Well I couldnt sit around and not shoot my new favorite rifle. I cobbled together 3 rounds, and I mean cobbled. They were ugly, brass length was 1.8, 1.85, and 1.9”, no crimps on any of them, I used Woodleigh jacketed 450 grainers at .510 diameter and 27.0 5744 powder. The case faces had all the writing sanded off to decrease rim thickness to .057. The only neck tension was the bullet sitting in the case neck, and the case lengths varied alot. I elevated the muzzle to settle the powder for each shot and I got 1085, 1106, and 1108 fps and they printed a 3 shot 2” group at 50 yards, 6” above point of aim. The group was 2” vertical and .5” horizontal. I was expecting the big vertical due to widely varying neck tension. The cases have no soot on the necks and the case heads did not expand above the 50 Alaskan dimension of .545. The group printed 1” right of point of aim (easily correctable).
Hopefully my case trimmer will come in this week and I will order up some Starline .50-90 and maybe some RMC brass. I have a feeling that with good cases and jacketed bullets this thing is gonna be my new long range varmint rifle. With good brass I will prolly start at 30.0 of 5744 and a good crimp on 450 grain .510 jacketed bullets. Desired velocity of about 1250-1300 fps out of my 20” barrel.