I’ve shot 195’s in a .284 fairly regularly since they were first introduced, but I’ve been running SAUM’s primarily since the time etargets got popular, and never showed 195’s at 1,000 yards on a ShotMarker, where their velocity is captured. I was just reminded Sunday, again how good this .284 Win combination can be.
At Bayou, I took a .284 that’s new to me to the LR match, as well as my saum. I’m actually the third owner (and will be the last) of this Z-Kestros/Bat .284.
I shot the .284 first and third, comparing it to the Saum. The .284 shot two 198’s, (99% with shelved bullets I loaded well before I bought the gun, so obviously not tuned for it). The Saum (this one also in a Z-Rail) shot a 197, but what I think is particularly important is just how fast a moderate/safe pressured 195, is crossing the target.
Bayou is near sea level, so my velocities would only be higher, at more elevation. The images below show that my 195’s are at 1,770 in the warmer match, and 1750 in the cold barrel, cooler one. In watching our various F-Class videos available, a 180/184 accuracy load crosses at 1,650-ish.
I’ve seen a number of various 30 cal magnums crossing 1,000 in the upper 1,700’s. If they are shooting 215 hybrid bullets, then the 195’s at a pre-Tipped G-1 of .755 (versus .691) may actually be bucking the wind, down range, better than typical 30 magnums are, in a .284, let alone a saum.
My first question would be, reading this, well what does the brass look like. I actually can see no difference between the fired cases in the morning match and the last match. That Bat bolt does have a plunger, too. The temperature in Houston was plenty warm, but the line is covered, which makes a difference.
A question of uncertainty that Berger created itself was whether the bullet was intended for matches, or is even suitable for them. We know it was introduced in an orange hunter box. I can say having shot many thousands of these that the new yellow-but-still hunter box and its “slower” indicated 1:9 minimum twist rate were not the result of any physical change in the bullets, at least that I have ever been able to discern. This is bound to have limited early-on experiments with conservative match shooters.
Heavies may not be for everyone. I don’t think you can get this velocity and moderate peak pressure with the most temp stable, traditional, single based powders, if that’s a personal requirement. I’m running 57.0 grains of RE 25 (54.5 4831SC is 180/.284 strong) of powder with a bullet that is 15 grains heavier, so more is happening and right side bag deflection is a bit more pronounced, a minor bother. In my tighter diameter bores (Krieger 5R’s), 55.5 grains of RE 25 results in about the same pressure.
Guys may wonder, with the newer 190 Hybrids and A-Tips, do bullets that Berger was working on around 2013, excel? I think they are superb, and they have a quiet following of unknown size that keeps them hard to buy. Either a lot of guys buy a few, or maybe 30 guys buy thousands at a time. I’d prefer them to 190 Hybrids for F-Class even though I have managed to disintegrate one, but that is with a Saum, 12 sighters, the uncovered Ben Avery line, and fast shooting, on shot 19. That’s it. Zero otherwise in a saum, and none in a .284.
I’d venture no comparison to the more expensive A-Tips, as you’d just have to try both.
I do tip 195’s and that’s it, so my targets below do represent about the least bullet prep possible.
At Bayou, I took a .284 that’s new to me to the LR match, as well as my saum. I’m actually the third owner (and will be the last) of this Z-Kestros/Bat .284.
I shot the .284 first and third, comparing it to the Saum. The .284 shot two 198’s, (99% with shelved bullets I loaded well before I bought the gun, so obviously not tuned for it). The Saum (this one also in a Z-Rail) shot a 197, but what I think is particularly important is just how fast a moderate/safe pressured 195, is crossing the target.
Bayou is near sea level, so my velocities would only be higher, at more elevation. The images below show that my 195’s are at 1,770 in the warmer match, and 1750 in the cold barrel, cooler one. In watching our various F-Class videos available, a 180/184 accuracy load crosses at 1,650-ish.
I’ve seen a number of various 30 cal magnums crossing 1,000 in the upper 1,700’s. If they are shooting 215 hybrid bullets, then the 195’s at a pre-Tipped G-1 of .755 (versus .691) may actually be bucking the wind, down range, better than typical 30 magnums are, in a .284, let alone a saum.
My first question would be, reading this, well what does the brass look like. I actually can see no difference between the fired cases in the morning match and the last match. That Bat bolt does have a plunger, too. The temperature in Houston was plenty warm, but the line is covered, which makes a difference.
A question of uncertainty that Berger created itself was whether the bullet was intended for matches, or is even suitable for them. We know it was introduced in an orange hunter box. I can say having shot many thousands of these that the new yellow-but-still hunter box and its “slower” indicated 1:9 minimum twist rate were not the result of any physical change in the bullets, at least that I have ever been able to discern. This is bound to have limited early-on experiments with conservative match shooters.
Heavies may not be for everyone. I don’t think you can get this velocity and moderate peak pressure with the most temp stable, traditional, single based powders, if that’s a personal requirement. I’m running 57.0 grains of RE 25 (54.5 4831SC is 180/.284 strong) of powder with a bullet that is 15 grains heavier, so more is happening and right side bag deflection is a bit more pronounced, a minor bother. In my tighter diameter bores (Krieger 5R’s), 55.5 grains of RE 25 results in about the same pressure.
Guys may wonder, with the newer 190 Hybrids and A-Tips, do bullets that Berger was working on around 2013, excel? I think they are superb, and they have a quiet following of unknown size that keeps them hard to buy. Either a lot of guys buy a few, or maybe 30 guys buy thousands at a time. I’d prefer them to 190 Hybrids for F-Class even though I have managed to disintegrate one, but that is with a Saum, 12 sighters, the uncovered Ben Avery line, and fast shooting, on shot 19. That’s it. Zero otherwise in a saum, and none in a .284.
I’d venture no comparison to the more expensive A-Tips, as you’d just have to try both.
I do tip 195’s and that’s it, so my targets below do represent about the least bullet prep possible.
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. Matt, I’ve been wondering if you’re ever going to ask me if heavies have beaten a good many guys shooting 180’s, or if I shoot them better than I shoot 180’s 
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