Well finally got out to do some shooting today. Shooting just makes verything feel good - well at least until you look at the target - but it beats staying home....

Purpose of the trip was to try BH in the 700ml again. Had a very good outing with it a while back - thought I would verify that I could actualy shoot BH from the gun.

Also I was going to try some different primers, Fed 209A's and Winchester W209's. I also took along my CCI-209m's and a pack of Cheddites. I had shot the Cheddites and the CCI's on the last trip to the farm.
Also last trip I shot .458/300 grain Sierra's in an MMP Orange sabot. This trip I wanted to shoot a lighter bullet and verify that could be done....
Last evening I spent some time loading tubes for the trip. I first used my volume measure and through 9 loads. Then I weighed each of those loads. They all were a bit light. They measured from 75.6 grains to 75.3 grains. Then I measured 6 loads with the scales. 77 grains each to equal 110 grains by volume. I really did not like the volume loads because when I went to cut the top of the load off I could feel some granuals getting broke or cut as I slid the cut funnel over the top.

Here is a pic of the my prep work...



OK - ready to go the this morningand wouldn't you know it... miserable wet snow....



When the snow quit early this afternoon - the warm 'Chinoock' winds moved in... but I was going shooting anyway. The winds were blowing 10-15mph here in town so I know they were going to be really bad @ the farm - but I did not really care.

Got to the farm and setup my 'tailgate' work bench and the wind was bad...



Set the target at 50 yards and loaded up... Shots 1&2 looked real promising with the new W209's that i was trying. Shot #3 thought I would try a Fed 209A - got a hang-fire of all things could not beleive it... I switched primers again the CCI-209M's group looked good. and I was sold on the CCI's.

Moved the target to 100 yards but I changed the angle of the shot to reduce some of the effect of the winds - tried to get get where I was shooting more into the wind - did not get enough angle but it was a bit better.

Shot the rest the rest of my prepared tube and hand threw some additional shots. Shot a decent group of 250 grain Gold Dots then decided to shoot some 200 XTP's - even decided to try a Fed 209A again and again - a hang-fire. I can not explain the hang-fires with the 209A and yet the CCI and even the W209's were perfect.... just do not get it.



When I got home and started to clean the gun I got a surprise... The nipple while really dirty was not clogged at all. Not a very good picture but the flash channel is sooty and the flash hole is wide open.

Great report and pics. Thanks, think spring.

sabotloader
I ran into the same problem with the System One [which has a similar set up to the Black Diamond] the federal 209A just won't work; the STS Rem. and CCIm work ok.
If you figure out what is causing the problem let me know. my only guess is that it over pressures the nipple. Lee

Lee

OK! see i was wondering the same thing... to much pressure and heat trying to get through that flash-hole... I can not come up with anything other than that... OR could it be that the Federal, being the strongest 209, is actually pushing the sabot off the powder creating a short air space, and since BH is a progressive burning powder that air space is hendering the ignition of the main powder charge???? Just a thought out of the blue.

Sabot - That is some really good shooting. Looks like you have a great shooting rifle there. I was really examining your target and if you took all the shots at 50 yds (excluding the hang fire #3) and overlappedthem onto the 100 yd target, you would have 10 shots in an inch or just over. Which is excellent even for a centerfire rifle.
If some other guys would post a group like that I would suspect to see powder burns on the target.
Now you have me wanting to get out and shoot my Hawken today.

Sabotloader - I've always used the Win209 for BH and never once had the first hangfire. Glad to see you're getting good results from them as well. Don't have an answer for the Federals... maybe they are too strong because I've got BH to go off w/out hangfires with the Kleanbores which Western says not to use with BH.

Next time I get to the range I'm going to take my 700ML and do some more BH testing as well. I figure if I shoot it long enough EVENTUALLY I'll find something it doesn't like... right?

Good shooting and thanks for the report!

That is some great information there Sabotloader.. and some good shooting. Nothing is harder to shoot in then a cross wind. I really don't know how some of these guys living in the wind belts can do it. They have wind all the time and shoot like it is not even there. And at distances to boot. I hunt in the woods at close range, wind is not a big factor. These guys are blasting away at a couple hundred yards, with a 20 mph cross wind, and they think nothing of it. My hats off to those that can shoot in the wind (although due to lack of hair, my head would get cold on a windy day).

I once saw a person shoot a 200 yards target with a center fire on a very windy day. He's an excellent marksman. The wind drift from that shot always amazed me. He was over six inches off at that distance. His group mind you, not just one shot.

Really good shooting and report.One question i have is, the opening in the breech.I thought the bh209 was no good for this style.Or is that what this test is about, to prove it will work?

hunting junkie

It is on Western's 'no-go' list. My main reason for trying, actually have two reasons, is 1 - I really like the 700ml it shoots anything I want to shoot from it. It is comfortable and feels great - it is a steady very reliable gun, both of the rems I have are. 2- Several years back Randy Wakeman did a review on the 700ml and pretty much abeled it a 'piece of trash' at the time he did the review he even indicated in the article that he was mad at Remington because they did not consider him important enough to send him one free. At that time I had the first version of the gun a 24" barrel - I really like it... So form that time to this it has been my mission to prove it is a good ml - even today.

The only reason I am able to shoot BH is because I have the old Cabelas 209conversion which provides a much better nipple than the Remington does. I also have added a copper weather shroud for blow-back protection if it were needed. To be honest the gun is a better T7 shooter than a BH shooter - i am still developing exactly what i need to be for it to be 100% reliable.