New to Me Cooper

[robby denning]

Eagle, thanks for keeping us updated. I just got all caught up. I like that 400 yard group. You're going to be deadly in Wyoming. Can't wait to hear about the hunt

 

[Eagle]

Eagle, thanks for keeping us updated. I just got all caught up. I like that 400 yard group. You're going to be deadly in Wyoming. Can't wait to hear about the hunt

Will do Robby, just hoping I end up in an area where a good buck calls home and I can glass him up in the 2.5 days I'll have to do so before the opener.

 

[Eagle]

Checking Loads

Decided to take this morning to get my weekly range session in and try out three different loads the smith worked up for me. We went straight with Nosler's recommended loading for the 140 grain accubond with IMR 4831 at 60, 58 and 56 grains of powder, federal primers. The 60 grain load is the most accurate according to Nosler, but for my gun, it was pretty rough. The 58 grain load was excellent and the 56 grain load was good as well, but not as accurate as the 58. I didn't have a ruler with me, but I'd estimate the 58 grain load was just over .33" with the 56 grain load around .5" and the 60 grain load just under an inch. Shots were off a sandbag at 100 yards.

 

[tstowater]

I know that you don't need a bigger bullet for deer as a 140 is plenty big. Are you planning on trying any 160+ grain bullets as your BC's are quite a bit better? There are some dynamite 162, 168, 175 grain bullets out there as well as others. BTW, I do like the group that the 58's had. Hard to question making much of a change with your gun.

 

[Eagle]

I know that you don't need a bigger bullet for deer as a 140 is plenty big. Are you planning on trying any 160+ grain bullets as your BC's are quite a bit better? There are some dynamite 162, 168, 175 grain bullets out there as well as others. BTW, I do like the group that the 58's had. Hard to question making much of a change with your gun.

I plan to work up a load for the something in the 160 grain range next spring in preparation for an Elk hunt in 2016. When I started all this, I didn't think I'd be comfortable taking a shot over 400 yards (had never shot a rifle beyond 150), so at the time, a 140 grain was more than adequate, especially for deer. Now, with what I know, I'm confident I could shoot well beyond 400 and kill an animal, as I can ring steel at 500 (furthest distance I have access to shoot) all day long. This gun and the Zeiss reticle make it relatively simple and easy to shoot what I guess is now considered moderate range, so I'll be trying to take advantage of that when I develop my load next spring.

 

[tstowater]

I think that they are gone now, but Cabelas had the big 7mm LR Accubonds in stock and on the 25% off sale when I looked last night. Too dumb to pick any up, but really didn't have a need for them.

 

[Eagle]

Played with my phoneskope and vortex spotter some. Here's a video of the gun hitting steele at 500 yards. I had fired a shot before this one and it was also a dead center hit, when I repainted the steele, the two shots were within an inch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpahUoA2QSo&feature=youtu.be