WB
I have the .416, .440, .450, and .476 GNR Encore handguns
Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 06:36

I always intended to get a .50 AK barrel to shoot all straight walled .510 cal. rounds from .50 Special to .50AK but have never gotten around to it. While I DO have a .500 Nitro Encore rifle barrel I still need to work on.

I too was lured into the maximum power exploring. (Blake's case was certainly warranted) And I found I didn't need to run 105% to get great performance. With the .416 GNR I backed down to 1850 fps with the 400 gr. and found not only did my equipment last longer but I did too! So 85% loads were so much more pleasant to shoot and did not require unique holds or recoil considerations to shoot. I performed better and the bullets still would sail clean through anything I could think of shooting.

Also the wear on locking bolt springs was greatly reduced. At max power the bolts and springs also need to be checked.

The Simmons 4x or any fixed power scope for that matter seemed to actually hold up and was a good performing glass. I use them for all load development and then swap over to a premium "fixed" power glass for hunting situations. My main consideration is the extra clarity the optics afford, I can really use that under pressure. The .378 GNR is the largest rig I feel good about placing a variable on for extended shooting.

I've learned not to make things harder on myself than necessary. Also with a fixed power scope I'm simply dealing with it and not thinking or fiddling with a power setting. It just makes life easier for me.