222 Test Shots, a Little Help to Interpret

[DLT]

Here's an example of what I'm referring to when suggesting a seating depth .010 past the T.P. when you start tuning. After my post this morning about it, I headed to the range to shake out my new '22 ACM' (Anti CreedMoor). Other than f-forming Lapua 22-250 cases to fit the chamber, it had never been to the range before.

With the seater stem adjusted so it put the bullet .010 longer than the 'T.P., I just tuned it with the powder measure. When it shot that big vertical at 38.5 (rt target), I knew it was real close. Added .5 gr. more to 39.0 and it shot three into a little dot (left target) with a bit of a weather report to indicate the 3 o'clock winds from 12-14. It hung in there for another half grain at 39.5 and I called it good at that point.

Without a firm jam/seat of the bullet, it would have been like pushing a rope....juggling powder weight and seating depth. Including the three shots to get on paper and establish a zero at 100, this 39.0 gr load were shots # 16, 17 and 18. After cleaning the barrel, I tried another powder but didn't find anything to write home about.

Will go back out and reshoot the 39.0 and 39.5 with 5 shot groups. I expect no surprises.

Good shootin' -Al

P.S. I agree with not jamming the bullet hard on a live varmint or hunting rig. .010 'in' isn't much of a 'jam' (another misnomer).

How did you know “ When it shot that big verticle I knew it was close” ???? I’m trying to learn how and what to look for while developing. I’m sure experience is a huge part of it thank you

 

[AlNyhus]

How did you know “ When it shot that big verticle I knew it was close” ???? I’m trying to learn how and what to look for while developing. I’m sure experience is a huge part of it thank you

Assuming everything else in the rifle is good (bedding, scope, neck tension, etc)..... when you go up in powder charge and it starts shooting vertical, it's telling you it wants more powder. Most all cartridges will exhibit this trait 1-3 times along the powder weight changes.

At times, you can see a vertical tendency with inadequate neck tension, though it's not as pronounced as vertical from powder charge weight. Starting with at least .003 neck tension is a good baseline...keeps you ahead of this when doing initial load work up.

Hope this helps. -Al

 

[RGRobinett]

So as to not hijack this thread, I have copied & pasted a link to a SAKO L461 project I'm working on - except that mine is a .222 Remington Magnum, there are some similarities. The rifle I'm working with was produced in 1966 (just received report from SAKO Collectors) and features an excellent BOFORS Steel barrel - it had been shot very little - perhaps 40-60 rounds of factory ammo.

Via the relatively thin neck wall, and same neck-bushing size which produced excellent results using [re-formed] Rem. .204 Ruger, the Nosler brass displayed no 'tunability' - that is, it was unresponsive to powder charge-weight variations. Note that toward the end of the bedding testing, a 0.002"smaller bushing notably improved shot dispersion, which now, is primarily vertical: probably a very tunable situation. But that will have to await bedding . . . RG

Heretical SAKO butchery . . .

I recently acquired a very nice, decent shooting SAKO L461, 222Mag - except for the 4#6Oz trigger, all very rosy. So, before I break the [never touched] action screws, to tear into the trigger, I'm requesting some guidance. Looking over the SAKO details (drawing and instructions) states that the...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[natdscott]

52FB + 14 Twist + 3,000 fps.

...and you don't have enough groups to indicate much yet. And 5 minutes between shots is far too long.

 

[TheCZKid]

52FB + 14 Twist + 3,000 fps.

...and you don't have enough groups to indicate much yet. And 5 minutes between shots is far too long.

I only waited a while between shot groups, to make sure I wasn't overheating the barrel too much, probably wasn't 5 minutes actually, but I appreciate the note.

On the LT-32 groups, I think I didn't have enough neck tension on the brass, and it was likely maybe uneven between them as a result.
I made some 222 from Norma 223, and realized I should have done a final bushing neck sizing on those to add more neck tension. I had expanded the necks before the neck turning to fit the mandrel, but didn't run them through the a bushing die after that, and I think after the fact the necks were too loose.

I have since sized all the necks with the .247 bushing. I loaded a bigger string, and closer increment, ladder to test, with the bullets about .010 off the lands. That should be a very different result (I hope).

 

[Ken6PPC]

Great input. I'll check all the normal things, like you said, make sure nothing is loose, etc. I did take the action out of the stock, wanted to see how things looked between the wood and the action.

The stock action looked like it was very lightly bedded in the bottom front lug area, and around the rear tang, but looking again I see that the wood is just dark where it touches the action, not bedded.
View attachment 1454798
View attachment 1454799

When I put it back together I had 30 inch lbs torque on front screw and 20 inch lbs on rear. The barrel is free-floating.

The scope is mounted with non-Sako rings, as below the rings is an adapter plate that converted the Sako mount to a Weaver style mount, then has Warne rings. Seems solid, but I didn't really figure out exactly what those adapters were about, and if they are torqued, etc.

View attachment 1454796

View attachment 1454797

For compatible powders in enough volume to make sense to test I have:
LT-32, N133, N120, RL-7, H335, IMR-1808, W748, TAC, IMR-4895

Bullets I have enough of to test:
50 Vmax, Hornady 50 SP SX, Speer 50 TNT, Nosler 52 gr CC BTHP
Nosler Ballistic Tip in 55 and 40 gr Nosler Varmageddon 55
Sierra 55 GameKing and 55 BlitzKing, Hornady 2266 55 Soft-point.

I was leaning to test mostly 50 up to 52, maybe a 53 grain bullet.

My Remington 700 VS LOVES 24.0 grains of IMR-4895 with a Sierra 53 grain JHP (or my own). Note that 24.0 grains of IMR-4895 is over the maximum recommended with a 53 grain bullet, so start low and work up!

I also seat the bullets longer than what is listed in the manuals, because I single load the rifle. (Long throat & I'm still ~ 50 thousandths short of the lands) Could be why I get away loading over maximum...