The BisHunter project is complete! …well…. sort of…. these things never really end do they! Anyway, It started out looking like this. I've never embarked on this kind of thing before. This is a learning process, and a fun one at that! I figure I'm still a beginner when comes to handguns, bullet casting and have only be reloading about 3 years. Never have hunted with one but that's about to change. Anyway….
Ruger 45 Colt Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter, Weaver 2x28, custom LBT mould that drops a 350gr WFN Hammer with WW Lead, panned lubed with homemade boolit lube made from Beeswax I rendered myself and mixed up with some other stuff. The throats were tight so I got a reamer and reamed them myself ( a first for me, a little nerve racking, this is one of only 279 of these guns made) that tightened up the groups. This is more fun than tying your own flies from birds you shot!
I had worked up the load and after the throat ream shot the group on the left a couple weeks ago. Today I set out to dial in the scope at 50yds. It was windy and my plywood target stand was moving slightly now and then but here's how it ended up. 6 shots 5 holes…whaaa??? a bishunter robinhood?? Yup, one hole actually is not quite perfectly round, shots 2&3. I don't know if I can shoot any better than this even if the gun can. I'm calling this a successful project.
I then shot 12 rounds in different shooting positions- sitting with no backrest with elbows on knees, a couple laying on my side and a some sitting with a backrest with elbows on knees. I hit the paper with all but 1 and half of them! I think those were the ones I shot laying on my side. I've got a good start. Now it's time to practice shooting from different field positions and figure out what my max range will be for a solid kill shot. I'm thinking 50-75yds max. Otherwise I may as well hunt with a rifle. But, what if that big bull just won't come in and he's at 100yds and I have a rest??…. :rolleyes: I also need to pull the scope off and do some shooting now that I know how the load shoots.
I'm pretty satisfied so far. The gun with this load is accurate, at least accurate enough for hunting and should pack one heck of a wallop. I'm slinging .452 355gr of WFN that's practically a wadcutter at 1197fps, 12 shot avg. Most important I think is that I feel very confident with it in that I could take it hunting tomorrow and not hesitate to shoot bear or moose with it out to 50+ yds. It might not impress the match target guys or those who shoot beer cans at 100yds but, it should do the job on critters. Hopefully I'll get to try it out on a blackie in a couple months.