BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

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stokesrj
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BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by stokesrj »

I spent today with my BD14 at the range and I learned a few more things about it. Here are my thoughts after one year.

1. It is more accurate than I at first believed it to be.
2. It is sensitive to the rest position relative to the forend.
3. It is more than capable enough to take deer at 300 yards with the 30-06 barrel.
4. The .222 is even more wind sensitive than I thought I will limit it to 200 yards on anything bigger than a raccoon.
5. The regulation was a lot of work but really worth it now that I have everything worked out.
6. The 30-06/222 combination wasn't my first choice but has grown on me. I like it now and would choose it.
7. It really is a good gun for Europe either the high seat or driven hunts, it can do it all.
9. The longer I've owned it the more I like it.
10. The Barnes 130 grain TSX and TTSX don't share the same max load even though Barnes uses the same load data for both.

I was continuing some load development for my R8 .222 barrel so choose to use the BD14 as it would likely be used in a real hunting situation. I shot it at 100 yards from a cold clean barrel with one round of .222 followed by one round of 30-06 and then set it aside until the next session to cool wile I continued with the R8. I then fired the BD 14 the next session but this time from a cold fouled barrel and in reverse order, one round of 30-06 followed by one round of .222. The composite four round group was tight <.5" or less than 1/2 MOA showing excellent regulation. I had already learned that to get this kind of accuracy care must be taken to keep the rest positioned behind the center of the forend. Resting the forearm front of center definitely interferes with accuracy. However, holding the forend front of center with my hand does not, It shoots to point of aim and accurately. It just doesn't like a more solid rest towards the front. Knowing this I would just make sure that from the high seat I would position it so that a bag rest on the window is placed to the rear half of the forend or if not possible then rest my elbows and hold the forend in my hands.
IMG_0177.JPG
Once I finished load development at 100 yards with the R8 I then set up a deer vitals target at 200 and then 300 yards. I shot three shots with the 30-06 and two three shot groups with the 222 at each distance. The wind was really switchy moving right to left from 4 miles per hour and gusting up to 12 mph. The 30-06 held sub MOA at both distances but the .222 was getting blown all over the place. Here is a pic of the 300 yard target.
IMG_0178.JPG
Next I tried some Barnes 130 grain TTSX loads I had loaded the same as the 130 TSX loads I was shooting to see how the tipped bullet flew. This was in a Lapua case, Federal Gold Medal Match Large Rifle Primer, and 55.5 grains of H4895 which is max as listed in the Barnes reloading manual. Using the 130 TSX it is a potent load averaging 3,199 fps but no pressure signs and easy action opening. However the tipped version, the 130 TTSX, exhibited pressure signs. I only shot the one shot since it nearly locked up the action so I had to force it open over my knee, the primer was flattened and cratered. It shot to the same point as the TSX but was much faster at 3284 fps. You can see the cratered primer on the left compared to the normal primer of the TSX load on the right. I disassembled the remaining loads and reassembled them with 54, 54.5, and 55 grains of powder and will work up like I should have done to begin with. Note to self, always work up, even when it seems like a waste of time.
IMG_0179.JPG
All in all after a year now, the BD14 has killed everything I've shot at with it, and I like it more today than I did last year.
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Robert J Stokes

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by mchughcb »

Thanks for the feedback Robert. I have not crossed the BD14 off my list. I'm just waiting for a divorce special in your calibre combination to pop its head up and then the credit card will be ready to go.

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by SPEEDY »

Looks like it's going ok, how do you find the rimless rounds in the break action?
I'm soft and I don't care. :dance:

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by stokesrj »

The rimless extractors work perfectly. Very positive even with the overpressure where I had to break it over my knee, no problem.
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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by SPEEDY »

Good to here, I've always been leery of them and prefer the idea of rimmed rounds.
I'm soft and I don't care. :dance:

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by Yarrenby »

Great report Robert. They are such an interesting firearm.
How do you find the trigger to use/select.
I guess it takes awhile and a reasonable amount of shooting to get really familiar with it.
To select between three barrels, two triggers and a selector would take awhile to become second nature, especially in a field situation where things happen quick and under pressure.
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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by 9.3x64 »

Very interesting read Bob, and thankyou for posting.
It's very interesting that you say you like your drilling more than you did a year ago.
I think it takes time to get to know a drilling thoroughly. They are very interesting firearms but well worth the effort you put into understanding them.
Point 5 was also interesting. I must read your original thread on how you went about sighting it in and adjusting the barrel again.
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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by stokesrj »

Yarrenby wrote:Great report Robert. They are such an interesting firearm.
How do you find the trigger to use/select.
I've had no problems with the triggers or selecting the correct trigger and selector combination to fire the barrel I intend to fire.

The front trigger always fires the large caliber rifle. The rear trigger fires the small caliber rifle by default or the shotgun by lifting the selector. If you select the shotgun and then open the action it returns to the default condition of the rear trigger firing the small rifle barrel automatically. So, really it is quite easy, if you anticipate using the shotgun, select it and then the condition is front trigger big rifle, rear trigger shotgun, this is the condition in which I normally carry the BD14.

If then the need arises to use the small rifle, just push down on the selector and it is available very rapidly. The good thing is that I've found that when I need the small rifle there is ample time to select it.

I've shot a bunch of raccoons and armadillos and one boar, with the small rifle and so far it has been almost subconscious to select it. I'm still batting better than 1,000 with the BD14 since I've taken two wild boar with one shot using the 30-06 and have not missed any animals with it so far.

Next year I plan to use the BD14 for calling coyote and this is where I anticipate the problems might arise if they do. Some times the coyotes come in fast and furious offering only close range moving shots so I will have the shotgun selected. This will mean that the small rifle is unavailable for a rapid follow-up shot so I will have to shoot a second one with the large rifle. I've killed a lot of coyotes with a 30-06, it does them in nicely, but my preference would be the .222 and this is a situation I've had in the past. A pair of coyotes come in fast, I shoot one with the shotgun and the other one stops for only a split second. In this situation there would not be the opportunity to cock the lock again to fire the .222 so I would just shoot the second one with the 30-06.

On driven hunts for boar, for instance I would load a slug in the shotgun barrel and select it, this then allows two rapid shots and if a roe deer for instance appears again the choice is to shoot it with the 30-06 or select the .222 by pushing down the selector. So far with all the roe deer I've encountered there was plenty of time to do this if I had wished to do so and had the BD14 with me. Ironically every roe deer I've killed so far has been with a 9.3X62 R8 :).
Robert J Stokes

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by analog_art »

Great review, Bob, thanks. Gives me hope as I'm still struggling to get my Bergstutzen (.30-06 + .243) to consistently put 2 shots inside a 3" circle at 200 yards.

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by secondtry »

mchughcb wrote:Thanks for the feedback Robert. I have not crossed the BD14 off my list. I'm just waiting for a divorce special in your calibre combination to pop its head up and then the credit card will be ready to go.
Sorry, but I'm bit unclear. By "divorce special" do you mean a BD14 that has become available because of someone else's divorce; or BD14 purchase made possible by your own divorce :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by mchughcb »

Someone elses divorce, just like my K95 ;)

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by stokesrj »

Divorce is never good, even when it results in a screaming deal, someone is paying the price.
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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by MM »

Bob, Thanks for sharing this info. What loads did you use to fire the first group at 100Yrds?

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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by stokesrj »

The .222 is a factory load, the Lapua 55 grain soft point. The 30-06 is a hand load using the 130 grain Barnes TSX over 55.4 grains of H4895, a Federal Gold Medal Match Large Rifle Primer and an unfired Lapua case crimped into the front groove of the bullet. This load chronographs at 3,195 fps at the muzzle. This is an awesome load that kills quickly and effectively and as you can see is adequately accurate.
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Re: BD14 impressions after one year of owning it

Post by MM »

Thank you

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