777 Velocity Test

[paia]

This is nothing really scientific, and I am no expert, but I thought some of you might like to see the results of some shooting over my chrongraph I did this morning.

The weather was a mix of sun and clouds with temps in the mid 40's to low 50's.

I set the chrono up about 10' from the muzzle.

I was shooting a 5 or 6 year old .50 T/C Omega with over 1000 rounds through it, but the breech plug is new this month and had about 30 rounds through it.

I was shooting all 777 and a few different bullet weights just trying to get a "ball park" idea of the velocities I am getting.

I swabbed with two patches between each shot.

I'll list the velocities in the order I shot them...

300 grn/.430 XTP w/Harvester sabot
2 777 pellets
1647fps
1625
1647 --1640 avg

250 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
2 777 pellets
1813fps
1796
1768 --1792 avg

250 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
2 777 MAGNUM pellets
1916fps
1950
1910 --1925 avg

200 grn/.40 cal XTP w/BlueMMP sabot
2 777 pellets
1870fps
1925
1797 --1864 avg *My Omega has never liked this bullet/sabot combo and the wide velocity spread seen here may be part of the reason why

200 grn/.40 cal XTP w/BlueMMP sabot
2 777 MAGNUM pellets
1993fps
1968
2023 --1995 avg

300 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
80 grn by volume 777 3F
1597fps
1620
1620 --1612 avg

300 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
90 grn by volume 777 3F
1693fps
1678
1673 --1681 avg.

300 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
100 grn by volume 777 3F
1756fps
1737
1782 --1758 avg

300 grn/.452 XTP w/HPH24MMP sabot
2 777 pellets
1677fps
1680
1697 --1685 avg

What's interesting to me is that the first load I shot is the one I have been hunting with for four seasons now and it is SLOW. But I don't care
:wink: because that .430/300 grn XTP shoots great and kills deer.

Also the 2 Magnum pellets did not quite make 2000 fps with a 250 grn bullet as advertised, but the Omega does not have a very long barrel and these were hardly "test lab" conditions.

And judging by the last four loads, shot with .452/300 grn XTP's, it looks like about 90 grains of loose 777 3F, measured by volume, is the equivalent of two 777 pellets.

One of these days I want to test my .54 flintlocks over the chrono and when I do I'll post the info over in the sidelock forum.

 

[kevinbrian]

Good information. Thank you for posting this.

 

[alphaburnt]

Thanks for posting that. I love to read peoples range reports ,chrono findings and target pics. Did you wait any set length of time before firing each shot? I need to buy a chrono one day.

 

[paia]

I did not wait any special amount of time before reloading and shooting the next shot.

I forgot to test a 200 grain Shock Wave and 3 777 pellets--that shoots very well in my Omega and I think I will try hunting with it this coming fall.

If I test some more loads for velocity I'll post the results again.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Interesting

Paia, I was surprised to see the velocities you posted for the .430 300gr XTP Harvester sabot 2 T7 pellet load is virtually the same as I get with 80 gr of loose 3fT7( same bullet and sabot).My Omega Z5 gets 1660 fps average.Its her most accurate load as well.

 

[cayuga]

Some excellent information there. I have never used a chronograph even though I guess it would be something I would enjoy. I like to see the numbers posted.

I shoot the .430 300 grain XTP with a Harvester Crushed Rib sabot out of my Green Mountain Barrel. I have pushed it with as much as 120 grains of Goex 2f and the accuracy was excellent. If the deer will cooperate this coming year, I can see how well it will knock something other then targets down.

 

[paia]

Cayuga--That .430 300 grain XTP is a wonderful hunting bullet. I've killed 10 or 12 deer with it in my Omega since 2004 and always got great penetration and expansion. Four of the deer were bucks that dressed an honest 170 plus and three were killed at 135 yds or farther and the bullet did great.

I have tried to push it faster with up to 120 grains of 777 or Pyrodex, but the groups open up and I go back to 2 777 pellets. That load shoots beautifully so I stick with it. I sight 3" high at 100 and am about dead on at 140.

I'm looking forward to trying Blackhorn 209 with that bullet--I'm hoping for a little more velocity--we'll see.

 

[alphaburnt]

I had some of the .430 300 gr XTPs and had just received some Green CR like you mentioned. The other day I decided to shoot them at the range, thanks to your post. I was extremely impressed! Feeling froggy, I shot them at 200 yards and put 2 of them within 1/2" and the third went about 1" high and 3" right. They were about 7 1/2" low of my aiming point, but the 2 good shots were dead in line beneath it! I had been playing with different bullets ( .452 300 XTP and .430 240 XTP) and wasnt sure where this would hit at 100. I then went to 100 and shot, it was 4 1/2" high and just about 3/8" left of my aiming point. This was only about 12" drop from 100 to 200 yards and it was in variable wind. Funny, I could shoot-recover or settle back from the recoil and then hear it hit the cardboard. I was shooting my old Disc Elite w/ Tasco WC on 9 power, cleaning between shots with a 10-15 minute wait and shooting 100 gr T7 FFg. I recovered several sabots and they did not look stressed at all. I had never really heard much about this bullet-sabot combo until I read your post and I went to Hornady web site and looked up the BC of these and was surprised- it is published at .245 which is better than the other bullets I had shot. I will try to post a pic of the in the near future. Thanks.

 

[alphaburnt]

Have you experienced complete penetration and expansion on whitetails with this bullet? Is it a sure thing to get a pass through and curious as to what your entrance and exit wounds typically look like? One more while Im at it, Have you had any steep quartering or raking shots made with this combo?

 

[paia]

MQ32--
The majority of the deer I have killed with the .430/300 XTP have been broadside pass throughs and left holes the size of quarters. The bullet seems to stay together well and penetrate very well. Blood trails have been excellent, but also not needed--only 2 deer that I can think of have run out of sight and they did not make it more than 60 yards or so.

My longest shot with the Omega and this bullet was a lasered 156 meters--about 170 yds (for some reason my rangefinder was stuck on meters for a couple years(!) --must have hit the wrong button ) This was in Iowa a few years ago and the buck was a nice ten pt. quartering towards me at a pretty severe angle. I had a perfect prone rest over a terrace and took the shot allowing for about 4 or 5 inches of drop and some wind drift. The 300 XTP entered behind the near shoulder, destroyed one lung, clipped the other, went through the liver and wound up back against the buck's pelvis--we found it when we quartered him. It weighed about 240 grains I think and penetrated about 30" of deer at least. The buck ran 50 yards and piled up.

Half the deer have dropped on the spot including the heaviest I ever killed which was another Iowa buck--a big 11 that must have dressed 200 or better. He dropped on the spot with a high shoulder shot at 141 meters.

I wish I could figure out how to post pics--I have a couple pics of recovered bullets I could show you.

I think the .430/300 XTP is a fabulous bullet and BTW, I have always used the regular green Harvester sabot, not the Crushed Rib.

PM me your email address if you would like to see the pics.