140 A-MAX in a 6.5-284 ???
- Thread starter george
- Start date
There isn't any reason that I know of not to try the Hornadys although I don't use them. Reason is the 139 Scenars shoot for me well enough I'm not going to use any barrel life chasing a new load.
Anyhow, I'm using 48.5 gr of Hogdon 4350 in a Lapua case with a 139 gr Scenar. This is NOT a starting load, it is past any charge weight you will find in any reloading manual, and it is possible that it could do bad things in a rifle other than mine. The usual safety disclaimers. One reason I get away with it is my personnal chamber reamer which allows me to seat the bullets very far out, which I can get away with because I use a standard length action vice a short action.
There are folks who use the A-max with good results in things like the 6.5 Swede and the like so no reason they shouldn't work in the 6.5 X 284.
Anyhow, I'm using 48.5 gr of Hogdon 4350 in a Lapua case with a 139 gr Scenar. This is NOT a starting load, it is past any charge weight you will find in any reloading manual, and it is possible that it could do bad things in a rifle other than mine. The usual safety disclaimers. One reason I get away with it is my personnal chamber reamer which allows me to seat the bullets very far out, which I can get away with because I use a standard length action vice a short action.
There are folks who use the A-max with good results in things like the 6.5 Swede and the like so no reason they shouldn't work in the 6.5 X 284.
Spotcheck_Billy
I'm using the same load that Rust uses in my 6.5-284. Because I've had bad luck trying A-Max's in other calibers in the past I won't risk any more unnecessary barrel wear by chasing A-Max loads in this one.
I'm sure that others who are having good luck with A-Max's in their 6.5-284's will chime in soon
I'm sure that others who are having good luck with A-Max's in their 6.5-284's will chime in soon
I think I can answer that question.
Low BC.
I tested it at 1k against the 139 scenar, 140 seirra, and 140 Bergers.
Basically the 142 SMK and 139 had nearly the same POI at 1k. 139 half minute or less flatter.
The 140 Berger using the previous zero flew over the target.
The 140 AMAX Hit under the target using the 139, 142 zero.
If your shooting up close the A-max will give you some nice groups, but hell at 1k I don't want to loose 3-4 minutes of elevation.
RHINOUT!
Low BC.
I tested it at 1k against the 139 scenar, 140 seirra, and 140 Bergers.
Basically the 142 SMK and 139 had nearly the same POI at 1k. 139 half minute or less flatter.
The 140 Berger using the previous zero flew over the target.
The 140 AMAX Hit under the target using the 139, 142 zero.
If your shooting up close the A-max will give you some nice groups, but hell at 1k I don't want to loose 3-4 minutes of elevation.
RHINOUT!
Rhino,
Did you zero at 100 for each bullet you shot or did you just use the 100yd zero you had for whatever bullet you were zeroed for at the time??? The reason I ask is that when I shot the 142s and the AMAXs they had different points of impact at 100yds.
I have used the AMAXs in my 6.5x284 and in my old 260 and they both really liked them. I would group better at 100yds and 200yds with the Sierra but for some reason the AMAX would hold a tighter group on out to 1000yds.
I used the AMAXs until I rebarreled the 260 with a Kreiger this last time and it didn't seem to like the AMAXs and loved the 140MK and when I went to the 123 Lapuas it really liked them!!!
Did you zero at 100 for each bullet you shot or did you just use the 100yd zero you had for whatever bullet you were zeroed for at the time??? The reason I ask is that when I shot the 142s and the AMAXs they had different points of impact at 100yds.
I have used the AMAXs in my 6.5x284 and in my old 260 and they both really liked them. I would group better at 100yds and 200yds with the Sierra but for some reason the AMAX would hold a tighter group on out to 1000yds.
I used the AMAXs until I rebarreled the 260 with a Kreiger this last time and it didn't seem to like the AMAXs and loved the 140MK and when I went to the 123 Lapuas it really liked them!!!
i shot 140 amax bullets for a while. The lot I got were some of the best bullets I have ever measured. They shot phenominal also. I switched to Bergers when I started having accuracy problems but it turned out to be the barrel. I still shoot the Bergers because like stated before they have less wind drift. I have been tempted to try them again as I shot some of my best groups with them!!!! If you are good at shooting in the wind and you have done ok with Sierras I would try the amax as the quality is much better. Good luck in your venture!!!! I should add on that I would use re22 or vv165 for the powder for the amax bullets.
I had a 1000 yard zero when I did the test. I just shot them at the Bodines range for my own testing.
At 100 and 200 yards, yes the A-max performs well as good as or better than the 139 scenar.
The Bergers don't tend to be as good up close, but at 1k they shine.
The best overall IMHO is the 139 Scenar. Shoots good up close and 1k shooting.
I have never tried the JLK's or the Catturuccios,spelling).
RHINOUT!
At 100 and 200 yards, yes the A-max performs well as good as or better than the 139 scenar.
The Bergers don't tend to be as good up close, but at 1k they shine.
The best overall IMHO is the 139 Scenar. Shoots good up close and 1k shooting.
I have never tried the JLK's or the Catturuccios,spelling).
RHINOUT!
Rhino-I do all my testing at 100yds do to not having a 1000yd range in ny that I can shoot at. Everything that shoots good for me at 1000yds shoots a pin hole at 100 or I don't shoot it. It also has to have a great extreme spread. I do not subscribe to the idea that a gun can shoot big at 100yds and shoot small at 1000yds. I have never seen Begers not stable at 100yds except when my barrel is on its way out and then they won't shoot worth beans at 1000yds anyway!!!!!
AlanPF
Victoria Australia
Rhino,rhino said:
I don't think your testing is the best way to measure the relative BCs of the projectiles. Firstly you need to load them all to the same muzzle velocity,which maybe you did?) but secondly you need to measure the "come-up" from say 100yd to 1000yd for each of the projectiles. Simply looking at the elevation of shots at 1000yd can be unreliable, because different projectiles can leave the firing point at a different angle,to the line of sight).
Alan
Bottom line for picking a load for 1,000 line shooting is accuracy and H4350 has given it to me in spades. OF course an ES of 8 and an SD of 3 helps considerably.
Those numbers sounded to good to be true so I attempted to duplicate them and after using up a little extra barrel life I did after I managed to minimize enough variables,I may have to get a Ken Light annealer which is all the hint I'll give).
Tried RL-22 and H4831, the best combination of accuracy, good SD/ES numbers and velocity came about with H4350. Gotta have them all at 1,000.
Those numbers sounded to good to be true so I attempted to duplicate them and after using up a little extra barrel life I did after I managed to minimize enough variables,I may have to get a Ken Light annealer which is all the hint I'll give).
Tried RL-22 and H4831, the best combination of accuracy, good SD/ES numbers and velocity came about with H4350. Gotta have them all at 1,000.
You know, my good chrono numbers came with brass I hadn't even bothered to weigh, let alone select by chrono numbers. What I've found is neck tension seems to be pretty critical and that means a lot more than just using a .002" or .003" under bushing.
Like I said, a Ken Light annealing machine may be in my near future.
I may have to build yet another precision rifle simply as a test bed. something with a few thousand rounds of barrel life. Of course then I need the time to test........
Like I said, a Ken Light annealing machine may be in my near future.
I may have to build yet another precision rifle simply as a test bed. something with a few thousand rounds of barrel life. Of course then I need the time to test........
George- re22 fills it pretty well so does h4831or h4831sc and vv165- I have shot my 6.5-284 with re22 and it has been the best of all the powders. I actually started shooting a 6.5-243wsm because it has a better case capacity than the 6.5-284. I also shoot re22 in that. My belief is obviously similar to yours concerning load density!!!
Hey guys I shot some 140's A-max's today. I only shot 1 group of 5 at a 100 meters. It was real impressive guys, I am using IMR-4831,46.7g) with CCI-BR-2 primers loaded at 3.515 COL. I will shoot 5 more at 200, 300, and 400 yards. I will keep y'all posted on the out come. I may play with the COL a bit.
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