30 Nosler — OCW test?

[Thaught]

started working up a load for my 30 Nosler. I’m fairly new to the OCW test so not sure my next steps and would like feedback. To me, I need to shoot 83.9 gr and see what that looks like?

 

[Jeff Porter]

With OCW you are looking for shifts in the point of Impact. This target isn't as clear as some are to determine.
Is this at 100 yards? What is the Book Max for this load? Any pressure signs on 86.4? May be 86.9 if you have room on the top.

If you blur your eyes a little, you may want to look in between 84.9 and 85.4 as the center of both of those groups is near the tip of the diamond.

Yes, check out the next step lower and see if it prints near the 10:00 like the 84.4gr does.

Also re shoot 84.9, 85.1, and 85.4 ( and possibly 85.6) to confirm the tip of the diamond as the stable POI

 

[L.Sherm]

I've had better luck with H1000 in the 30 and 30-28 Noslers

 

[rijndael]

Did you shoot these round-robin or one group at a time?

 

[Thaught]

These were fired in group of powder charges. So the 84.4 were all shot before I moved on to the next highest charge. I allowed 5 minutes to cool between each shot. Target was at 100 yards

 

[Bc'z]

Load a bunch long @84.6 and do a seating test @100, if 2 ain't touching move .003 deeper into case.
Once seating is nailed down address powder.

 

[rijndael]

http://www.ocwreloading.com/about.html

12. Allow the barrel to cool, then fire a shot from the second graduation at target number 2. Wait for cooling of the barrel, then fire a shot from the third graduation at target number 3. Continue this "round robin" sequence until you have been through all of the targets three times. At this point you will have a three shot group on each of the targets.

Doing it this way helps prevent things like heat-loading in the barrel impacting the later groups more than the first few. Same for changing winds and other variables.

 

[jepp2]

I’m fairly new to the OCW test so not sure my next steps and would like feedback.

When I started shooting a lot again, after work was no longer in the way, I tried to follow the OCW system. Probably did lots of things wrong, but I can't see it ever helped me much over just shooting groups.

Then I started using Quickload and the Chris Long OBT charts. Now I could start to find nodes. Just to check it out, I started using GRT and found it so very helpful in the adjustments I needed to make. You do need a way to capture velocities. But I wouldn't shoot without having velocity information. And it doesn't have to be a Garmin or Labradar. I shot for many years using a Chrony and never shot it.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

What load data reference did you use, Berger?

 

[Thaught]

What load data reference did you use, Berger?

Yes, Berger

 

[J_idaho]

Round robin seems like a waist of time. You’re going to have to verify it anyways.

 

[Forum Boss]

With groups like that, honestly you just don’t have an accurate rifle, and/or a decent rest set-up. Frankly I think OCW would be a waste of time. This, presumably, is just a hunting rifle. Find a load that can give you one MOA with ES under 20 fps and move on. Or just shoot factory ammo.

I‘d also let someone else shoot it. The horizontal spreads in #3 and 4 suggest some shooter skill issues.

 

[Kevin1990]

I'm no expert, but I did just research the 30 nosler for like 45-60 seconds on nosler load data. For retumbo and a 210gr bullet max charge is 84 gr. if your not seeing any pressure signs then I'd guess that's fine. But why not think about moving down a little in charge weight and see what happens? Might find a sweet spot a little lower.

Now for the A-hole in me response. But seriously , I've been here...like Everytime I do an OCW test haha.

I'd film yourself shooting. Maybe there is something wrong in your technique, that you'd be able to spot if you had a different view. Flinching? What are you shooting off of? Etc.

 

[CharlieNC]

The vertical poi is stable 84.9 to 85.4 which exhibits exactly the behavior you are seeking. Fine tune charge weight within that range and seating depth, using more shots in order to define group size going forward.

 

[30378]

80gr of H-1000 with Berger 215s and forget about it!!

 

[Cfshooter]

The vertical poi is stable 84.9 to 85.4 which exhibits exactly the behavior you are seeking. Fine tune charge weight within that range and seating depth, using more shots in order to define group size going forward.

I would do this the above. Others have mentioned this method isn’t working for you/rifle/components, but it actually is. It just so happens that for that combination the 84.9-85.4 is the best it was capable of. If you are ok with that, go to seating depth testing. If you are not ok with that, change components and try again.

 

[wasskeet]

Based upon what I loaded with Retumbo in 28 Nosler with 180 Berger and Hodgdon manual data - your loads are very hot. I pressured out at 80.3 behind a 180 hybrid in Nosler brass. As others have suggested, I would lower the charge according to manual data and try again.