Got to go shoot my latest toy today. It is a Sako L461 action with a PO Ackley bbl in 17-222 (yes #1, the one we talked about!) It apparently had been shot very little before I got it but was a little dirty in the bore. I loaded up some test rounds using Benchmark in WW cases using Rem 7 12/ primers and 20 gr. V-maxs. Started with 20.0 gr. with a velocity of 4050 fps and worked up to 23.3 gr with a velocity of 4458 fps! The 23.3 gr load had slight cratering of the primer and the velocity increase had leveled off around 22.7 (4398 fps) so I backed my load down to 22.7 and loaded up a bunch to test tomorrow. It looks like Medicago (my 17 CCM) now has a long range partner. The diggers better watch out next year! Oh yeah, all the test loads except one went into a 3/4" cluster! The one out was an inch low and right. I think that it was the last (23.3) shot. Cleaned it when I got home and found a bit of powder fouling but no copper. I had been a little worried because I have heard that Ackley's .172" bbls had a tendancy to foul badly. Anyone else seen any data on the 17-222? I have checked Kindler's book and Wildcats but the only data I have found so far is Ackley's and Saunders'.
Tim (#3)
Tim (#3)