slumlord44 said:
I understand that you load 777 with slightly less volume than BlackPowder to get the same results.
Hodgdon recommends at least a 15% reduction in a powder charge compared to real blackpowder...15% off the CVA 110max would put the 777 max charge in the 90-95grn range...70grns is really kind of down to a mid-range charge for general purpose big game hunting.
http://www.hodgdon.com/loading.html
Went up to 90 grains but recoil is getting stout. 80 grains is about as much as I am comfortable with.
Remember, recoil can always more of an issue at the range where you're possibly shooting a large number of stout hunting
loads...AND...made even worse if all hunkered down & over a rifle shooting from a bench.
The occasional recoil from a shot while hunting is usually never even felt or noticed due to the concentration on the game at hand, so IMO, don't let "range recoil" push you down to milder powder charge just because it has less recoil.
Could I drop back to 70 grains and be good out to 100 yard max?
All specualtion at this point...under ideal / perfect hunting conditions, 70grns should get it done through the boiler room at 100yds.
I personally wouldn't drop below 80grns as I prefer the flattest trajectory possible and any extra margin of power I can get in case a deer starts to turn just as I'm making the shot and then has a big shoulder in the way by the time the ball gets there.
I normaly limit myself to 75 yards and most shots are 20 to 50 yards.
Again, we're just speculating here, but if those limitations can be adhered to, 70grns of 777 should be just fine.
There is often a lot of discussion about only using the most accurate load for hunting as if an additional 10grns of powder is going to throw the PRBs off the target or something...my reality is I've never experienced that...usually the hotter the load the more accurate my results are.
If accuracy starts to suffer with higher powder charges, its usually nothing to do with the inherent accuracy of the firearm but the PRB combo being used...ie: you can't "over-stabilize" a round sphere.
Inreased powder charges can sometimes require a better patch or lube, or an over powder wad to act as a firewall to protect a patch from failing which could affect accuracy, but a ML doesn't simply develop unacceptable accuracy based on increased powder charges alone.
NOTE for hunting:
Even if a hotter load made a 3" group at 100yds instead of a 2.5" group, I'd much rather have the added power at 100yds than a 2.5" vs. 3" group...the latter is no benefit to me for deer hunting but the flatter trajectory and additional power is.