Dogtown load

[WHISTLEPIG]

I’ve started the winter reloading deal and was wondering if anyone has come up with loads they like for the Dogtown bullet and have run them over a chrono. I was thinking H4895 as that is my powder of choice for all the other bullets. I also have a couple of pounds of IMR4895. Thanks in advance.

[skunkriver]

You can use the search engine at the top of the page to get to informatiom on the dogtown bullets. Hope this helps. Carl

[WHISTLEPIG]

Thanks Skunkriver. I had searched. I believe some of the origional work-ups by members here were lost in the move to a new server for the forum. There is really not a lot of info. left. Found three loads for 27.5, 28.0, and 28.3 from Greymist with chrono speeds and a 27.7 load from Wrswaldo all for h4895. No big deal if that is it. I'll figure it out myself.

[glenn asher]

I've been messing around with Benchmark and the 34s, with minor, repeat MINOR success, they sure don't shoot as well as the tipped 32s in my rifles. Period. I haven't given up on them, yet, though, and when it warms up this spring, I'm going to try DP-68 until that whole jug is gone, or I've gotten something I can use DP-68 is like a ball version of 2015, and it's being difficult in everything I've tried it in, .221, .223, and .204. Maybe luck will prevail, or maybe I'll just give up, but so far, no real good luck with the Dogtowns, or that wretched #68.

I'm a tightwad, if I can get away with it, and 68 costs less than $10/lb. hence my interest in trying to get good results out if it. That makes the PD shooting a bit cheaper, and at today's fuel costs, I gotta cut corners somewhere, that makes the Dogtowns and DP-68 worth exploring.

[WrzWaldo]

Hey WP,

If you dig up anymore dogtown loads let me know and I'll add them to the "favorite loads" page.

Thanks

WW

[Ethan]

I have just started to work up loads with these. I bought 1000 when they were on sale. I loaded about 20 using my standby
28.0 of H4895. That load shot to a tad over an inch if I remember right. Not bad, but not great either. Plenty good for coyotes and woodchucks. This load might be over max in other rifles. Was safe in mine and I have used it with many other bullets with good results. When deer season gets over I want to spend some more time and try some other loads with these.

Ethan

[Ryan S Albright]

I was told to you have to keep the velocity down to 3850fps to get good results. This was told to me by the makers of the bullet. I have yet to load any but with that velocity I would go to the ball powders winchester or AA or Ramshot as they seem to give that velocity and it works great for metering when loading in the thousands speeds things up.

[gwglave]

Whistlepig,
I did some testing with the Nosler 34 FBHP's early last year just as rat season was getting started. I tried them in both of my .204's (700 VLS and Howa 1500 SSHB). They certainly don't group like the 39 SBK's but group well within "minute of rat".
Here's some sample loads I've tested along with some chronograph data and resulting group sizes. My standard test scenario is 5 shots each powder charge at 100 yards.

Re-10x, Win case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.245"
24.6 - 0.884"
24.8 - 0.975"
25.0 - 0.664"
25.2 - 0.473"
25.4 - 0.603"

H4895, Win case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.245"
27.0 - 0.689"
27.2 - 0.939"
27.4 - 1.018"
27.6 - 0.732"
27.8 - 0.923"

IMR4198, Win case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.260" (velocity avg of 5 shots, 12 ft from muzzle, Oehler 35p)
21.9 - 0.669" 3487 fps
22.1 - 1.048" 3554 fps
22.3 - 1.116" 3563 fps
22.5 - 0.889" 3632 fps
22.7 - 1.232" 3647 fps

H322, Win case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.260" (velocity avg of 5 shots, 12 ft from muzzle, Oehler 35p)
25.2 - 0.880" 3687 fps
25.4 - 0.658" 3713 fps
25.6 - 0.971" 3766 fps
25.8 - 1.042" 3785 fps
26.0 - 1.159" 3802 fps

Benchmark, R-P case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.240" (velocity avg of 5 shots, 12 ft from muzzle, Oehler 35p)
25.8 - 1.237" 3420 fps
26.0 - 0.580" 3474 fps
26.2 - 0.734" 3543 fps
26.4 - 1.015" 3546 fps
26.6 - 0.826" 3585 fps

The velocities for the Benchmark loads seemed very low for some unexplained reason. Definitely not what I expected.

H322, R-P case, Rem 7 1/2, COAL 2.240" (velocity avg of 5 shots, 12 ft from muzzle, Oehler 35p)
25.5 - 1.211" 3587 fps
25.7 - 0.809" 3618 fps
25.9 - 0.886" 3651 fps
26.1 - 0.827" 3671 fps
26.3 - 0.790" 3701 fps

At this point I stopped testing and starting shooting rats using the 25.2 grs Re-10x. These bullets work very well on sage rats and, as Rick is fond of saying, Skippy received numerous flying lessons. Even though they are not quite as accurate as the 39 SBK's, I can't beat the price. Hope this helps put you in the ballpark. Let us know how your load development goes.

Rgds, Gerry

[WHISTLEPIG]

Thanks for sharing GW. That is exactly what I need. I have some ladder loads loaded up with some IMR 4895 that I was given a few pounds of and want to get rid of. Just waiting for the weather to mellow a bit and I will go shoot them. Already have my winter reloading done. 1100 rounds of 32 VM. Just waiting for Spring.

[gwglave]

Hi WP,
Just a side note on the Nosler 34 FBHP .204 bullets. As I mentioned earlier, these bullets tend to come apart readily and really launch a sage rat. I killed four badgers last year using these bullets. I estimated the badgers weighed between 15 and 20 lbs a piece. Distances were between 90 and 175 yards. In all four cases the bullets entered the badger in the wheelhouse just behind the shoulder. Tiny entrance hole and NO exit hole. All four bullets disintegrated inside the badgers. All four were DRT. When I picked them up, the carcass felt like a mass of quivering jello.
I have not tried these bullets on coyotes, instead opting for Berger 35's. So, there you have the extent of my testing and varmint results. Let us know how your testing goes (if we can ever get to the range). Weather here has been really nasty lately with winds in the 30-50 mph range with some snow. We get it and then you get it so I know what you're dealing with.
Enjoy!
Rgds, Gerry