More wildcatomania:

Yesterday was a good day, overall, since the 45th POTUS was inaugurated,
and I got myself to the range with the 10.4 Spiridon Moor and the 26 Ripmoor:

7 different bullets were loaded with appropriate C.Oa.L. and starting charges of H4350 with Federal GM215M primer.

I only had 3 bullets of the ".408-caliber" 350-grain Barnes TTSX (sized down from the .416-cal) to test, but plenty of the others.
The 3 TTSX's and 5 shots of all the others were fired to calculate mean velocities and measure the smallest-dispersed 3 shots at 100 yards,
since the wind was still wind-ing and spreading groups to the right.

Velocities at 5 yards, groups at 100 yards, interesting (to me) results:

335-grain GSC HV (COaL 3.688") 95.0 grains H4350 ................................ 0.565" ...... 2722 fps (5 shots with Extreme Spread of 5 fps)

370-grain GSC HV (COaL 3.795") 92.0 grains H4350 ................................ 0.708" ...... 2601 fps

385-grain GSC SP (COaL 4.010") 91.0 grains H4350 ................................ 0.422" ...... 2545 fps (COaL too long for the magazine)

385-grain GSC FN (COaL 3.625") 91.0 grains H4350 ................................ 1.294" ...... 2524 fps (needs higher AND lower velocity testing)

300-grain Barnes XFB re-sized from .416-cal (COaL 3.662") 95.0 grains H4350 ..... 1.347" ...... 2723 fps

350-grain Barnes TTSX re-sized from .416-cal (COaL 3.800") 94.0 grains H4350 .... 0.824" ...... 2693 fps (good potential)

350-grain Speer MagTip re-sized from .416-cal (COaL 3.600") 94.0 grains H4350 ... 0.595" ...... 2636 fps (good potential)




Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

RIP, that GSC 335 grain bullet is a winner! Buy all they have! What are the trajectories out to 600 yards is the question.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com...tch-tactical-hunting

Thoughts on these?

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
RIP, that GSC 335 grain bullet is a winner! Buy all they have! What are the trajectories out to 600 yards is the question.

Hello boom stick,

Right.
I have a pretty good supply of those 335-gr HV bullets from GSC.
I bought the entire first batch.
I think Gerard made those up special for me about the same time he was also designing a .411/317-grain HV for my 400 Whelen.
I believe anyone can find them at the GSC web sites now.
Both of those bullets were actually first produced by Gina at the GSC-USA facility.
I do need to catch up on how USA operations for GSC are going ... did they move from Northern Indiana to Texas?

OK, correcting the 5-yard chronograph reading to MV (.434 for G1 BC) is done by adding 11 fps: 2733 fps MV

Sight it 3" high at 100 yards, and I can hold point-blank for big critters out to 300 yards.
244-yards: zeroed
300 yards: -4.8"
400 yards: -19.5"
500 yards: -43.2"
600 yards: -77.8"

This is a Kodiak Deer Rifle Load.
It will do the job.
I do not need it to kick any harder for that job.
QuickLOAD prediction for this load was 2743 fps and 55,383 psi.
It is a full case of H4350, 103% fill according to QL.
I might be able to get it up to just over 2800 fps with a 97.6-grain charge of H4350 (106% filling).
Or about 2830 fps with 96.2 grains of RL-15 (99% filling).
Both of those however are 63,817 psi loads.
The Lapua brass will easily tolerate that, but my shoulder might not.
One's limitations change as one gets older, and hopefully wiser.

About those CEB long and heavy pointies, I could use those in the .408 Chey-Tac where the 370 and 385-grain GSC bullets also work well.
One can always use another good bullet.

I need to get a muzzle brake on the .408 Chey-Tac rifle (MRC PH):



It weighs the same as the 10.4 Spiridon Moor (BRNO ZKK 602) but burns a lot more powder.

Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...soft-point-box-of-50

Since that 408 CT is a sporter, why not these 400 grain softs at 2,400 fps and roughly 40k psi? Double rifle pressure and cases that will last forever! Dacron anyone?

Heyheyhey! Those Woodleigh .408/400-grainers Woodbee fun in either of my .408's.

But of course the 335-gr HV is the cat's meow, or lion's roar, in the 10.4 Spiridon Moor.
And I can surely find a more accurate, and comfortable, 385-gr FN load (2400 fps?).

Other bullets might be needed only if GSC bullets can't be had.

But never fear, I have heard from Gerard.
Looks like he and wife have moved to SC, USA. He is going to be getting U.S. citizenship and working for the Chey-Tac folks in South Carolina.
Apparently they sold the GSC-USA bulletwerkes to Chey-Tac, and Gerard is going to be the bullet-making and gunsmithing maestro for Chey-Tac in South Carolina.
I reckon the South African bullet making continues.
Gerard has been busier than the one-armed paper hanger with moving the GSC-USA kit and kaboodle from Michigan/Indiana to SC.
Hope he gets to the beach for some R&R.

Take a look at this link about the Chey-Tac and GSC collaboration:

http://www.cheytac.com/gs-custom/

Best Regards,
Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

The GSC HV .408/335-grainer: Recommended impact velocity is from 1600 fps to fast as you like, sky's the limit, as your shoulder allows.



The Woodleigh .408/400-grainer:

Quite nice but only recommended for 1800 to 2200 fps.
Might be a good bullet for the 10.4 Spiridon Moor about two or three decades from now, if I ever get that old.
But a .408/.375 H&H or a .408/404 Jeffery "Unadulterated" would sure be nifty for velocities that slow.
I gotta go draw a couple of cartridge pictures now.

My hero who only made it to 82:




Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

Very cool stuff...love the photos. As expected your post are always interesting to say the least.

Gerard will run you a batch of weird bullets, just ask..I really like GS Customs bullets, they perform great on game..

Thanks Ray.
This grasshopper has learned a lot from reading your posts here over the years.
Why I remember when I thought the .416 Rigby was a better cartridge than the 404 Jeffery!
I am still learning ...


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