Chaparral 76 range report and new outfit

[Sixgun]

Pitch,
45-70 dies will work fine. Get away from the .457 cast bullets. If thats the diameter of your bore and with the perfect smooth condition of the bore, you are not creating enough build up pressure. Go to a .459 diameter bullet and shove 11 grains of Unique in the case. Get rid of the junky sight and install a good tang sight with a flat black bead or flattop sight for us old heads.

After you shoot an expected 1-2" group at 50 yards or a 3" max at 100, go to 5744 as 4198 will give you large extreme spreads (with light loads) , especially in cold weather when you decide to hunt. 4198 works great if you have the proper conditions for a pressure build up, but with light loads in cold weather, its worthless. You might get 15 in a row that are fine and then when you pull the trigger on the 14 point, you might get a hangfire---with the light loads, mind you.

Unique will give you all you will ever need or want. (12-1300) and will get perfect ignition without any stupid case fillers. A 300 grain bullet will travel (at 1300) through anything in North America at 100+ yards which is about all you and I can see. 5744 is the next best, if not the best powder for the big cases as it has a high nitro content. I only use about 10-12 pounds a year so I hope I got it right--------------------------------------------Sixgun

[Pitchy]

All so much to decide about, i thought the 4198 was the ticket and i like the 405 bullet.
Heck it`s gotta be just as reliable as my muzzle loader that goes off most the time.
Thanks for the info and sorry for getting impatient Hobie.

Also this gun came with a brass blade front sight that glares and is hard to see sometimes so i blackened it and seems better.
Will try a few 100 yard shots.

[Pitchy]

Yoooouuuurrrrrrrr so vain, you probably think this post is about you! You handsome bugger. Neat coat dude, you would be roasting in it here in S.E.Pa. (btw, I still have my original fringe coat from 1970 during my "hippie daze" )

The '76 is doing great. Don't forget aout the all time load using Unique at sub-sonic speeds. In the 45-60, 11 grains will push it about 1100 with a 400 cast---loose in the case.---------------Sixgun

Sixgun i see in this reply you mentioned using a 400 grain bullet, maybe i`ll try a few of my 405`s and see how they shoot.
Unique would be a good powder and get a little better milage per can.

[Sixgun]

Pitch,
Unique is an excellent cast bullet powder for low velocities. Its usually not recommended because of the danger of double charging a case. Just throw it in loose in the case with no stupid time consumming fillers. About 11 or 12 grains for the 45-60 with either a 300 or 400 grain bullet. A pistol primer will be fine.

Lets see a pic of those teeth! I know your eating ice cream and scrambled eggs--it will be that way for awhile ---------------Sixgun

[Pitchy]

Like i said these bullets weigh in at 405 grain, i just loaded five at 11 grains and will shortly go shoot them and see what they do.
Thanks.

[KirkD]

Pitchy, IMR 4198 is one of my favourite powders, but I think Sixgun may be right about spreads. That being said, I am planning to experiment with dacron filler in my 45-60 using IMR 4198 and 5744 later this summer. Dacron filler will greatly reduce extreme spreads with IMR 4198. I also know that IMR 4198 plus filler is a favorite with Sherman Bell. With the kind of shooting you are doing, you might really enjoy a Chrony. It will tell you a lot about what is happening. As for now, looks like you are right on the money with load.

[Pitchy]

Thanks Kirk, i`ll go shoot these five with Unique in a minute and see how they feel, i am pretty happy with the 25 grain load with the 405 and the 30 grain load with the 300 grain bullet.
Results within the hour.

[Pitchy]

Sorry Sixgun but no go with the Unique, maybe because of the bullet diameter.

The 25 grainload of 4198 and 405 bullet shot a decent three shot group high at 100 yards, the middle hole just skimmed over the cardboard as it was folded over on the top.
Lowered the sight one notch and shot two more at 100 yards, not bad.
One at 50 yards.

I think i`ll stick with the 4198 for now, thanks for the help guys.

[KirkD]

Wow! I'm impressed with those two 100 yard groups. That 3-shot group looks like it might be 2 & 1/2" and the 2-shot group looks like 1 & 1/2". Not too shabby at all! In fact, I would call that excellent.

[Pitchy]

Whoops sorry, the top three in group measures two in. and the other measures 1 1/4.

[smokenrust]

Pitchy, yar lookin good at a handret yards...Goin to do a test report at 150, 175 an two hundret yard? See whare her trajectory ark are...?

[Pitchy]

Pitchy, yar lookin good at a handret yards...Goin to do a test report at 150, 175 an two hundret yard? See whare her trajectory ark are...?

Sorry but probably not, i very seldom shoot over 100 yards at anything, deer are generaly in the 50-75 range.
My guess would be if i set the sight back up one notch it would hit right on at 175 yards, which is how far i can get away from that target.
I may take a shoot at it at that distance for the heck of it one of these days, if i do i`ll post outcome.

[Sixgun]

Your smokin' now Pitch! To fully appreciate an excellent load and to have confidence in it, there should be a minimun of 10 shots fired---nice and slow...5 shots is childs play.........15 or 20 will really show the load's capabilities. 50 yards tells very little with rifle loads. I can't begin to remember how many loads I have had that shot great at 50, but were dismal at 100.

Keep shootin'....keep shootin'..........---------Sixgun

[smokenrust]

" i very seldom shoot over 100 yards at anything, deer are generaly in the 50-75 range."
Pitchy, at 50 yards you dang near have them stumbling over your feet... You must treat them like pets... The few around here I think must have spies... If I go out to the field, they are only half way across it, but if I bring the gun with, then they are across the forty... LOL
But at night they come up to the yard and tease the dog... an munch in the garden...that is when we have one.
I'll be waiting for that max limit paper printing pictures

[ollogger]

Looks like you found your load for her, good going
I ordered long starline brass & a new mold for that old 38-55
then back to starting all over again, but then thats half the fun


ollogger

[Pitchy]

Here ya go, 175 yards off a sandbag, sight raised one notch.
I`m pretty happy with that, if that high one would of been with the others it would of been a four inch group.

[KirkD]

That 175 yard group is very good. With some practice, I'm betting it would be even tighter, although velocity spread may begin to be a factor. Regardless, any deer at 175 yards is in deep trouble if it gets in your sights.

[Pitchy]

Thanks Kirk, i`ve never shot at a deer over 100 yards, most under 50 so i`m in good shape.

[smokenrust]

That 175 yard target didn't stand a chance with your eagle eye and that 76. Sure looks good from here.
Now you know that 175 yards isn't out of the question now.

[Nath]

thats pretty darn good Pitchy, that there rabbit gun is taking shape. Now get that three wheeler fuelled n' get over 'ere


N

[Pitchy]

thats pretty darn good Pitchy, that there rabbit gun is taking shape. Now get that three wheeler fuelled n' get over 'ere


N

They sell those plastic three wheelers with paddles on the wheels, think i`d make it.
Thanks buddy.

[ollogger]

Pitchy ya better write that load in stone, great shooting

ollogger

[Pitchy]

Pitchy ya better write that load in stone, great shooting

ollogger

Thanks bro.

[walks with gun]

Yep I think you've got it now, those are as good of groups as I can get with my handguns at that range ha ha ha.

[Borregos]

I think you are there Pitchy

[Pitchy]

Yep I think you've got it now, those are as good of groups as I can get with my handguns at that range ha ha ha.

Thanks Borregos

[.45colt]

Yep Great Shooting. if You shot 175yd all the time 100 would look like a chip-shot. .