Optima - White Hots - 300gr Thor
 

Got a bunch of 250 ballistic tips and 300gr HP Thor's in today and so i figured since the Optima was scoped, i'd load up 100gr of White Hots and the 300gr Thor. Started off at 50 yards and took 3 shots to get the scope zeroed in 1 1/2" high @ 50 and then took the rifle inside to swab out. 2 windex patches and i was finished cleaning.

Loaded up my gear onto the ATV and set up a fresh target at 100 yards. A few inches to the left but center.

I pulled shot #2 which was my fault due to me keeping my hand on the adjustment bar on the lead sled :rant: Shots 1 and 3 are touching.



They look good together i think,



Pellet fits right into the Thors hollow base,

Loaded up the Optima with Two T7 Magnum Pellets and the 250gr Thor. First 2 shots high right, scope adjustment and 3 more shots did great. On shot 5, due to the hard crud ring, i was pushing on my range rod and i felt a pellet break. Im not sure if thats what caused the group to open or what, but that T7 crud ring is a pain in the butt to get through. Its good to see though that the Optima and Thor do very good well a magnum charge.

MD i just might have to buy one of those Optima's.
Cabelas has them for 259 with 20 off thats only 239....

Tried some T7 Magnum pellets in the rifle yesterday. 150gr total with the 250gr Thor @ 100 yards. Shots 1 and 2 were awesome but shot a couple inches to the right. Made scope adjustment and fired shots 3-4 and 5. On the 5th shot though the crud ring got so bad that i had to jam the range rod down to seat the Thor and i felt a pellet break. It didnt hurt accuracy to bad but that crud ring really sucks rear end.



I went home and cleaned the Optima and went out with 3 of the White Hots for a Magnum load and accuracy was 3 to 3 1/2" with the 250gr Thor and surprisingly, i got a really hard crud ring with the lighter weight Thor. I even dropped it down to 100gr charge and the group opened up to 5" for 3 shots. Not cool but i will see if i can change things with the 777 primers or the cci inline MZL primers. I am going to re-test tomorrow hopefully and see if maybe it was me or just the powder liking the 300gr Thor best.

Well those groups yesterday vanished today by swabbing between each shot. This swabbed was supposed to help accuracy but it doubled the size of my group today!

300gr Thor with 100gr White Hots.


250gr Thor with 150gr T7 Magnums.


I was shocked when i saw these groups developing. I dont know if its the heat or what, but im not a happy camper. I just reloaded my Tubes and ammo, cleaned the rifle and just going to go back out around 6-7pm and see what happens in the cooler air.

Thats some fine shooting there MD, congratulations

ok with the White Hots / T7 Magnums, i can not swab or else accuracy just isnt there. With the 250gr thor and t7 magnum pellets i had to rough it down the bore twice but the first 2 shots were touching and the third one opened it up to a 1" group. The 300's with the imr white hots i did the same thing with and got a 1 1/2" group.

These crud rings really do suck though.