Just an update on the Saeco 315 loads I was playing with this spring. We had a cold front come through this week that dropped temps into the upper 80s, so when a bit of downtime appeared I setup the chronograph and shot a couple loads I had on hand to retry. I shot the Varget loads one day, cleaned the rifle and shot the H4350 the next day. One thing I've learned on this rifle, that pencil barrel doesn't like extended strings of fire. I have a hard time waiting in between shots, so it usually gets pretty warm
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H4350 Federal cases
42 gr 2192fps 76 Extreme Spread 1st three shots into 1 3/8”
43 gr 2226 95 1st 3 in 3/4, 5 in 1 1/2, 7 in 1 5/8
Varget PPU cases
35 gr 2159 fps 95 Extreme Spread 4 of 1st 5 in 1 3/8
36 2226 39 3 into 7/8”, last two spread 2” right., barrel had gotten too hot.
Just out of curiosity, this morning I fired a load with N202 at 2050fps into the end of a well seasoned (several years) stick of coffee bean ( Kentucky Coffee) firewood from 10 feet. It penetrated 8.5” and tumbled just as it came to rest. I found it facing back the way it came, with the gas check and a small piece of the mushroom right next to the main shank. Together they all weighed 121 gr out of the original 180, the shank portion weighed 80 gr. Pretty severe test, but it showed me that maybe it won't go to pieces if it hits bone while deer hunting. Alloy was 1.4 SN, 2.9Sb, PC and water dropped out of the PC oven.
All in all, I think I've got several usable loads that are well into 300 Savage or 30-40 Krag range of power. Still haven't experimented with seating depth (2.7 OAL is what I'm using)or tumble lubing after the PC. I'm getting anxious to try it out on deer this fall.
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100 yards Vari-x III 2.5-8
H4350 Federal cases
42 gr 2192fps 76 Extreme Spread 1st three shots into 1 3/8”
43 gr 2226 95 1st 3 in 3/4, 5 in 1 1/2, 7 in 1 5/8
Varget PPU cases
35 gr 2159 fps 95 Extreme Spread 4 of 1st 5 in 1 3/8
36 2226 39 3 into 7/8”, last two spread 2” right., barrel had gotten too hot.
Just out of curiosity, this morning I fired a load with N202 at 2050fps into the end of a well seasoned (several years) stick of coffee bean ( Kentucky Coffee) firewood from 10 feet. It penetrated 8.5” and tumbled just as it came to rest. I found it facing back the way it came, with the gas check and a small piece of the mushroom right next to the main shank. Together they all weighed 121 gr out of the original 180, the shank portion weighed 80 gr. Pretty severe test, but it showed me that maybe it won't go to pieces if it hits bone while deer hunting. Alloy was 1.4 SN, 2.9Sb, PC and water dropped out of the PC oven.
All in all, I think I've got several usable loads that are well into 300 Savage or 30-40 Krag range of power. Still haven't experimented with seating depth (2.7 OAL is what I'm using)or tumble lubing after the PC. I'm getting anxious to try it out on deer this fall.