50gr Zmax OFFICIAL Load Thread!!!

[ROB]

Didn't live there, just had property in Deschutes Co. Had an uncle and cousin in Cove, NE corner. I really like it there. Did a couple forays into the sticks outside Imnaha. Lots of elk, mulies, bear and rattlers.
Good water bubbling out of active springs... was great country to hike and hunt in when I was fit to.
Don't get down nearly often enough since I started pursuing prairie dogs in MT but I just got my Oregon Hunter's Ed certificate so I MUST be planning to return, right? Malheur Nat'l Forest (desolate!), Burns, Hines area and The Steens in SE corner pull at me. I just don't have time to do it all.

I hunt Malheur every year with a couple buddy’s that have been hunting it for 30 years. Buck hunt last year was shit. Saw a few elk, of course. Will probably put in for elk there this year. Hard winter a couple years ago really hurt buck numbers. Tons of doe though. Mostly hunted around Pine Ck. area.


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[sagela]

I hunt Malheur every year with a couple buddy’s that have been hunting it for 30 years. Buck hunt last year was shit. Saw a few elk, of course. Will probably put in for elk there this year. Hard winter a couple years ago really hurt buck numbers. Tons of doe though. Mostly hunted around Pine Ck. area.


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Talked to a warden there years ago who described coyote predation as #1 concern after weather - hunting mule deer in packs and getting good at it.
I doubt that has changed since.

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[ROB]

That’s very interesting.
I may go up there in the Spring, scout a little, turkey/coyote hunt, and enjoy some sage rat shooting.


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[ROB]

What velocities are you all finding your best groups at?? Took my loads out today and had best groups at 2900. Seems really low to me. My last load work up just broke 3000 and that was about a grain above listed max. Pressure signs were non-existent. So I will keep working up. Just curious to know what you all are finding.


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[sagela]

What velocities are you all finding your best groups at?? Took my loads out today and had best groups at 2900. Seems really low to me. My last load work up just broke 3000 and that was about a grain above listed max. Pressure signs were non-existent. So I will keep working up. Just curious to know what you all are finding.


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The TAC load I mentioned above gave me 2870 from a 20" bbl, but I get about the same groups at 3210'/s (MVP 24"bbls), 3350'/s (Shilen 26" bbls) and in .22-250 from 24" bbls @ 3850'/s.
It's the bullet!!

Lest there be any confusion, all these rifles wear 20 to 24 power scopes and Timney triggers.

My partner gets 3250/'s and 3350'/s from 20" and 24"bbls, respectively, using Benchmark and shoots the same groups with this bullet.
We buy them thousands at a time for prairie dogs.

[72Camaro]

Hopefully finishing up and finalizing the 50 grains tomorrow and whichever is most accurate, looking like 26.1 grains of Benchmark if I was to guess, and then whichever is most accurate I'll chrono on the next loading. 24" barrel 1:12 twist. Was hoping it would be a max load but it is not. Good groupings in the middle and one a couple loads down from max for the initial 3 shot group but I'll have to say, they are accurate. Usually shoot 40 grainers at 3400fps with H335 but if Benchmark gets me close for 50 grainers, I may use them instead on the next prairie dog shoot. I'm expecting about 3350fps as listed above by someone else, but we will see.

[Wes Sage]

Awesome!!! Keep us updated buddy!!

[ROB]

Loads I worked up last weekend with TAC were alright. Best groups at 200 yards were ~3”. Max FPS was 3000.
I bought a pound of h335 and have rounds loaded that I will be shooting on Sunday. Hoping for better groups. This is out of a 16” AR15. 1:7 twist.


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[Wes Sage]

I think H335 will do better in the 16" for you, and as most people have seen, the Zombies like to be pushed a bit

Loads I worked up last weekend with TAC were alright. Best groups at 200 yards were ~3”. Max FPS was 3000.
I bought a pound of h335 and have rounds loaded that I will be shooting on Sunday. Hoping for better groups. This is out of a 16” AR15. 1:7 twist.


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[ROB]

Thanks. I’ll post results. Fun stuff playing around with these.


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