I was load developing for my 6.5x55 in preparation for my DSC 2
So I prepared loads with 140 SSTs with N160. Reloader 19 & 22. Only a mild load of R19 (45 grains) grouped well. I chronographed them & found that they were too slow at 2500 fps.
Well that was not going to be any good, surely/ The bullets would just loop like a mortar and the deer run off with a small entry but no exit wound in them??
Back to the drawing board. Next up, 129 grain SSTs with 52.5 grains of N560 behind them. Grouped well & out the barrel at 3060 fps AND LOTS OF NOISE & RECOIL. Well this is more like it, says I.
Anyway off to Devon and the rifle was sighted in & zeroed the evening before. It was not until I was actually stalking a Roe buck that I realised to my horror that I had actually grabbed the the ' slow (2500 fps) ammo. Disaster, but it was too late to change now. Anyway I shot 3 Roe bucks. 2 of them dropped like they had been hit by a truck & one ran a little way. The meat damage was minimal & the haematoma on the exit could be covered by a 50 p piece. There was no haematoma around the entry wound.
One of the bucks was shot high near the spine. If I had used my old 25-06 or the fast 130 grain bullets that had the same ballistic performance as a 270, they would have cut the animal in half & perforated the guts etc. I am totally sold on the slow & heavy method now.
So I prepared loads with 140 SSTs with N160. Reloader 19 & 22. Only a mild load of R19 (45 grains) grouped well. I chronographed them & found that they were too slow at 2500 fps.
Well that was not going to be any good, surely/ The bullets would just loop like a mortar and the deer run off with a small entry but no exit wound in them??
Back to the drawing board. Next up, 129 grain SSTs with 52.5 grains of N560 behind them. Grouped well & out the barrel at 3060 fps AND LOTS OF NOISE & RECOIL. Well this is more like it, says I.
Anyway off to Devon and the rifle was sighted in & zeroed the evening before. It was not until I was actually stalking a Roe buck that I realised to my horror that I had actually grabbed the the ' slow (2500 fps) ammo. Disaster, but it was too late to change now. Anyway I shot 3 Roe bucks. 2 of them dropped like they had been hit by a truck & one ran a little way. The meat damage was minimal & the haematoma on the exit could be covered by a 50 p piece. There was no haematoma around the entry wound.
One of the bucks was shot high near the spine. If I had used my old 25-06 or the fast 130 grain bullets that had the same ballistic performance as a 270, they would have cut the animal in half & perforated the guts etc. I am totally sold on the slow & heavy method now.