Jim Sockey's Gold... my thoughts

[flint head]

Well as I said in a previous post, I bought a can of 3f Gold to try out in my Omega. When I shot these rounds it was very hot and crazy humid here in SC. The load was 110-120 grains and a 300 Nosler .451 pp/w HPH 12's. The 100 yard results were, to put it mildly, terrible. So to be safe, I brought along a can of 2f 777 because deer season approacheth. Well that stunk also, to the tune of three inch groups...hmmm... I know I'll go back home and get my 250 Shockwaves and 777 pellets and I'll go back to my 3/4" groups... wrong! This load shot 3 1/2 inches... what the heck! Which brings me to today, went back to the range with my JSG Sticks and my 300 Noslers. I didn't try for groups per say but did aim at the small heart portion of the paper deer target,,, with a load of three Sticks and the 300 grain PP both shots were in the heart 1 1/4 inches apart at 100 yards. I shot once more at the paper deer this time at 50 yards and the big Nosler slug hit perfectly where I aimed in the shoulder... it was very hot and very humid again today. from what I can gather, the JSG Sticks are alot less affected by high humidity than the 3f... I don't know what was wrong with the 777 the other day, maybe nothing, but my Omega shot bad with it. I suppose it could have been the heat or a warm barrel but if it's hot were you live and hunt what do you do? Find a hot load I guess...

[sabotloader]

flint head

You know I have read your posts a couple of times, trying to think of a positive remark as to what was going on... I do know myself I hate shooting sabots in temos greater than 80 degrees... I do not beleive or doubt anything that could happen in that weather with a ploymeresabot.

So now i am sittinghere wondering - you know it might be better to shoot conicals in that type of weather - but I do not know... that even includes the dreaded Power Belts as they go full-bore... Another thought I wonder if the older plastic sabots might not work better in HOT weather - they are not near as pliable as the new polymere...

OK - I'll get off I am just creating more questions....

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: sabotloader

flint head

You know I have read your posts a couple of times, trying to think of a positive remark as to what was going on... I do know myself I hate shooting sabots in temos greater than 80 degrees... I do not beleive or doubt anything that could happen in that weather with a ploymeresabot.

So now i am sittinghere wondering - you know it might be better to shoot conicals in that type of weather - but I do not know... that even includes the dreaded Power Belts as they go full-bore... Another thought I wonder if the older plastic sabots might not work better in HOT weather - they are not near as pliable as the new polymere...

OK - I'll get off I am just creating more questions....

Over on Doug's Savage Board they say to let your gun barrel cool 15 minutes between shots in hot weather. They also say that POI differs significantly in hot weather. I shot in the cool of the AM with all my summer shooting and didn't pay attention to the hot barrel, but it make sense that it heats up the sabot and make it soft thefore affecting accuracy. Most guys over there like to shoot below 50 degrees. Heck in SC, that would be Jan and Feb only. Chap Gleason

[flint head]

That's my point Chap, if it's hot where you hunt then you better make sure you know what your gun is doing... I shot my Omega right before turkey season came in somewhere around the middle of March with a load of three 777 pellets and a 250 SW 100 yards was 3/4" and 200 was 4 1/4"... now I have no doubts that the gun will do the same given cooler weather but it's dang hot and deer season opens Sept. 15... I really like the JSG/Nosler combo so I'm glad it performed well. I thought you guys might be interrested in the loose vs. Sticks humidity comparison... I have read a couple of post with concerns on JSG and the sticky weather... go with the Sticks!

[wabi]

With JSG in my conical shooter (T/C NewEnglander) I still got terrible groups in hot humid weather with 320 gr Lee R.E.A.L.s.
With T-7, Pyrodex R/S, and Goex fffg or ffg the groups do not change that much.
Sorry, but if 4 different powders keep shooting consistently, and one does not, I'll have to blame the powder!

[flint head]

I'm with you 100 % Wabi, you have to shoot what your gun likes. While I like 777 and it shoots great (when it's cool). My Omega does get a bad case of the crud ring... with the JSG Sticks, I can load several bullets in a row without cleaning the bore. Most importantly, my muzzleloader is shooting this load well; even in the heat.

[lemoyne]

I am not yet sure why but the new Triumph will shoot better in high temp.s than any other sabot gun I have had.
Its often over 100 [ been 103 or 104 most days] here this time of year and has been for almost 2 months and even so it is holding 2 inch groups when its over 85 and early in the morning when its only 70 to 75 it will hold 1 inch with the loads it likes; the two things I have noticed about it is that it has a very tight bore [.498] which makes it more difficult to load and that it will shoot better in the heat. I have been shooting the MMP-HPH 24 and the blue 50/40 sabot. This particular question of why they will or wont shoot in the heat is almost as bad as why the Omega likes heavy loads and the Triumph wont shoot over 120 grs. If some body has the answer I wish they would tell me. Lee