First, I have to apologize...no pics from the outing. So if you feel inclined to stop reading now...
First gun out on the bench was my SSK Encore in 6.5/270 JDJ - I had picked up this barrel and dies secondhand earlier this spring, and had yet to get some trigger time with it yet. The previous owner had provided me with some brass ready to go, but I figured some fireforming was in order to get the feel of the barrel, and get it on paper. I mounted a 2.5x8 Leupold VX-III in 4 Weigand rings, slapped the fluted SS barrel with Holland brake on a new-to-me frame and off we went!
After loading up some 129gr Hornady SST's with some reduced H4831SC loads in the new necked-down .270 brass, I sought to put it on paper and get a feel for the effects of the brake. My initial thoughts were 1. LOUD, and 2. Really effective at reducing felt recoil! The Holland brake is certainly effective, and may warrant trying a rifle scope before deer season rolls around. Once I got her dialed in, I was amazed at the accuracy of the fireforming loads - between myself and a buddy, we put 14 shots in a nice 1.5 inch cluster! And since we were battling the storms for range time, there was no cooling off period for the barrel...I can't wait to experiment with load development with the "real" loads. Only had 2 of the brass to dimple and deform, so I have plenty of 6.5/270 ready to go.
Next out of the case was the Encore in 7-08. I had this barrel mounted on a separate frame with Pachmayr grips, and after shooting the 6.5 barrel(with a really sweet trigger job), I almost ran out of breath several times waiting for the shot to go off. I had just swapped scopes from last year, so first order was to get the 2.5x8 Leupy on paper and then shoot for groups with the various 120 gr NBT reloads over IMR 4350. On paper it went, but this trigger felt like 10 lbs compared to my other frame. I quickly decided to table this exercise for the first frame I shot with, and without screwdriver and Allen wrench nearby, back it went to the truck. Note to self - trigger job, pronto.
And then I decided on some punishment to end the day - my new-to-me .475 JDJ SSK 12" Contender barrel...a 10th Anniversary HHI half-round, half-octagon with 4 Magnaports (can I get some more), topped off with a Leupold 4X. Reloads were 325 gr Speer Gold Dots over a healthy dose of 2230. Recoil was...sporty. First impressions, with this load and Pachmayr presentation grips, not a plinker! I think for now, I'll pass on the big 500 gr solids. Needless to say, Pachmayr Decelerator Grippers have been ordered
Shot the barrel offhand at 25 yards and 50 to get an idea of the "boom", and then went back to the bench at 100 to dial her in. Perhaps it was the heat, impending storms, or the recoil rattling my brain around, but somewhere in the chaos I forgot that the M8 Leupy's adjusted 1/2 MOA/click and not a 1/4 MOA/click like the others I had played with that day. Took me a minute or two, but got it figured out - Still have some tweaking to do to get it game-ready...but it's a shooter for sure.
The previous owner had taken bear, deer and hogs with the barrel - and said that it was a 100 yard hammer. With which I concur...I'm not sure if JD had created the TSOB by then, because the barrel wears a smaller, narrower base than I'm normally accustomed to (Talley?) - the smaller base only accomodates 2 rings, so I'm thinking that a TSOB may be warranted to mount the scope in 4 rings. A little preventative medicine would be better than wearing a helmet or face shield into the woods come hunting season!
Anyways, a good day - burning powder, testing new guns, and gearing up for hunting season. Can't beat it!
