Browning 1886 SRC Point of aim at 100 yds

[rusty gunns]

I have found this forum a wealth of knowledge on our good friend the 45-70. So I thought I'd pick a few brains.

I have just purchased a Browning 1886 SRC (it sleeps with me). On the second day I had it, I grabbed a fist full of home loads and ran out to the range. I only had about an hour, so I just ran a target out to 25 yds and 50 yds.

It was drizzly and about 35 degrees out there, so the whole affair was wham, bam... bam... bam... bam... thank you mam.

My first load, a 405gr lfn .457 gc with 41 grains of RL7 shot fairly flat at 25 and about 6" high at 50. I fired 10 rounds, and I have to say, it got my complete attention.

My other three loads were:
The same 405 gc bullet with 14gr of Trail Boss, a 405 SPG .458 with 70gr (compressed) of ffg, and with 65 gr (also compressed)ffg and a wad. All were much tamer. They all seemed to shoot to the same poa. Also fired 10 rounds of each.

These three seemed to shoot 4" hi at 25 yrds and over 8" hi at 50 with nice tight groups.

I don't have to tell this group that these beautiful guns are hard to find. But even harder to find is the stats on them such as twist, chamber or col length, etc. The folks at Browning are wonderful but could only give me mfgr date.

From spending a lot of time reading on this forum, among others, I had decided to try the above loads (2F being my true sweetheart)and keep my rounds with a col of 2.535 using a lee crimp die.

My question to my learned brothers here is ...

Does any one know the factory zero of this sweet gun? I would think its 100 yards.

Winter is here (Upstate NY) range time will be a commodity, and the neighbors are sure to complain if I shoot this baby out the basement window.

Until I know the zero on my, as yet unnamed sweetheart, it's hard to make up some test loads. I'd like to stay with a 405, or at the least a 350 bullet.

Any and all input would be greatly appreciated, my friends.

_________________________
"A constitutional guarantee subject to future judges’ assessments
of its usefulness is no constitutional guarantee at all."
---Supreme Court of the United States.

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

[Hobie]

My crystal ball has been broke ever since I got it! Well, you have to shoot YOUR gun to know your gun. Every gun is different. In MY SRC, the factory 405 and 300s shot a little above and a little below point of aim at 100 yards. I put a Williams FP on it and zeroed it with the factory 300s and then loaded my reloads to duplicate the factory stuff.

[tman]

have shot rem 300grn. and a handload consisting of 300grn. jhp. at 2200fps. both shoot pretty much dead on with the ladder sight folded down. only bullet weight i tried. picked up a box of leverevoloutins. if they shoot as well, i'll be happy. my src 86sleeps UNDER my bed

[Ysabel Kid]

Welcome to the fire!

[brokenhand]

BTT

[brokenhand]

BTT one more time

[rjohns94]

you could use one of the many ballistic programs to figure out where your loads would theoretically hit if you know things like muzzle velocity, ballistic coeficient, bullet weight, etc etc. i use the one on this site: http://www.6mmbr.com/ballistics.html

[jd45]

!st, congrats on garnering a VERY desirable rifle.....I let one get by me a few years ago & have regretted it ever since. Oh well, maybe some day. I'd agree with Hobie & say you'd better shoot it at 100yds, so you'll KNOW its POI at that range as well as 25 & 50 like you do now. Then you'll have the confidence in it to make that shot. I don't think there's any other sure way. Just my 2 cents. BTW, Merry Christmas!........You musta been a real good boy for Santa to be so good to you! jd45