This morning i went up and did some shooting at paper, and clocked some loads too. It was about 55 degrees, and some breeze. Elevation is around 4700'. I first shot from 203 yard; then from 99 yard. Used one powder (BH209) in 2 different vials; one 110g; the other 120g. Tried 3 different bullet; 200g SST, 270g Deep Curl, and 300g Deep Curl. Used Harvester sabot for the Deep Curl, and MMP sabot for the SST. Used STS primer for all the shooting, and took 2 rifle, the Triumph, and the Accura. The Triumph has a 4X scope with a tapered crosshair, and was used to shoot the SST. The Accura has a 3x-9x scope with a fancy reticle, and was used at 8 power to shoot the Deep Curl, using the second dot at 203 yard. Both rifle had been shot about 20 times before this morning, and never cleaned. All group are 3 shot, except the one 5 shot group.



The group circled by blue are 200g SST pushed by 120g BH209. The lower 5 shot group was made from 203 yard. The 3 shot group was shot through the clock at 99 yard.

Speeds were measured at 10 yard.

2060 fps
2093
2096

Averages to 2083, which is near 2115 at the muzzle

The group circled by green are 270g Deep Curl pushed by 110g BH, and was made from 203 yard.

The top yellow group was made by 300g Deep Curl pushed by 120g BH, and was shot from 203 yard. The bottom yellow group was the 300g Deep Curl pushed by 120g BH; shot through the clock, and was made from 99 yard.

Speeds measured at 10 yard were

1940 fps
1955
1949

Which averages out to 1948 fps, which is about 1980 fps at the muzzle.



I like the way i can hold center of chest from 0-200 yard using the 200g SST in the Triumph with a 4x scope, and make a lung hit.






At home the breech plugs were removed. Note the absence of blow back around the primer in both plug.











Both flash hole allowed a 0.029" pin gage through. The speed breech is modified to accept a vent liner, and has a deeper than factory recess on the face. The speed breech was also modified to head space tightly using the STS primer. Both flame channel are 5/32" diameter when clean. The short breech plug channel is very plugged with carbon. One cannot push a 1/16" drill through the flame channel in the short plug. The longer plug flame channel is still 7/64" clear. Both breech plug have seen about 30 shots. It seems the longer flame channel is better than the shorter flame channel, when it comes to longevity without cleaning. It has been written that the longer flame channel isn't so good when it comes to igniting BH, but this modified speed breech has been as reliable as the short plug here, and as the short Omega plug not used today, or shown.

Hunting accuracy is quite acceptable with either of these breech plug, after each has seen 20 or more shot. There doesn't seem to be a need to clean the flame channel to get decent groups. It seems the flash hole never gets plugged when one is shooting, and thus doesn't require any attention. There is no doubt in my mind that the factory made speed breech plug would have been just as good, and reliable, as this modified speed breech was, this morning. However, in order to shoot as clean as this plug did today, the factory plug would have required the use of the longer W209 primer. The factory Accura plug may or may not have worked this morning.

wow thats a ton of carbon build up with those primers

It is a lot of carbon but Ron mentioned he had fired 20 shots w/o cleaning prior to todays shooting. So in actually its not that bad if you total up all the shots fired.

how many shots was it?

By counting holes on his target and adding 20 I come up with 34. Only Ron knows the correct amount. I try to clean my breech plug flash channels after 10 or so shots. With my break opens its easy and I do not even need to remove the plugs from the gun.

No, he doesn't. This trip was either the third, or the fourth trip shooting them rifle without any cleaning. I failed to keep a good count. I try to do a responsible job counting, but some time i don't. I do keep spent primer, and when a new box is needed; can count how many shots were made from any given rifle. In this case i don't recall, where them rifle were cleaned in that stack of spent primer. If they both had 20 shot before this session; the Triumph now has 28, whereas the Accura now has 29. They both could have more, or less.

I do know for sure that the last three shot through each rifle was through the clock at 99 yard. These last three shot were plenty accurate enough for hunting, and even made decent 100 yard group, though not moa.

Myself, i do believe cleaning the flame channel after every 10 shot, would be a good thing. It is conceivable to me that if the flame channel is cleaned after every 10 shot, and nothing else is done to the rifle, it could shoot BH indefinitely.

Well that is many times more shots than anyone would take during and entire hunting season anywhere. And you sure can't argue the accuracy. The only problem I see you having now is trying to explain a miss on a critter if you get the opportunity. Very nice shooting Ron.

Jon i can assure you he has a lot of shots through it. i use the STS primers in my triumph,with a factory BP and after 20 shots have no where near that buildup in it. good shooting Ron..Ray

Not many of mine head space well with the RemSTS BUT the carbon they leave seems to be less than some other primers.....Less meaning more like a black dusting than a hard black crust.

I finally have one rifle that appears to like them so i will be giving them more attention this year. Ive only test fired them and wont know for sure until it hits the range but i sure hope they workout.

Ron

Nice range work and report/review as usual. I should try some BH209 in the NULA just for a comparison on breach plug carbon since it uses a breach plug with a different design than most. It doesn't really conform in dimensions to what most people would think is ideal for BH209 also.