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- Feb 21, 2008
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Took a big gulp and went to the range with Calico, my petite .50 Firehawk, and some Lyman Plains 400 grain soup cans lubed with SPG.
The charge was 70 grains of 3f Swiss and I used a pre lubed Ox Yoke .54.56 wool wad over powder.
Recoil was... noticeable. She only weighs about 6 1/2 pounds...
The Lymans went in with thumb pressure and only a wee bit of coaxing with the rammer got it on powder.
Fouling was light on this very humid day. Swabbing between shot showed not a hint of lead. Nothing! Not a flake!
All that's very nice, but how'd they group?
Can NOT stop grinning!
First 3, at 50 yards, 3/4 inch
Next 3, 3/4 inch.
Last 4, 1 & 1/4. Lady next to me fired a split second before me.
3 of those 1 &1/8. I was getting a bit punchy... Even with my P.A.S.T. strap on recoil pad.
I moved the target around a bit, so I could catch the individual groups. I think its plain to see that it would've been impossible otherwise!
So. Calico is brilliant with sabots and at first blush, equally so with full calibers.
I must say that any questions I may have had about her versatility are now laid to rest. I think this is due to her not having a QLA muzzle AND, most of all, the 1-38 twist. Absolutely superb twist rate! In my experience, vastly superior to the 1-28, in .50 caliber.
The charge was 70 grains of 3f Swiss and I used a pre lubed Ox Yoke .54.56 wool wad over powder.
Recoil was... noticeable. She only weighs about 6 1/2 pounds...
The Lymans went in with thumb pressure and only a wee bit of coaxing with the rammer got it on powder.
Fouling was light on this very humid day. Swabbing between shot showed not a hint of lead. Nothing! Not a flake!
All that's very nice, but how'd they group?
Can NOT stop grinning!
First 3, at 50 yards, 3/4 inch
Next 3, 3/4 inch.
Last 4, 1 & 1/4. Lady next to me fired a split second before me.
3 of those 1 &1/8. I was getting a bit punchy... Even with my P.A.S.T. strap on recoil pad.
I moved the target around a bit, so I could catch the individual groups. I think its plain to see that it would've been impossible otherwise!
So. Calico is brilliant with sabots and at first blush, equally so with full calibers.
I must say that any questions I may have had about her versatility are now laid to rest. I think this is due to her not having a QLA muzzle AND, most of all, the 1-38 twist. Absolutely superb twist rate! In my experience, vastly superior to the 1-28, in .50 caliber.
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