40-82 and 45-90 Range Report - Comparing Fillers w/ pics

geobru · Post by **geobru** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 1:33 pm

Last evening, I got out of the house and punched some more holes in paper with my 40-82, and shot my 45-90 for the first time. My object was to compare the results of the same loads with TP and cornmeal fillers to see if or what difference changing fillers makes.

In the 40-82 I loaded 25 gr of 5744 with each type of filler. I shot them at 35 yards. This is the picture with the results.

This gun really seems to like the cornmeal! This picture shows this weeks target with last weeks target.

Now for the 45-90. Being the first time I shot this rifle, I tried 48 gr of 3031 and 29.3 gr of 5744, again with each type of filler.

This is how the 3031 performed at 35 yards.

and the 5744 at 55 yards.

This rifle seems to prefer 5744 and TP filler.

I am not sure why one gun likes cornmeal and the other likes TP, but I am finding out a lot about the preferences that each gun has. I guess the only way to find out is to shoot!

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 1:40 pm

geobru,

The more I learn, the more I realize how little I really know.

But one thing I do know is that each gun is an individual. No two are ever exactly alike.

That's a great range report. I really like seeing these old times out and being used.

Joe

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 2:19 pm

Geobru,
Like Joe says, the more we learn, the less we know. The experimentation game never ends, especially when shooting the old guns. The old guns have varying tolerences, bore conditions, crown conditions, and pressure points along the barrel.

While I have always had a love affair with the old guns, there was a time when I did the long range varmit thing with 22-250's, 257 Roberts, 300 mags. etc. It got to be a joke smacking a clay bird on the bank at 500 meters or busting a crow sitting on a branch at 300-400 meters. No challenge.

Shooting cast in new or newer guns is more challenging than shooting jacketed but pales in comparrison to an old gun with a semi pitted bore. Get used to "hey, it worked in my other '86, all the while scratching your head. but.............nothing gives you satisfaction like winning a shooting contest against 30 other guys who are using new guns with perfect barrels or busting an elk or deer with your old 1886 at 100-200 yards away. Keep it up, your doing fine

-----------Sixgun

geobru · Post by **geobru** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 3:05 pm

Sixgun said:

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:19 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It got to be a joke smacking a clay bird on the bank at 500 meters or busting a crow sitting on a branch at 300-400 meters. No challenge.

Shooting cast in new or newer guns is more challenging than shooting jacketed but pales in comparrison to an old gun with a semi pitted bore.

I hear what you are saying. I don't shoot nearly as much as some of the people on this forum, nor do I have a huge collection of guns, but I have been shooting for over 45 years. I thought I had arrived when I shot a dime sized group at 125 yards with my BLR 308. That is still the gun I would go to if I HAVE to kill something. These old 86's though, present a whole different set of variables and it is challenging and fun to try to figure out the right combination to use them effectively. As it is right now though, I would have no qualms about taking either of these guns out for a day of hunting. Here in western Washington, I hunt the timber, and most shots are well under 100 yards. The big advantage of a scoped rifle is the fact that you usually don't see a lot of the animal you are trying to shoot, and you can see the target and the brush that is in the way a lot better.

And Joe, you are right about

The more I learn, the more I realize how little I really know.

I figure the only way a guy can really prove to himself how dumb he really is, is to spend a lifetime trying to learn as much as he can!

Never stop learning!

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:46 pm

Very interesting. Illustrates the 'no free lunch' principle, which is to say, no one solution works for everything.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:58 pm

Most likely the reason cornmeal seems to of shot better is the raised pressures from the cornmeal inside the cartridge.
Try jumping the powder charge up a bit,leaving the breakfast cereal out of the case, and see if the groups compare with the cornmeal filler loads.