284Win Millsaps-FatBoy Project Complete

[FatBoy]

The Millsaps-FatBoy action/Rifle project is put together and ready for testing. I'm going to pop it's cherry at 1000y tomorrow. No load testing, no barrel break in. Hell, no zero on the scope yet. If it can do reasonably well with odds like that,, it should be a winner.

Spec:

Millsaps-FatBoy action. 17-4 Stainless Solid bottom, conical bolt, two lug
Anschutz trigger with WTC shoe
Scope rail and iron sight base are Millsaps pieces in aluminum
Sitman Prone stock w/ WTC cheek piece and MC 3way plate and TG - work done by Master Class
Brux .284 cal, 9 twist four groove barrel, 29"
284win match chamber pushed out .015"

Chris...

 

[JohnJ]

very nice chris wonders how it shot cuzzz i think im in love

JohnJ

 

[FatBoy]

It shoots alright, for no load testing. I had some trouble with verticle today. My SD/ES must be huge with the off the shelf loads, and a new lot of primers. I think, once I do some fine tuning, it'll be a great shooter.

BTW, 195-5x and 193-6x at 1000y today. On paper, legitimately with the 2nd shot. The first shot hit paper, but it bounced off the dirt berm It was easily a 198+ day though....

Chris...

 

[Forum Boss]

Chris,

Looks like a great rifle.

What's a Milsaps-Fatboy action. Is this a prototype made especially for you?

Let us know how the load dev goes. I think there's still a lot to be learned about the .284. I'm not sure the "perfect" powder exists for this caliber yet. QuickLOAD suggests ADI 2209,H4350) would be a good choice. That, and N560. I suspect most guys are using 4831sc though.

 

[memilanuk]

How'd you do that pattern on the barrel finish?

 

[FatBoy]

I used H4350 today. 30 with 51.5gr and 40 with 52gr. ,10 of the 40 were Lapua cases)I got light cratering but no flatness to speak of, no swiping on the win brass and the bolt was pretty light. The Laua lifted easier, and the Lapua cases are about 6 to 10gr lighter.

The Millsaps~FatBoy is a custom action that we made. It's a prototype, and a learning tool for the both of us.

I'm going to try some N160 and more H4350, as well a varying seating depth,primers etc. It looks like it has promise. Conditions were good today, so wind didn't become much of an issue, but the elevation killed me. 20" verticle, and I'm used to keeping it around or under 12".

Monte,

The barrel is polished, then covered with a sleeve and bead blasted.

Chris...

 

[memilanuk]

Sweet... oddly enough, I have a nice stainless Pac-Nor, a sleeve, and access to a bead blaster. Hmmm...

Thanks,

Monte

 

[Wild_Bill]

Hi with a 175-180gr projectile work up to 54gr H4831sc it is much better than H4350

I know of 4 of us using it very well here in Australia and we use it with 168gr Projectiles aswell.

I have tried H1000 but it was getting the same velocity but a bigger ES and SD Retumbo actualy showed pronise having the same velocity with lower pressure.
CCI BR@ primers or Fed GM215 and even Fed GM210's all work well in the case the rifle is verry well ballanced. Also RE22 and RE25 work well and i would like to try IMR 7828 it should give 100% load densith and awsome performance.

I would re test with H4831SC first though i think you will stop there.

Cheers Bill
Australia

 

[FatBoy]

Bill,

I think I have .5lbs of H4831sc here. I'll give it as shot as well.

Thanks.

Chris...

 

[jb1000br]

Chris -- if you could shoot 51.5 of h4350, you should get to 57 of h4831sc

both of those appeared to be a max in mine...with 180's

57 of 4831sc gave me 2900...seems to be happy around 56gns though...

JB

 

[FroggyOne2]

Fatboy.. I have 8 or more lbs of h-4831 long.. that I have no need for. I will let it go for 80 bucks no shipping just have to meet me in tullahoma sometime during the week of the 19th

FO

 

[FatBoy]

Fatboy.. I have 8 or more lbs of h-4831 long.. that I have no need for. I will let it go for 80 bucks no shipping just have to meet me in tullahoma sometime during the week of the 19th

FO

I'm gonna do some testing with the 4831sc I have. If it looks like it'll work out, I'll give the 4831 a try.

I know it's rude, but I have no idea who you are with this computer handle. Any chance of you clueing me in?

Chris...

 

[RDesJardin]

I have a barrel ordered 1:8.5, 29" long .950 muzzle,PA/MT legal)to build me a .284 Win, this is my summer project for next year's competition. Are you guys using a standard .284 Win. chamber with a tight neck and what neck diameters are you turning to with the Lapua brass? I am planning a .309 case neck with a .310 chamber.
Thanks,
R.A.D.

 

[FatBoy]

I went with a .317" no neck turn neck. The base and shoulders are set up .003" over Lapua brass. My throat was pushed out .015" to .206. Most are .189" for long range match shooting. I would have liked another .020" of throat length,, but I don't think this is going to be a problem.

Chris...

 

[jb1000br]

my .313nk lets me clean up 99.9% of the lapua necks,turned to 13thou)

JB

 

[FatBoy]

I did some light load testing today. Actually, I had planned on trying N160, H4831sc, RL22 and H4350. I shot 52gr of H4350 and had an SD of 5fps, ES of 15fps and I was running right at 2850fps so I played with that load all day.

I went through 70 shots today. All with 52gr H4350. 60 new cases and 10 once fired. Went from touching the lands to .025" off with 175SMK's.

It shot alright. I'm getting some horizonal I didn't anticipate, but that may be my bench techique. Average groups at 200 yards hovered right around 1" verticle, and ranged from 1" hortizonal to right at 2" horizonal toward the end. Actually, with five shot groups, I generally had three into about .4", and two off in about another .4". Seating depth didn't change anything, nor did some minor neck tension changes, or different lots of primer. ,210M's and BR2's were all I tried today)

What concerned me is, the best groups were the first three groups from the rifle. I need a rifle that will put 80 rounds down and shoot about the same for all 80. When I got above about 30 rounds, the groups started to open, and my SD/ES went way up. Primer changes didn't help, though the BR2's show some promise. If I can't shoot two matches back to back, without cleaning, the 7mm is no good to me. If it doesn't shape up by by Mid-August, it'll be wearing a 6.5mm barrel.

I'm going to try this load, .020" off the lands this Sunday, and see how it does.

Chris...

 

[RDesJardin]

I have had better luck with the slower powders when using heavier bullets, I would lean twoard the H4831, RE19, RE22 powders. I asked about this cartridge on the 1000yd forum on benchrest.com and a fellow from down under listed loads he has been using. May want to check it out too. I also have planned on a very long throat, I plan on using a optical comparitor to check 180VLD Bergers, I was guessing .230-.250 throat. I want no bullet shank below the shoulder.
R.A.D.

 

[FatBoy]

R.A.D.,

H4831sc is my next test. I am going to try only necking 1/3rd of the neck,FL sized) and 52gr H4350 Sunday. If I'm not satisfied, It's back to the drawing board.

Chris...

 

[RAVEN]

Hi
There is info in GUN of THE WEEK by Mr Tierney he has also posted some useful reloading info for the .284
I am one of those ppl Wild Bill spoke of with a .284 I have found that H4831SC works well 168 Berger’s @ 2950fps 175SMK 2880fps 180 Berger's @ 2920fps out of 30" Krieger there is also an advantage using this powder as it is very temperature tolerant

Week 53
NBRSA 1K Champ Jerry Tierney's 284s
Cheers
RB

 

[FatBoy]

Raven,

I've exchanged several emails with both Jerry and Robert Whitley. I was HOPING that H4350 was going to do the trick, as I use it in all my 6.5x284's,, but it's looking like I'll struggle with ELE problems with that powder.

H4831 is up next week.

Chris...