This is kinda hard for this old guy to handle - but there is actually an Elk Season open in my area right now and goes to Sept 15. Cow elk only, it is called a Green Field Season. It is the Idaho Fish and Game's attempt to keep elk herds out of farmers fields during this portion of the year. The real problem is the TEMPERATURES - it is hot here.
Well anyway with this information I decided to head to the rock pit and make sure my Idaho Rifle Season Muzzleloader was still sighted in from last season. It was a cool morning - high 60's so I headed to the Rock Pit.
I always shoot my hunting ML's prior to the season so they are what I call 'Semi-Fouled' in that the bore has been shot and then wiped with a Windex patch. The bore remains in this condition all season so all shots from this point on are always on the same bore conditions. I know this is contrary to a lot of others and since I shoot T7 I have never had a problem with this procedure.
When I got the Pit, set up the shooting station the temp had risen to 74*. I wish it had stayed cooler but I was there so the shoot must go on... I walked down to the Basalt rock wall and placed 4 clay pigeons on the ledges. I also put out a paper target at approx. 100 yards, I really do not have a lot of fun shooting paper but I needed to test some 50x325's sabotless for a friend.
The Plan! was to shoot my normal elk load from the rifle at the birds to confirm POI. The rifle is sighted in for 120 gr. T7-2f a MMP HPH-24 sabot and a Lehigh .458x305 grain (45-70) bullet. The 305 is so long I need to use a tight sabot so there is no slippage in the bullet up the bore or in the sabot - to insure stabilization in a 1-28 twist bore.
#14 Knight Ulite with a composite thumbhole stock installed.
This is the 4 bird set up on the rock wall...
First two birds were easy prey for the 305's
At this point I decided to go the 50x325 Bloodlines on top of a MMP Sub-Bridge or Sub-Base which ever you prefer. The 325 were slightly knurled between to mil files to provide the grip on the bore needed to get stabilization.
This is the 50x325 showing the slight knurl and sitting on top of a Sub-Base.
Two more shots at the birds with this load combination and the birds were gone.
Next project was the paper target... with the 325's. Took four shots at the paper. #1 was me all the way not the rifle or the load - I just tried to get to perfect and loused the whole thing up. I loaded 3 more shots at the target and was much happier with those shots.
After shot number 3 which I could not find on the target with scope - I thought I had screwed up again - was really upset but decided to go down and look at the target. I really think shots 3 & 4 are nearly in the same hole. When I brought the target back to the truck - I tried to verify my thoughts. I plugged a 325 in holes #1 and #2 - the bullet fit very tightly and was hard to push through the plywood target backer. When I put the bullet in #3-4 hole it went very easily and fell out the other side. The whole is larger than the other two. When looked at the hole on the back of the target - I think it really shows the difference - so I am calling it a 4 shot group. The hole on the left being what I believe a 2 shot hole.
Got really hot -so I abandoned the Rock Pit!
