ORIGINAL: Pglasgow
ORIGINAL: cayugad
It sounds like you're getting excellent penetration and accuracy with that load. What more could a person ask for. Although some people might not believe the 80 grains of Goex 3f sounds all that impressive to their 120-150 grain loads, they could not be more mistaken. With a 385 grain Great Plains Conical being pushed, something down range is getting smacked.
Since I started loading and shooting my White Ultra Mag. I have learned that a simple 70 grain powder charge with these big conicals produced tremendous down range power. In fact I just got done nailing my bullet trap back together, since the constant pounding of the large conicals was basically driving the nails out of their place. These large spikes I used to nail the trap together, I kind of figured would hold the trap, but again, wrong. Not to mention even the ricochet of the conicals has cut one of the true ruff cut 2x6 in two. Looks like more repair is needed...
Those heavy conicals are hard on everything they touch. Repair will be something you'll be doing more of with the bullet trap. I think you are correct in saying 70 grains produces tremendous downrange power in a heavy conical. Simply doesn't take much powder with big conicals and adding powder doesn't give one a whole lot extra downrange.
With the Sidekick, I went from 1320 fps (1490 ft-lbs) to 1335 fps (1525 ft-lbs) by increasing from 75 to 80 grains. I literally put 6.67% more energy in and only got 2.3% more energy at the muzzle. The benefit downrange is even less than that. At 100 yards the velocity with 80 grains is 1069 fps (977 ft.lbs), whilewith 75 grains the velocity is 1061 fps (962 ft-lbs). It 100 yards, an increase in the charge of 6.67% only gives me a 1.6%extra energy.
Bygoing to 80 grains, the recoil increases from 31.3 ft-lbs to 33.5 ft-lbs, an increase of 7%. Its just not seem fair to spend 6.67% more on powder in order to get whacked 7% harder while only getting 1.6% more killing power at 100 yards.[&:]
The 270 ballet, also a very good projectile, and is overlooked by many. I think to 100 maybe 120 yards it would be a superb flat shooting deer killer with a modest charge of pyro p. There is about 8400 grains volume in a 1 1b. jar of pyro p. At 60 grains per charge, there is 140 loads in 1 lb. of powder. The cost at $14 per bottle is 10 cents. 3 cents for a primer and 20 cents for the ballet, you have a round which costs 33 cents.Twenty rounds cost $6.60. Compare that to a $12 box of 30-30 shells which, IMHO, won't beat the balletload in deer stopping power under 100 yards. 60 grains PyroPpropells the 270 ballet to an average of 1497 fps in my Sidekick.
Magnum charges kill deer very, verywell, but then, how can game be deader than dead? Heavy conicals get the job done well on modest charges of powder and have been doing thatsince they became thedesign to eliminate the vast bison herds of the Great Plains.
Happy Hunting, Phil