300 Norma Improved 35 degree
- Thread starter Alex Wheeler
- Start date
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Just loaded the rounds this afternoon. Too hot out to shoot right now. Mirage and takes barrel forever to cool down. Hoping to get it done by mid week if possible. Will have to take a play out of Tom's book and get there before the buttcrack of dawn when its cool, do my shooting, then go to work.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Did some shooting in a new area this morning with N568 at 800 yards. I messed up and set the target up where I was shooting into the sun. So I swapped the target and my position where I was shooting away from the sun, but by that time mirage started getting pretty bad. With my scope maxed out at 25x with heavy mirage, I couldnt aim small at all and couldn't see hits with the spotting scope. So I basically just held as best I could and shot to check speed nodes.
Definitely some good nodes in N568 but it's WAY slower than N570. My father-in-law said it was slower on his 30-28 Nosler and the same holds true for the 300 NMI. Takes about half a grain before the speed jumps 20-30 fps which is also different than N570. N568 is definitely NOT a short cut N570 as it originally was claimed to be. But I do like seeing the 0.6gr and 0.5gr speed nodes with less than 10 fps difference.
My last NMI with 26" barrel and 1 in 9" twist:
220gr Berger, 92.3gr N570 - 3180 fps
New NMI with 27" barrel and 1 in 10" twist:
220gr Berger, 92.3gr N568 - 3026 fps
I can fit a good bit more N568 in the case so probably gonna give it another go tomorrow and see if I can get the speed up. Judging by the speed pattern, I will probably start the next N568 ladder at 94.5gr and work up. That should start me out a little more than 3100 fps if the pattern stays the same.
Also gonna load some N570 since i know that powder works well with the 220gr Berger.
Tomorrow I'm not gonna be an idiot and bring my target camera so i can see hits and get set up right the first time to beat the mirage!
Definitely some good nodes in N568 but it's WAY slower than N570. My father-in-law said it was slower on his 30-28 Nosler and the same holds true for the 300 NMI. Takes about half a grain before the speed jumps 20-30 fps which is also different than N570. N568 is definitely NOT a short cut N570 as it originally was claimed to be. But I do like seeing the 0.6gr and 0.5gr speed nodes with less than 10 fps difference.
My last NMI with 26" barrel and 1 in 9" twist:
220gr Berger, 92.3gr N570 - 3180 fps
New NMI with 27" barrel and 1 in 10" twist:
220gr Berger, 92.3gr N568 - 3026 fps
I can fit a good bit more N568 in the case so probably gonna give it another go tomorrow and see if I can get the speed up. Judging by the speed pattern, I will probably start the next N568 ladder at 94.5gr and work up. That should start me out a little more than 3100 fps if the pattern stays the same.
Also gonna load some N570 since i know that powder works well with the 220gr Berger.
Tomorrow I'm not gonna be an idiot and bring my target camera so i can see hits and get set up right the first time to beat the mirage!
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Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Well, I don't think N568 is gonna work out. Even after vibrating 94.5gr in the case I will be slightly compressing the load with the bullet at a -.010 jam. Figure I'll have to work up to 96.5gr to get any good speeds from it but will have a pretty good compressed load then. I'm not a fan of heavy compressed loads. Decided I'm gonna throw in the towel on N568 and switch back to the tried and true N570. No sense in having a 300 NMI if I can't get fast speeds. If 3000-3100 fps was all I wanted from a 220gr, I would have built a 30-28 Nosler or 300 PRC. With a 27" barrel in the NMI, I want to see loads shooting good around 3200 fps
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Loaded up for tomorrow. Gonna run this string of 3 shot groups with N570 using GM215M primer, then again with CCI 250.
91.5gr to 92.5gr seems to be the charge window where these NMI's like to shoot with N570 and 215gr or 220gr Berger. After determining a primer, I'll go to seating depth. Hopefully the barrel will speed up a bit before the seating test.
Target camera is charged up and plan on leaving around 5 am so should be more fruitful results at the new 800 yard shooting spot tomorrow.
91.5gr to 92.5gr seems to be the charge window where these NMI's like to shoot with N570 and 215gr or 220gr Berger. After determining a primer, I'll go to seating depth. Hopefully the barrel will speed up a bit before the seating test.
Target camera is charged up and plan on leaving around 5 am so should be more fruitful results at the new 800 yard shooting spot tomorrow.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
N570 shot with good speed today as usual. Right around 3150 fps with 92.3gr and not much gain on 92.5gr so my barrel hasn't sped up yet. There are 71 rounds total on the barrel now
It's funny that I'm seeing the same exact patterns as my last two NMI rifles using GM215M and N570. Shoots good right at 92.3 but opens up badly a couple tenths below and above that mark. 92.3gr shot a 3.9" group with the wide spread being vertical at 800 yards, then 92.5gr shot a wide horizontal spread. This is basically the same exact traits I saw using the GM215M before and the other two rifles even had a different reamer with tight neck and tight Freebore. Starting to get convinced that N570 doesn't like federal primers.
In the last two rifles, switching to CCI 250 made almost identical groups paste on top of each other from 91.7gr on up to 92.5gr. So I'm gonna shoot this group of 3 shots again using CCI 250 with N570. If the powder reacts the same to the CCI as it did in my last two rifles, then I'll move right in to seating depth tuning. I'm at -.010" jam right now so will work my way out from there.
Notice how tight the speeds are with 92.3gr. That just seems to be one of the magical numbers with N570. Shot good with GM215M primers in all 3 rifles now. Just need to see if it still shoots better with CCI 250 like it did in the last rifles. I've never worked up past 92.7gr because I didn't want to stress the bolt lugs on my previous Defiance Deviant and Kelby Atlas actions. Now that the new rifle is built on a BAT HR, I think that once the barrel speeds up, I'll see if I can push on to a higher node.
I have Berger 230gr to try as well which is also a great hunting bullet.
It's funny that I'm seeing the same exact patterns as my last two NMI rifles using GM215M and N570. Shoots good right at 92.3 but opens up badly a couple tenths below and above that mark. 92.3gr shot a 3.9" group with the wide spread being vertical at 800 yards, then 92.5gr shot a wide horizontal spread. This is basically the same exact traits I saw using the GM215M before and the other two rifles even had a different reamer with tight neck and tight Freebore. Starting to get convinced that N570 doesn't like federal primers.
In the last two rifles, switching to CCI 250 made almost identical groups paste on top of each other from 91.7gr on up to 92.5gr. So I'm gonna shoot this group of 3 shots again using CCI 250 with N570. If the powder reacts the same to the CCI as it did in my last two rifles, then I'll move right in to seating depth tuning. I'm at -.010" jam right now so will work my way out from there.
Notice how tight the speeds are with 92.3gr. That just seems to be one of the magical numbers with N570. Shot good with GM215M primers in all 3 rifles now. Just need to see if it still shoots better with CCI 250 like it did in the last rifles. I've never worked up past 92.7gr because I didn't want to stress the bolt lugs on my previous Defiance Deviant and Kelby Atlas actions. Now that the new rifle is built on a BAT HR, I think that once the barrel speeds up, I'll see if I can push on to a higher node.
I have Berger 230gr to try as well which is also a great hunting bullet.
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Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
On a side note, I've owned a long range target camera for many years now but have never used it until today. Don't know what the heck I was thinking! That's thing is great! Easy to set up and it's awesome having a closeup view of the target right next to me on my phone screen while shooting. Will always use it from now on 
I did the same thing with an electric filet knife for fishing. Owned one for years and didn't use it. When I finally did, it changed my life! Lol
I did the same thing with an electric filet knife for fishing. Owned one for years and didn't use it. When I finally did, it changed my life! Lol
B Nettesheim
Gold $$ Contributor
That is one awesome range
Right! I thought i was the only one admiring the backdrop and setting. sometimes just the photos of range trips from people who live in areas with "terrain" is exciting! I live and shoot in central and south florida. Theres nothing scenic about flat cow pastures and palmetto bushes.
Keep the pics and data coming!
Ranger188
Silver $$ Contributor
I don't think N568 is a "slow" powder, it doesn't have the energy
content of say N570.
I tried N568 and the Berger 220's also, couldn't find the small groups
I thought it was capable of. Maybe I needed to stick it out longer.
Went with N570 and 230's and immediately seen smaller groups.
I don't think you could put enough N568 into the 300NMI to pressure
it out. If you consider that slow or not.
There's more that goes on with a powder than what's in a "powder burn rate chart"
Energy content (J/g)
content of say N570.
I tried N568 and the Berger 220's also, couldn't find the small groups
I thought it was capable of. Maybe I needed to stick it out longer.
Went with N570 and 230's and immediately seen smaller groups.
I don't think you could put enough N568 into the 300NMI to pressure
it out. If you consider that slow or not.
There's more that goes on with a powder than what's in a "powder burn rate chart"
Energy content (J/g)
| N530 | N540 | N550 | N555 | N560 | N565 | N568 | N570 |
| 3950 | 4000 | 3900 | 3700 | 4000 | 4000 | 3850 | 4000 |
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
S
Slower / less energy = potato / patawto. Who cares. Lol! Start a new thread if you want to argue about that because it holds no relevance to the 300 NMI info Alex is amassing for us here. N568 is "Slower" than N570 and that's that. Everyone here knows what that means.
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L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
Exactly, thats why if you look at the burnrate chart it shows 568 faster but if you pressure out with 570 and use the same exact charge of 568 you won't, takes about 2.0 -3.0 depending on cartridge to get close to what 570 does. Its no different than any other powder.
I've shot alot of 568 its pretty much across the board that way vrs 570. In my opinion its right on par with RL33.
Its no different than RL26 vrs 23 about 2.0 grains difference to achieve same velocity.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
I really do wish VV would just take N570 and cut the kernels in half. Nothing more.
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
568 is not the speed demon 570 is but if your after longer throat life it definitely helps compared to 570.
I found it outstanding in the 28 Nos and 195's.
Although I believe the target tells everything 568 had really good E.S. everytime I shot it single digit or low double.
I found it outstanding in the 28 Nos and 195's.
Although I believe the target tells everything 568 had really good E.S. everytime I shot it single digit or low double.
I tried N565 with CCI primers, did not like the groups and also I made my Improved to shoot 230-250 range pills and will reach pressure fast not a big fan of it, you can reach 3100 range with 87 grn , and 215 bullets, don t like it for heavier . On Saturday I will shoot other LR venue I will stick to R50 , 92 grn and 250s at 2925 fps
Call Bullet Central they usually have them, will not be posted on their web site as a normal product
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