Form 4 virgin no longer!

[Kswhitetails]

Have to say, the reduction of muzzle jump, and reduction of blast is a worthy thing. I can't speak yet to velocities or POI shifts, but I can say that this thing is great at the indoor range. At this location, I cannot use my chrono or get a good shooting position, so that will have to come later. I will say that things look promising for the 120 SMK and 8208. I need a place to go develop these loads outdoors - the public ranges here frown on tying down a lane for more than 20 mins, and setting up chronies... suck it commies.

So far, I can see a 3" drop from off, but the recoil impulse becomes pretty much perfectly linear. No more rise to the muzzle, and follow up shots are going to be a dream. I think I could watch the hole cut itself.

The drastic benefit of blast reduction is that when I do get my Magneto Speed, this range will become very friendly to load development. Grouping is possible, but it takes work and will require more bench time there to figure out my needed position.

There is no noticeable difference as far as back pressure from the CH or ejection port, but I know there is slightly more chamber gas. Only because the brass is slightly (emphasis on slight) more dirty. I don't see any more residue than usual on the outside of the receiver, which is what I had expected to see.

All in all, I sent 52 rounds in total, my dad sending 15 so I could sit in his lane next door to see the difference. It was like watching it on a video. There was no blast, no thump, nothing. The gun went off, the hole was made, and I was still waiting for him to do something. Since it is an indoor range, the high pitched psss was probably louder than it will be outside. Can't wait to go visit my buddies back yard with the chronograph and some bags.

Here is a target pic showing some very preliminary groups with 120 SMKs over 27.5gr of 8208 at 2.201" in Hornady once fired brass with some CCI 41s.

First canned lead. by ., on Flickr

I must say I'm sold. Despite the rather drastic drop in point of impact shift on/off, I am more than happy with the results. The guy next to me was shooting a 300WM and was giggling at the difference it made. He said he was interested in LaRue now, he had never heard of them before. For shame. (I was the same guy 2 years ago...) He went pale when I told him to try it. He went white when I showed him the 1000 yard drop numbers. There may be a Rem700 300 WM on Broker tonight >.<. He said that he bought it to go out at home (nw KS) to shoot long range - 400 yards. After two trigger pulls he was about to offer me money... This is what I live for! He was a great guy, and we found each other on FB so he could keep up with the progress and load development. Thanks to the magic inside our phones, he was perusing the LaRue site when I left... HAHAHA

He was a younger guy, (28?) and was an early career aerodynamics engineer at a local manufacturer. It was clear he had gone for the WM for downrange velocities, and was very interested in the fact that my little 6.5 AR could reach 1000 at all, let alone as well as it is touted to. I made sure to tell him that though I had never done it, today was to zero my optic and get my markers set for doing so soon. (I did not take him up on his offer to try his mule, I told him he could have his 208gr punishers, I was out of time - wink). Yessir, I am a wuss. Well, that, and all he had ammo wise was his ladder box, which I wasn't about to upset.

Anyway, this is hardly a review, only my early impressions. I will post again with some real world numbers and experiences before too long I hope. So far I am a happy camper.

KS