Yesterday, I finally got to the range with my H&R / 50 cal SMI. I have to say that I received a great variety of conflicting advice from numerous sources about loads for this barrel. So, in the end I punted and stuck with one of the SMI published loads: 65 grains of H4198 with a Fed 209A primer behind a MMP HPH12 sabot and a Barnes 45 cal 200 grain XPB. Of course, the bullet is an update of the now discontinued Barnes / Knight RedHot.
First, the GOOD NEWS: Fantastic 100 yard accuracy and very modest recoil.
Now, the BAD NEWS: Unbelievably dirty! I absolutely had to swab the bore between shots, or I couldn't reload. The primers crudded up the vent and the bore would turn both sides of a moist patch yucky black with a thick layer. Additionally, there was an astounding amount of unburned powder that could clearly be seen in original form as little extruded cylinders on each patch. The unburned powder is a classic sign of too slow a powder for such a light bullet. I would expect a heavier bullet to give a cleaner burn with H4198.
To tell you the truth, I'm sure I could hunt with it like it is, but I think of H4198 as better suited to a little higher pressure. Like for 270 grain bullets in my 444. Is there a cleaner powder for light bullets in an SMI? Are there cleaner primers than Fed 209A?
First, the GOOD NEWS: Fantastic 100 yard accuracy and very modest recoil.
Now, the BAD NEWS: Unbelievably dirty! I absolutely had to swab the bore between shots, or I couldn't reload. The primers crudded up the vent and the bore would turn both sides of a moist patch yucky black with a thick layer. Additionally, there was an astounding amount of unburned powder that could clearly be seen in original form as little extruded cylinders on each patch. The unburned powder is a classic sign of too slow a powder for such a light bullet. I would expect a heavier bullet to give a cleaner burn with H4198.
To tell you the truth, I'm sure I could hunt with it like it is, but I think of H4198 as better suited to a little higher pressure. Like for 270 grain bullets in my 444. Is there a cleaner powder for light bullets in an SMI? Are there cleaner primers than Fed 209A?