Range day

Actually, a couple of weeks ago(yes, I'm slow), with this visitor to the facility

And no, I don't know what he is; I need to see if I can find out.Daughter just advised it's a Cottonwood Borer.

Back to the range subject, big thing was testing some handloads for the .338 using the Hornady FTX 200-graing bullet.  Nice day for it; just a light breeze coming down the range.  I had four loads: 43.0 grains IMR4895, five in Federal and five in Winchester cases, and 43.0 grains Varget, five Federal and five Winchester, all fired at 100 yards.

Best group: 4895 in Federal cases

Yeah, there are three of them in one ragged hole.  Average velocity 2405fps.

Same load in a Winchester case

Nicely centered, not as tight.  Only four because that fifth round disappeared in the range box.  Somehow and where.  Average velocity 2335fps.

With Varget and Federal cases,

I had an earlier load with Varget(42.0 grains) and the Speer bullet do the same vertical stringing with quite tight horizontal spread.  That's interesting.  Average velocity 2314fps.

And 43.0 Varget in Winchester cases

 Possible I was getting a bit fatigued at this point(even with the good recoil pad, this thing does kick a bit), but I think I had a good hold on each.  Probably ought to test it again to be sure, but I hate to spend five more of these bullets.  Average velocity 2260fps.

Overall, it seems to like 4895 and Federal cases the best.  Though with a 42.0 of 4895 load and the FTX bullet & Winchester cases I got a much tighter group; maybe the Winchester does better with the lighter load?  That got 2297fps, a very slightly lower velocity, not really enough to bother about.

Ah well.  I've now got brass to tumble, and notes to record.