A few Krag hunting loads

[jon_norstog]

I just got back from a visit with my brother and my daughter & her family in North Idaho. It was great. As usual my brother and I went out to do some shooting. I brought my Krag hunting rifle, the one with the 22" Model 70 barrel, and all my odd-lot ammo. Paul has a shooting place in the Kootenai Forest and a chronograph so I was able to see what the loads are doing.

It was a little shocking. The first run was 220 gr rn ahead of 43.5 gr AA 4350. Velocites were"
2056
1921
2024
2016
1948
1939
1952
2006
1853
1890

It was all good brass and CCI magnum primers. Thinking about it I realized I may have bought that powder in Phoenix 20-some years ago. Toss it.

Took a shot with Paul's 8x57 elk rifle: 220 gr. Barnes and a stiff load of 4895: 2535 fps!

Recent Winchester factory loads: 180 gr. power points
2347
2361
2415
2370
2370
2327
That's not bad. The spitzers fed OK. I was loading 3 at a time. I saved back 8 rounds for this year's hunt.

Next I shot up my deer loads. 150 gr RN with an easy load of H 380 and rifle primers. (I couldn't find my loading records this morning but I remember that I didn't want to load these too stiff, to reduce the damage to the meat.) It is in the same league as the 150 gr 30-30 load.
2361
2366
2342
2318
2329
2310
I'll probably do up a box or two of these once I find that load.

Last box was labeled as 180 gr loads but haD 220 gr Hornady RN bullets. Most likely the same 43.5 gr load but H 4350 this time and the same CCI magnum primers.

2079
2080
2070
2074
2074

I kept back one round to pull the bullet and see what I was doing right.

I was shocked by how bad I was holding. I really need to connect with a local range and shoot. Those shoulder injuries really took a toll on my ability to hold a rifle.

Getting old is not for sissies!

jn

[PhillipM]

I'm sorry to hear of your injuries. I think dry fire practice would be as good as live fire to help your hold.

[jon_norstog]

Ah man, Phillip, my crazy life is catching up with me. But I had a good long run! I was thinking there must be some sort of laser system I can use in my basement. And if I drive 125 miles I can get into some open country.

jn

[PhillipM]

There is a Lazer trainer if you have deep pockets.

http://www.scatt.com

[jon_norstog]

The 150 grain deer loads were 45 gr H380. The second batch of 220 gr RN loads, that were so consistent, may have been 40 gr H380 That's what the end flap said and usually I'm pretty diligent about writing this stuff down.

That laser aiming system looks like the bomb, but I bet it is out of my price range.

jn