Lee Loader

I was catching up on my paperwork putting targets results into my database. This was one I shot in November and I thought it illustrates just how handloading can bring out the best in a rifle. The rifle is a Parker Hale 30-06 with a Santa Barbara Mauser receiver. It has a cheap Tasco scope and the only work done on the rifle was to add a shim in the forepart to better float the barrel. Five round groups shot at 50 yards off of a bag. The top group would have been a ragged hole but I moved at the last moment and dropped the last shot. Also my POA for this group was even with the top line of the two bulls below. This was a hunting load development. Two inches at 50 gives me zeroed at 250 and 10" low at 350. Powder was IMR7828 increasing in 1 grain increments from 56.0 top group to 58.0 bottom group. Sure shows what a difference a grain makes! Average FPS for top (best) group was 2453 FPS. Hornady has dropped the bullet from their line so I am going to have to find a replacement.

That is some very nice shooting, both for the rifle and the shooter!

Durn that Hornady, was it an Interlock? Last week I noticed that the .358" 200-grain spire point that I used in my Rem 600 35 Rem was on clearance at MidwayUSA and not available at any of the others places I shop. Got me thinking that this InterLock might be dropped like me of the others, so I stocked up. Plus, the price was better than I've ever seen. My bullet is still on the Hornady web site, but I don't trust them when it comes to InterLock longevity.

Yes the Interlock. I phoned around and no one up here has any left. I have 20 loaded up that I will save for hunting. Hornady has done this to me twice now.

Macd wrote:Yes the Interlock. I phoned around and no one up here has any left. I have 20 loaded up that I will save for hunting. Hornady has done this to me twice now.

The reason why I switched my jacketed bullet choice to Speer. What number bullet you looking for?

Yes, think I am going to switch. Bullet is #3085

I don't have many jacketed bullets in stock if you don't count the .224s but most of the ones I have are Speer.

Sure enough, that Hornady #3085 is gone from most US suppliers as well. Some of the Speers have disappeared as of late. The .308 150-grain Round Nose #2017 is an example. This is the only commercially available bullet that was specifically designed for the 300 Savage in the 99. Its demise is a real loss, I bought enough to see me to dirt.

I expect a lot of low sellers will start disappearing. The 190 Interlock was a little too long for 1-12 twist .308's but a solid 30-06 option in my 1-10 rifle. It was a good value over a Nosler 190 Accu-bond but that is the best potential substitute I can find so far. It is interesting to note that Nosler suggests that 55.5 grains of IMR7828 may be the most accurate load with that powder. My accuracy load was 56.0. Seating depth is also close.