Load development question

[Cody Richardson]

So my 284 is broke in and shooting well. I won my first match with it at a 3x500 with a 594-32x, no points to vertical. In a lab radar it's at 2830 with a low SD and tight ES. I used the same break in load, 55.0 4831sc 180 hybrid in the match as well. I haven't tried it at 1000 yet. Should I just shoot it and see how it flies next month at 1000 or try to develop a new load. This one seems to be hammering and I'm hesitant to change it. I've never had a load shoot this good in the early stages before.

 

[HTSmith]

I'll qualify by saying I have little experience at a 1000 yards, but I'm bound to ask why change anything? You're all set.

 

[Dgd6mm]

If you have the opportunity take it to a 1000 and test it. If not, shoot it at the 1000 yard shoot and let that be your testing. Hopefully your waterline will still be good.

 

[Gb300wm]

Just go out and shoot the 1k match. Your load work is done. Vertical would have showed up at 500 if it were there.

 

[dmoran]

Need to confirm is my input. Typically a good 500 will stand up pretty well at 1000, but not always. Often am able to tweek a little more vertical out at 1000, that I don't see at the shorter distances.
Good Luck
Donovan

 

[people]

I would just shoot it at 1k and see what happens. You may or may not find a better load. What we do know for certain is more load development is more rounds fired.

Now to play devils advocate because I have made more changes when it was working than I should have. You never know until you try it.

 

[3081FTR]

So my 284 is broke in and shooting well. I won my first match with it at a 3x500 with a 594-32x, no points to vertical. In a lab radar it's at 2830 with a low SD and tight ES. I used the same break in load, 55.0 4831sc 180 hybrid in the match as well. I haven't tried it at 1000 yet. Should I just shoot it and see how it flies next month at 1000 or try to develop a new load. This one seems to be hammering and I'm hesitant to change it. I've never had a load shoot this good in the early stages before.

If you were to develop a new load what would you look for that is different to what your current load is doing?

 

[Cody Richardson]

If you were to develop a new load what would you look for that is different to what your current load is doing?

I'd like to see just a little more velocity, like to be around 2850-2870. But like I said the load is hammering so I'm considering just keeping in and seeing how it does the rest of the year.

 

[kyreloader]

Cody, I would shoot as is. I always try to load for 2820 fps as I have found that's where my three .284 barrels have shot the best.

If you lose points to vertical at 1000 during your match, them maybe tweak your powder charge a few tenths, but I bet you can't shoot the difference, I know I can't. 50 fps which you are looking for equates to 1.5 inches less wind drift at 1000y with a 10 mph crosswind (0.2MOA). Can you call the wind that close?

 

[Cody Richardson]

Cody, I would shoot as is. I always try to load for 2820 fps as I have found that's where my three .284 barrels have shot the best.

If you lose points to vertical at 1000 during your match, them maybe tweak your powder charge a few tenths, but I bet you can't shoot the difference, I know I can't. 50 fps which you are looking for equates to 1.5 inches less wind drift at 1000y with a 10 mph crosswind (0.2MOA). Can you call the wind that close?

Wade, that works. I know I can't call the wind anywhere close to that! I'm going to try to make it to Atterbury next month for the 3x1000, but at midrange so far the load works. Just want to get it squared away before Lodi.