Can anybody explain?

[rgarman]

I have a .44mag Handi rifle that I reload for and shoot just for fun. I recently put a scope on it and bought some Hornady Leverlution 225gr factory bullets as I thought I might use it for deer. After sighting it in for 100yds (it does about 2"@ 100), I started firing various reloads. Some lead 240gr. SWC @1200fps and several 240gr. XTP@1900fps and a few 300gr.XTP@1550fps. All of these shot fairly good groups @100 also. The question is: "Why do the Leverlutions shoot 10 to 14" lower? It just doesn't make sense to me. I would have thought the opposite would be the case with the pointed bullet.

 

[Coyote_Buster700]

Well, you are hand loading right? Id assume it's because your shells are hotter than factory. (I could just be an ass)

well, nevermind, it looks like the Hornady's are around 1800fps... so someone else more qualified can prolly answer this.

 

[rgarman]

The Leverlution ammo is factory loaded ammo, I haven't chrony'd it yet but I would guess 1600 to 1800fps out the rifle barrel.

 

[wogpotter]

Its probably barrel harmonics.
Your barrel whips in several different nodes, all at the same time, when firing. Its a bit like whipping a tight string, multiple vibration patterns all coexisting & making the bore vibrate madly. Now it depends where in its arc the muzzle is at the moment the bullet exits. Imagine two different points in the arc, one bullet exits at the end of the whip so the bore is actually bent, but still. Now imagine different patterns caused by different firing stresses & the bullet is released dead center on, but moving at high speed.

 

[Coyote_Buster700]

Which is faster than most of his loads, ntm the Hornady's a lighter bullet... so the amount of bullet drop he's experiencing is strange to me.


Wogpotter makes sense... that hadn't even crossed my mind.

 

[bull bob]

It is very likely the same type of thing that happens in revolvers/pistols. The heavier bullets take longer to travel the length of the barrel, allowing the muzzle to climb higher in recoil before the bullet exits. An old method of tuning a fixed sighted revolver that shoots low is to load a heavier bullet.

 

[PawPaw]

It is very likely the same type of thing that happens in revolvers/pistols. The heavier bullets take longer to travel the length of the barrel, allowing the muzzle to climb higher in recoil before the bullet exits. An old method of tuning a fixed sighted revolver that shoots low is to load a heavier bullet.

That's what I'm thinking. A lighter, faster bullet gets out of the barrel quicker, even as the recoil pulse is raising the barrel, but a heavier, slower bullet is in the barrel longer as the barrel is rising in recoil. Hence, heavier bullets from pistols shoot higher than lighter bullets.

 

[Scorch]

Higher velocity ammo will generally print lower than lower velocity ammo. It's becasue of the dwell time in the barrel and recoil.

 

[Jim243]

^^^^^^ Ditto

Jim

 

[Clifford L. Hughes]

Rgarman:

I wager that the Reverlution bullet is faster than the others that you are shooting. Bore time determines the vertical strike of the bullet. A faster bullet, like your Reverlution's, leaves the bore sooner then a heavy bullet so it strikes the target lower. This is especially noticeable with pistol calibers.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired

 

[rgarman]

Thank you all for your replies. I have a Ruger Vaquero in .44mag and I "adjust the sights" by changing bullet weight and speed and have found that the 300gr. hit higher than the lighter bullets.