Went to range, chronograph results....

[Ohio357MagFan]

Fellow handloaders,

Went out to range this weekend and got to run various handloads over chronograph, just like to share my results.....

44 Magnum 16 inch barrel.....

- 240 Gr Bayou Bullets Cast SWC Polymer Coated with 18 gr 2400, standard CCI 300 primer and Starline brass.
1510 FPS. Notes- I choreographed this identical load on a hot summer day earlier this year and it was hitting 1575 and every shot was in the high 1500s, today was a cool fall day and all the shots were hitting the low 1500s.

- 215 gr Bayou Bullets Cast SWC, 9 gr unique and standard primer- 1300 fps. I chronographed this identical load on the same hot summer day back in june and it was hitting about 1335 or so, now all the shots are very high 1200s and hover around 1300 FPS. Less then on the hot summer day but not as big of a difference as the other 44 mag loading with 2400.


.223 tested in both a 22 inch barrel Savage Bolt action and 16 inch barrel AR-15......

- Hoarnady 55 gr SP with cannelure with the bran new IMR 4166, federal once fired brass and Winchester standard small rifle primers....

25.5 gr- 2950 from the 22 inch barrel, did not test in the AR-15
26 gr- 3040 fps from the 22 inch barrel, did not test in AR-15
26.2 gr,- 3075 fps from 22 inch barrel and 2887 from 16 inch AR-15

I shot a few with 26.4 gr from the 22 inch barrel and they hit about 3125 fps

I really love the new IMR 4166 powder!! I have been using CFE 223 for plinking .223 loads but the IMR 4166 uses less grains per powder to get same velocity. 26 gr of 4166 gets same velocity with a 55 gr bullet as 27.4 of CFE223. Plus the 4166 has the copper fouling reducer and its also temperature insensitive. Only downside is its similar to IMR 4064 so it takes more time to carefully meter and once the charge hits about 25.5 gr you start compressing the powder charge. 26.2 grains is the max load listed with a speer 55 gr and when you fill a .223 case with 26 grains it fills the neck half way up. The compression caused no issues at all. I suspect this powder will be a super clean powder and that will be really nice with the AR-15 gas system