6mm06
Well-known member
FirstShot,
I was / am not aware that the AR has to be loaded down. When I purchased my AR, I ordered some factory loads just to shoot and have fun with. Among the ones I purchased, the PMP 55 grain Soft Points were cheap and I decided to try them. That's what I happened to have when I shot the first bobcat. It was way too explosive and put a large hole in the offside. I have handloaded quite a lot since and have carefully worked my way up to maximum loads with no problems at all. I did chronograph some loads and the velocity was somewhat less than the manual suggested, but then too, I was shooting a 16" barrel.
I began reloading different bullets - such as 40 gr. V-Max, Hornady 45 gr. Hornet and Bee, Nosler Ballistic Tip in both 40 and 50 gr. Well, you get the picture. I loaded a lot of different bullets all the way up to 65 gr. Sierras and have used two powders (H322 & BLC-2) in an effort to get better accuracy. Everything seemed to group well at 50 yards but left something to be diesired at 100. I have had no problems at all with functioning of the loads and no jams at all. The Bushmaster seems to digest everything I put through it. I recently got a can of H335 but haven't used it yet. I guess my gun is doing about what I should expect for the type that it is - thin, 16" barrel.
Just for information sake, I found that the 45 gr. Bee shot very well at 50 yards, and that distance or less is the norm where I hunt. After loading up some 45 Bees, I was anxious to try to take another bobcat and see the results. As bad luck would have it, I headed out to hunt one evening and once in location, realized that I only had brought the 55 gr. factory loads that I knew would knock a fist size hole, by mistake. Wouldn't you know it - I called another bobcat and shot it with that same bullet. It wasn't by design that I used factory. I actually prefer to use my own handloads. I didn't get to try the 45 Bee even though Hornady advised me that this bullet might be the one I had been searching for -to put a cat down without blowing such a large hole in the pelt.
Didn't mean to ramble on so - just wanted to let you know how things happened with me. No problems with handloads as far as pressure and function goes, and I haven't had to download. If I am supposed to, I am not aware of it.
I was / am not aware that the AR has to be loaded down. When I purchased my AR, I ordered some factory loads just to shoot and have fun with. Among the ones I purchased, the PMP 55 grain Soft Points were cheap and I decided to try them. That's what I happened to have when I shot the first bobcat. It was way too explosive and put a large hole in the offside. I have handloaded quite a lot since and have carefully worked my way up to maximum loads with no problems at all. I did chronograph some loads and the velocity was somewhat less than the manual suggested, but then too, I was shooting a 16" barrel.
I began reloading different bullets - such as 40 gr. V-Max, Hornady 45 gr. Hornet and Bee, Nosler Ballistic Tip in both 40 and 50 gr. Well, you get the picture. I loaded a lot of different bullets all the way up to 65 gr. Sierras and have used two powders (H322 & BLC-2) in an effort to get better accuracy. Everything seemed to group well at 50 yards but left something to be diesired at 100. I have had no problems at all with functioning of the loads and no jams at all. The Bushmaster seems to digest everything I put through it. I recently got a can of H335 but haven't used it yet. I guess my gun is doing about what I should expect for the type that it is - thin, 16" barrel.
Just for information sake, I found that the 45 gr. Bee shot very well at 50 yards, and that distance or less is the norm where I hunt. After loading up some 45 Bees, I was anxious to try to take another bobcat and see the results. As bad luck would have it, I headed out to hunt one evening and once in location, realized that I only had brought the 55 gr. factory loads that I knew would knock a fist size hole, by mistake. Wouldn't you know it - I called another bobcat and shot it with that same bullet. It wasn't by design that I used factory. I actually prefer to use my own handloads. I didn't get to try the 45 Bee even though Hornady advised me that this bullet might be the one I had been searching for -to put a cat down without blowing such a large hole in the pelt.
Didn't mean to ramble on so - just wanted to let you know how things happened with me. No problems with handloads as far as pressure and function goes, and I haven't had to download. If I am supposed to, I am not aware of it.