Bat M / Bartlein / 284 Shehane - Update Range Report

[bsumoba]

for my regular load and fireformed brass, my initial tests dictate that I look around 56.5-57gr of H4831 and 180gr hybrids. This gave me about 2885-2905 fps in my 30" barrel and good 4-shot groupings. Im going to work this powder range and then play with seating depth, trying jammed 0.010, touch, .010, 0.15 and .020 jump and see if I can tighten the groups up. once i get this, ill head out to 550 and see how it shoots at distance.

[br]
Most lots of H4831 SC perform best in the 56.8-57.5 range. My loads have averaged 57.2, with that being the charge node center in two barrels. Best seating depths have been .015-.020" from touching, but that is barrel-dependent. 57.2 provides ~2940 fps in my 32" barrels, both Brux and Krieger, except for one Krieger that ran ~2965 fps. Just a fast barrel, I guess. [br]
When you run your seating depth tests, test in .003" increments or you are likely to miss the best settings.

based on my load workups, im getting about 15fps every 0.3gr of powder. if i follow this trend, then with a 32" barrel, i would be around 2930fps, so it looks like my velocities are in line with most others. not fast, not slow, although its only been 120 rounds down the tube.

ill probably work the 56.8-57.4 range actually. now that i extended my FB almost 0.030" I should be able to work the higher 57-57.4 with no pressure signs. i was getting a very faint swipe with 57.2 gr, and when i mean faint, i mean you have to really look at it. primers look good. no cratering or flattening around the edges. primer pockets are still very tight. with the extra boiler room, pressures should be lower.

good idea on the seating depth. i wished i put a barrel tuner on, but egh, i can do it the 'ol fashioned way

i'll try increment depths of 3 thou once i nail a load that i want to do further development on. something tells me i will be working around 56.8-57.4gr. i know a couple guys jamming with hybrids which surprises me. i jump hybrids in all my other calibers (308 and 6.5mm).

oh yea and another thing...i love the whidden dies! i was getting VERY consistent seating depths now that i am loading 30 thou more than my original and i am definitely out of the donut region.

 

[savageshooter86]

Any update yet with the load?