 3.330.

I got good accuracy out of both, right at 1.5 inches. My rifle seems to be a solid 1.5" gun.

The Hornady bullets were in the Norma brass and the Barnes SS in Qual Cart brass. The Hornady load was full but not compressed the Barnes was slightly compressed. Both loads used Winchester 120 primers. Barrel length 24"

Mart

Mart,
Your two new loads are posted at www.ammoguide.com.
We have an even dozen good loads posted there now.
Did I get anything wrong?
Thanks again.

RIP,

Looks good to me. Thanks.

Mart

Here is a piece of the Quality Cartridge brass that Rusty turned neck of, to get rid of external donut:



The neck wall thickness is still about 0.011".
The rest of the QC brass went back to Peter Cardona to get fixed, hopefully.

The extractor groove on the case is much different on the QC (on right) versus the RP case (on left).
Cutting away that much brass does not strengthen the case head:



Fire-forming load Rusty is using now is 20 grains of Universal Clays, instead of 15 grains,
topped off with COW and a wax/hard lube plug:



Above, the case on the left was formed with 20 grains, and the case in the middle was formed with 15 grains.
Rusty says that the 35 Whelen RP brass forms better and grows a little longer on initial fireforming, with the 20-grain charge.
Below, the 35 Whelen RP brass is ready to fire-form.

quote:

Fire-forming load Rusty is using now is 20 grains of Universal Clays, instead of 15 grains,
topped off with COW and a wax/hard lube plug:

Sorry for going off topic...

Ron,
Would you recommend a similar combination for forming the 49-10 case from 338 Lapua Mag brass? If so, much bigger case so how much powder would you use?

quote:

Originally posted by capoward:

quote:

Fire-forming load Rusty is using now is 20 grains of Universal Clays, instead of 15 grains,
topped off with COW and a wax/hard lube plug:

Sorry for going off topic...

Ron,
Would you recommend a similar combination for forming the 49-10 case from 338 Lapua Mag brass? If so, much bigger case so how much powder would you use?

Jim,
That is a great idea. Now we know to lube the cases when fire-forming.
I will consider this and calculate a load of Universal Clays for 49-10 fire-forming ...

400 Whelen case capacity: 79 gH20 uses 20 grains Universal
49-10 aka 12.7x68 case cap.: 131.5 gH2O ...


Figures out to 33.3 grains of Hodgdon Universal for the 49-10,
by volume ratio of the two cases and "Universal Gas Law": PV=nRT

Hodgdon's Universal is right next to Alliant's Unique on the burn chart.
Unique = #30 (faster)
Universal = #31 (slower)

If I need to form anymore 49-10 I would do this:
F215 primer
New, unfired .338 Lapua Magnum brass made by Lapua
33 grains of Universal or Unique
A disc of one-sheet thickness of wax paper or printer paper cut to cover powder in bottom of case,
or a little ball of tissue paper pressed down over powder
COW poured in to top of case
COW tamped down with biggest steel rod that will fit in case mouth
Wax or hard lube plug
I lube case with a rag or patch soaked with BreakFree CLP, Rusty rolls them on a case lube pad as if for resizing
Chamber the round: I removed bolt, and snapped case into bolt face, then re-inserted bolt.
Fire with muzzle pointed vertically
Wear hat to keep falling COW out of your hair.

Back to topic:
400 Whelen brass:

I am going to use Rusty's method with 20 grains of Hodgdon Universal and COW in the RP 35 Whelen new brass.
I have yet to see how long the brass will be when trimmed/squared/chamferred after fire-forming,
but that is the best yet.
Rusty has fired 10 of them with no case splits,
and I saw those cases yesterday.
They look nice and square at mouth and neck wall thickness is about .009".
They should be close to 2.470" trimmed, and that is only .010" short of trim-to length for the 400 Whelen Petrov of 2003,
for which max brass length is 2.490".

Rusty says that the RP 280 Remington brass actually blows out to over 2.5" long,
but there are a lot of lost cases as the neck thins so much it just cracks off and blows away.
Might get lodged in barrel between shots.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

quote:

Originally posted by capoward:

quote:

Fire-forming load Rusty is using now is 20 grains of Universal Clays, instead of 15 grains,
topped off with COW and a wax/hard lube plug:

Sorry for going off topic...

Ron,
Would you recommend a similar combination for forming the 49-10 case from 338 Lapua Mag brass? If so, much bigger case so how much powder would you use?

Jim,
That is a great idea. Now we know to lube the cases when fire-forming.
I will consider this and calculate a load of Universal Clays for 49-10 fire-forming ...

400 Whelen case capacity: 79 gH20 uses 20 grains Universal
49-10 aka 12.7x68 case cap.: 131.5 gH2O ...


Figures out to 33.3 grains of Hodgdon Universal for the 49-10,
by volume ratio of the two cases and "Universal Gas Law": PV=nRT

Hodgdon's Universal is right next to Alliant's Unique on the burn chart.
Unique = #30 (faster)
Universal = #31 (slower)

If I need to form anymore 49-10 I would do this:
F215 primer
New, unfired .338 Lapua Magnum brass made by Lapua
33 grains of Universal or Unique
A disc of one-sheet thickness of wax paper or printer paper cut to cover powder in bottom of case,
or a little ball of tissue paper pressed down over powder
COW poured in to top of case
COW tamped down with biggest steel rod that will fit in case mouth
Wax or hard lube plug
I lube case with a rag or patch soaked with BreakFree CLP, Rusty rolls them on a case lube pad as if for resizing
Chamber the round: I removed bolt, and snapped case into bolt face, then re-inserted bolt.
Fire with muzzle pointed vertically
Wear hat to keep falling COW out of your hair.

10-4. Proper formula saved for future use.

Could probably even fireform rounds in the garage - need to build a trap for sound and catching the COW, maybe play some of the kids 'heavy metal' music slightly loud which ought to conceal the sound even further. Neighbors will be happy when I turn the music off so they'll never think about the periodic thump in the background...

Jim,
Trapping all that slightly cooked COW is going to be a challenge,
not to mention hearing protection in the garage.
I won't try it again.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Jim,
Trapping all that slightly cooked COW is going to be a challenge,
not to mention hearing protection in the garage.
I won't try it again.

Yep you're probably correct.

Anticipating some 400 Whelen Petrov of 2003 load data with lighter bullets, using either H4895 or IMR-4895,
here is an excerpt of the velocity and accuracy results from James Tarr's artcle "IMR4895 versus H4895" in the Hodgdon's 2013 Annual Manual.
He was shooting a vintage M1-Garand in 30-06 (iron-sighted?).
Powder choice is limited for the pressure curve required to operate the action.
IMR-4895 has been around since 1909. It was the original powder used to develop the 1909 M2 AP round for the 30-06.
That powder was originally known as "1909 Military Pyro DG (Diphenylamine Graphited)."
IMR is for "Improved Military Rifle" says Mr. Tarr:



Hodgdon bought up the bulk surplus IMR-4895 in 1947, and sold it as cannister powder for reloaders.
Nobel in Scotland made it from the 1960s to the 1980s, then Australian Defense Industries (ADI),Thales Group of today, started making it.
Hodgdon bought IMR in 2003, so Hodgdon now supplies both powders to us.

H4895 is slightly more bulky, and slightly faster in velocity produced than IMR-4895.
But it appears that the two are so similar that the lot-to-lot variation within each powder brand is as much as the innate difference between these two powder brands.

IMHO: The only real distinction might be from the better temperature insensitivity of the H4895.

Author did not say what the temperature of the test was.
IMR-4895 will be faster in tropical heat.
Enough to catch up to H4895 in hot or cold?

Yes, probably so:

H4895 0.5 fps per degree F?
IMR-4895 2.0 fps per degree F?

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Jim,
Trapping all that slightly cooked COW is going to be a challenge,
not to mention hearing protection in the garage.
I won't try it again.

I know exactly what you mean. Never again for me, unless someone designed hearing protection for my hearing protection.

I've been fascinated by the .400 Whelen project for a long time. Glad to see that it's been revived and is apparently live and kickin'!

quote:

H4895 is slightly more bulky, and slightly faster in velocity produced than IMR-4895.

Hmmm Don't plan on retesting my H&IMR 4895 data. I do know I was getting higher velocity from INR but it wasn't a gr to gr test. I was testing for max. So since I was really capacity constrained maybe IMR allow me more grs thus higher velocity. I know in my rifle the INR gave me much better grouping.

Paul,
Yep, I got higher velocities once upon a time with IMR-4895 than H4895.
But I think I was living in Florida then, and it was summertime.
Author (James Tarr) of that article mentioned above pointed out that some folks get better accuracy with one or the other, rifles have different preferences.
And yes, you might get slightly more IMR-4895, by weight, into a compressed load than you could get with H4895 of same degree of compression.

quote:

But I think I was living in Florida then, and it was summertime.

About the same as testing in the summer in Houston. I might need to recheck a few things now that I live in Denver. The velocity increase was not enough to make a difference except when you are looking for the MAX you could get. Accuracy was enough to make a difference maybe not minute of buffalo but for sure on paper.

I developed some loads with the 350 Speer and AA2230 powder using WLRM primers. The magnum primers give me better consistancy than standard primers. Also, more velocity with less powder.

60 gr.
ave. - 2309 (14 shots)
sd - 14
ES - 57

61 gr.
ave. - 2334 (15 shots)
sd - 12
ES - 51

62 gr.
ave. - 2359 (11 shots)
sd - 26
ES - 77

I was having touble getting groups lately and thought I had gutted my scope. Yesterday afternoon I started to remove it and found that my rear base screws had stripped. I replaced the bases with steel Weavers and converted to 8-40 screws. Everything was coated with loctite and cinched down tight. At the range this afternoon I started again getting groups in the 1-2 inch range. Also, I was having trouble with the action screws backing off until I replaced them with a set of military screws and loctited them. This load developement is a test of man and machine.

My .411 CH sizer leaves the 400 gr Hornady .416 RN at .4125. I am not going to work with the 400 gr until I get a Lee .410 sizer and bring that diameter down some. Until then, I am satisfied with the loads that I have. My everyday load will be the 350 at 2300+ fps. The 300 Hornady .411 is too soft, and the 300 TSX is too long for good loads IMO, and too premium (expensive) for deer. The 400 gr will be developed for intellectual stimulation, but unless I go really big game hunting, I doubt I will ever need it. Of course, the safari fairy might visit....

Rusty,
After all the rifles you have 8x40-ed and attached the bases with JB Weld for me, or made me do the epoxy myself,
it is about time you caught on!
No worries now.

Your latest loads: Excellent.
I will post all three at www.ammoguide.com but I would choose the 61-grain load for my shootin'.

Maybe some 400 Whelen rifles will make it to Africa again.
We know it will do nicely, most efficiently, on anything there.
Just need to set aside about 50 rounds of properly headstamped brass, if it can ever be had.

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=863

Latest AA-2230/WLRM/350-grain loads from Rusty: I assumed all are not full, not compressed, and AA-2230 is a ball powder, right?
I can edit to correct if I get anything wrong.

New energy champ is the 62.0 grain load of AA-2230 with WLRM primer,
but the 61.0 grain load is very uniform with Sd = 12 fps for 15-shot average.

I now reckon that if your Sd in fps is smaller than the total number of shots averaged for velocity,
then you are crappin' in high cotton for sure, and your load is slicker than greased owl poop.

Ammoguide is not showing all 15 loads' details, right now, but it does show demo view of all 15.
Will try again later and hope it gets back to normal,
might be some connectivity problem on my side, if anyone else can see all details?

We still need some H4895 and IMR-4895 loads with 300-grain and 350-grain bullets ... whenever the powder pipeline flows again.
May the owl fly over high cotton.

Got a email this morning from a friend hunting in Uganda that he took a big buffalo with his .400-Whelen.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Petrov:
Got a email this morning from a friend hunting in Uganda that he took a big buffalo with his .400-Whelen.

Hi Michael,
Any details like what bullet was used and picture of dead buffalo?

New thoughts?
A 35 Whelen is pretty much a mini 404. Reduce the dimensions all around by 13%.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
New thoughts?
A 35 Whelen is pretty much a mini 404. Reduce the dimensions all around by 13%.

Eureka!!!

A classy mini 404 to go with your 400 Whelen.
Collect them all!!
400 Whelen
38 Whelen
35 Whelen
Whelen triple crown!
Make the Colonel proud.

I fired some of the AA2230 61 gr. loads Monday for groups. For some reason the pressure was way too high. Primers were leaking and pockets were loose. The only differances were new lot of brass that was 2.470 long and temp in the 70's, versus 40's previously. I am going to test the TAC loads in similar conditions to see if the problem persists. TAC is supposed to be temperature insensitive. We will see.

That is great news about the buffalo. Please post details as they become available.

Saw this on ABC News crawl this morning "Authorities diffuse explosive device...". Does that mean they blew it up?