I'd hate to see this thread fizzle out and die so I'll add a little more. It's been a very interesting thread, lotsa good info. I've picked up a few good tips and learned some things.
I shot my 45 caliber Paramount yesterday for the first time. I took two spacers out of the stock and it fits me nicely. I put a Burris Fullfield II scope on it in Leupold rings and bases. The scope is 3x9x40, matte, with the Ballistic Plex reticle. I have several of these Burris scopes. Rifle with scope, without sling, weighs 10.5 lb. I did the Lee Shaver barrel burnishing. I've done it before. I listened to what CVA said and bought Blackhorn 209 from MidSouth Shooters supply and a hundred Powerbelt ELR's, supposedly 285 grain. The package of Powerbelts that came with the gun were labeled 225 grains. That seemed wrong to me (DUH), so i weighed all 15 of them, They varied from 290.5 to 292.7 grains. No 3 bullets weighed the same. I find that really poor. The brochure in the bullets packaging shows they're 280 grains. So on to loading and shooting. I was on paper at 25 yds with the first shot making sure the scope was on straight. Then I shot 2 more to confirm that the turrets moved the reticle as it was supposed to. The Burris responded perfectly. Then I moved the target to 100 yds.
For about the past 40 or so years, most of my targets are an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of notebook paper with a 1 inch black square printed or drawn with a magic marker in the center with horizontal and vertical lines with marks on the lines at 1 inch intervals. Each target is used as a record of the shots and lotsa notes are written on each target. Each target is then kept in a 3 ring binder ($1 from Dollar Tree). I use pushpins to hold the target paper to a cardboard backing attached to a repurposed old wire 'for sale' sign. One of the tips I learned here was from MtMonkey's photos of his targets. I use thumbtacks or pushpins to hold my targets rather than having someone hold the target with their thumb. Someday he's gonna slip up and shoot that guys thumb off. Safety first!. Just go back in this thread and you'll see what I mean. Oh, I'm sorry.
Well anyway, I shot the 290+ grain Powerbelts from my benchrest. 70 degrees, almost dead calm, partly sunny. Really a perfect day for shooting here in west central Wisconsin. Rock solid on the rest, good trigger control, breathing was good...and the 3 shot groups I shot were all crap! CRAP! I started at 70 grains, then 80, then 85, then 94, then 100, then 105. The groups ranged from 1.66 to 2.3 inches. Not anywhere near what I expected based on what I'd read.
Another thing I read on these forum threads is how bad the recoil is from this gun with the 105 grain charge of BH209. I'll betcha a dime I'm older and smaller than most, if not all of you, and I didn't find the recoil at 105 grains to be very bad at all. I can load my Marlin 45-70 so it can break my collarbone, I do't like that at all so i download it. I wouldn't even shoot a friends 458 Lott. I don't really like my 7mmSTW. But these loads weren't bad at all. I thought from what I read that I'll need a muzzlebrake like what Ninering62 has. It's really, really nice. But as of yesterday, I see no concern with recoil.
Now I've gotta figure out what went wrong with the accuracy.
What I'd also like from you deer hunters is more accounts of what 45 caliber bullets you shot deer with. Details, lotsa details. Bullet make, model and weight, muzzle velocity, range to deer, where deer was hit, size of deer, amount of penetration, amount of meat damage. Were they big northern bucks or those little central Florida deer? Those Fury 265StB's sure look good on paper, but I don't know if they're proven on deer yet. I hope so! I can shoot about 250 yds on my little cornfield and maybe 400 across the swamp so, I need a bullet that works at all ranges.
So hows that for a dissertation. Go get another cuppa coffee. I'm going to read your replies. And hey, Thanks to all of you!
Ninering, during the winter I live in your neighborhood. I'd probably be happy to meet ya, shoot with ya, and talk Harleys too.
