Went to the range today. It's not as cold as I would have liked it to be but the forecast doesn't show single digits for another week or so.

270, 150 Berger VLD, Win brass, Fed 215M primer. Outside temp was 35 when I checked for max loads this morning. Then I went back at about 2pm with test loads and it was 40. I used a laser temp reader and the outside of the barrel at the chamber and about 6 inches out never exceeded 46 degrees.

Load 1) 52.5 H4350 produced just over 1/2" 3 shot group two out of two tries. There were no pressure signs and I think I could go hotter but don't want to bother.

Load 2) 51.0 IMR4350 produced very tight groups at about 1/4" for 3 shots. 52.5 grains was the most I tried. No pressure signs but group opened up to almost 1".

Keep in mind, I'm told shots are about 150 yards at the most. That lead me to think of using the hotter of the 2 since temps will probably be b/w -20 and -45 F.

But that little tiny group with the IMR4350 is impressive.

Go hot or go with most accurate? Who knows, by the time the loads see those negative temps, they may not be that accurate anyway.

Honestly, you should be fine with either load. I would almost always go for the load that shoots best in my gun, unless there were significant velocity differences or excessive pressure signs between the two.

Since neither have signs of pressure and both are easily minute-of-wolf, I'd load up whichever I have the most powder for

I've shot a few wolves and I never heard them complain whether I was using a 222 rem or a 300 win mag. Its all about shot placement go with the accuracy.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeyB:
I'd load up whichever I have the most powder for

I didn't think about that, but I did not intend on loading a bunch ofthem up anyway. As it turned out, I had 2 pounds of H4350 left, and 5 of the IMR.

I decided to go with the IMR4350 load since it is safe in the current temps. I've got 19 loaded and I'm tumbling the other 31 hulls.

Thanks.

Here's the target:

I'd go for accuracy. All the juice in the hot load won't do any good if you miss. But honestly, a 100-yard 1/2" or a 100-yard 1" group for a 150 yard shot doesn't make any difference whatsoever on the receiving end. And you don't need the extra umph to kill a wolf (he said based on his experience of one ) .

Frans

quote:

Originally posted by Frans Diepstraten:
I'd go for accuracy. All the juice in the hot load won't do any good if you miss. But honestly, a 100-yard 1/2" or a 100-yard 1" group for a 150 yard shot doesn't make any difference whatsoever on the receiving end. And you don't need the extra umph to kill a wolf (he said based on his experience of one ) .

Frans

Ditto. Presuming the velocity difference between the two loads isn't hundreds of fps.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
Here's the target:

Very nice!

I had a bolt stick with H4350?? or H1000?? in my 300wm,in cold weather.It was the only powder with which I had this happen.Have you tried Reloader 22?

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I had a bolt stick with H4350?? or H1000?? in my 300wm,in cold weather.It was the only powder with which I had this happen.Have you tried Reloader 22?

Yes, but I was advised to use medium burning powders in the cold. Slower powders must be harder to ignite in -25 or colder.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I had a bolt stick with H4350?? or H1000?? in my 300wm,in cold weather.It was the only powder with which I had this happen.Have you tried Reloader 22?

Yes, but I was advised to use medium burning powders in the cold. Slower powders must be harder to ignite in -25 or colder.

Vit 560 is my powder for the 300 win mag.The other powder I used to take caribou last year was IMR 4831.It worked great and was very accurate(see the Barnes site for load info).After todays shooting session,I believe that the best primers are Winchester primers.I pushed the Vit 560 load pretty high and had no problems.

There are actually folks here concerned about a 1/4" in accuracy? give me a break..
A better question would be what long underwear to take.

I use the same powder in the summer and winter.
IMR4350 for my 30/06. It gives me tight groups warm or cold.
I get the same with all my rifles.

Hope you had a chance to do some chronograph work this week, Doc.

I will be waiting for news of your hunt.I might want to try a wolf hunt in the future.Tf I do,I would also go with the 300WM.

Each hunting situation is different and you may need a very accurate rifle and load for one carefully aimed shot a distance.

However, I was deer hunting and saw some wolves chasing deer. I got out a deer call and gave some fawn distress calls (rang the dinner bell).

Two wolves came running at me and I hit the farther one then dumped the close one (40 yards). The first one was wounded and trying to get out of the cutblock through regen spruce and pine. I wittled him down with the rest of the shells in my Savage 99 in ,300 savage.

I was glad I had my so so accurate lever gun with a 6 shot capacity that day rather than a finely accurate bolt gun that I could not have shot so fast and often.




Make sure you have a deer call in your pocket while hunting wolves.

Robin in Rocky

Duffy

Nice looking wolves. Good shooting, well done.

duffy4, that is a beautiful pic, how many wolves can you shoot in a season ?