Semisane

I had time for a short range session after the hunt last Sunday, and my plan was to try sabotless .452 300 grain Gold Dots in the .45 GM Renegade. I had tried starting one of them in the bore at home by sticking about one-quarter length of the bullet into the bore, and it looked like it might fit.

Well, that was a BIG mistake. At the range I dumped 85 grains of GOEX down the tube, then started the bullet. I got about a third of the bullet length into the muzzle with my thumb, then switched to my short starter. With a mighty push and a hard bump I got about another third into the muzzle.

Well I may not be all that smart, but sometimes I do know when to stop - and this was one of those times. So I didn't bump it again. I sure didn't want a jacketed bullet stuck in the bore below the muzzle. I had visions of trying to pound it down with a brass rod and a hammer to get it seated on the powder so I could shoot it out.

With just about a quarter-inch of the nose of the bullet sticking out of the muzzle, there was enough to grab with a pair of vice grip pliers. It took a little twisting and tugging, but I got it out. Whew! Disaster averted.

OK, on to plan two. I can't complain about the results I've gotten with 200gr./.400 XTPs, but I'd rather shoot Gold Dots if they will match the accuracy of the XTPs.

I pulled out my remaining hoard of 210gr./.410 Gold Dots, and shot three of them at 50 yards in Harvester H4540B smooth sabots over 85 grains of GOEX FFFg. They were very tight starting and each time I started them in the bore one of the sabot petals looked like it squeezed or stretched out and protruded farther above the bullet than the other three petals. Here's the resulting target.





That's not bad. Pretty close to what I get with the XTPs at 50 yards. I didn't mind the hard loading so much, but those stretched sabot petals bothered me.

So I sacrificed three more Gold Dots and loaded them with Crush Rib (H5440BR) sabots. There was no petal deformity upon loading and they went down the bore easier - what Sabotloader would call "just right". Here's the target.




I was really surprised the group not only didn't improve, but didn't match the first group. These dang things are just a mystery.

As soon as I can get ahold of a fresh box of Gold Dots I'm going to try this again and try going up and down five and ten grains in search of that elusive one-hole-group. Might even locate some .451 bullets to try sabotless. (Some guys just never give up. )

tjj

Thats some good shootin Semi. Those gold dots would do the trick on a whitetail. I'm gonna keep my eye open for some. I think I may have a rifle that will shoot em pretty good.

sabotloader

Semi

Jees! Semi the only reason group two open a bit on you was because your were fatiqued from all the work you had done prior to shooting the 41's...

I did find 3 boxes of them if you need a box but by the time a mail them to you they are a bit expensive...

cayugad

That is still some good shooting. I think I will throw a Simmons Pro Diamond 4X on my stainless steel .45. I have the mount already. All I have to do is get another scope.

As for shipping bullets I shipped out two boxes of ball-et using the USPS priority mail boxes. I got the small one and it shipping for $4.99 . Kind of hard to beat that.

sabotloader

cayugad

I mailed a box of 41's to New York last week using the USPS priority box - got there in three days and it was a flat rate $4.99 also but when you add that to the price of the Gold Dots $24.99 + tax that I have to pay - all that starts to add up.... But those flat rate priority boxes are a great deal....

cayugad

I understand the cost of the bullets. Its shocking how the price of them and even the availability of certain bullets have changed. I was trying to place an order for sabots, another scope, and some bullets, and nothing but the scope was in stock...

sabotloader

cayugad

Last week while I was in Kennewick - I stopped by the Wholesale Sports Store (use to be Sportsman Warehouse) and I was looking for the 41's... They had a great supply of Speer so I talked to the sales manager and he indicated that the company had gotten a very large shipment from Speer and it was spread out over their 41 stores in the west. I was actually glad to here that Speer was supplying normal retail outlets even before going to the large internet suppliers. Speer is just down the hill from me and I know they added two more shifts to production - but they also just got 14 mil contract to supply the French Government with Gold Dots - so I thought they would shift away from the normal consumer but maybe one shift is dedicated to us...

Semisane

Thanks Sabotloader, but I have some on the way when my sister-in-law visits from Georgia in a week or two. She scored two boxes for me at a shop in her area.

When you get that new ProDiamond Cayugad, you may as well order two or three of them to save on shipping. You know you're going to need them.

sabotloader

Semi

That is exactly my experience with both the regular blue and the crush rib in my Elite 45.... The Extreme 45 that I had loaded fine with the CR. I have this Remington 700ml 45 cal of Tom's here and I am hoping to shoot it today so I plan on trying the 41's in it also. I think they will fit real well in it.

bronko22000

Semi - curiosity has me now. Why would you rather shoot the gold dots out of your rifle when the xtps are shooting well for you? I shot a few deer with that 200 gr 400 xtp and they really do the job well.