Fire Forming Load accuracy

[xring]

I recently loaded some new Norma 30-06 Brass resized to 6.5-06 to be fireformed to 6.5-06 AI . I Jammed the Bullets into the Lands and they formed nicely . Now to my question : the Barrel is an 8 or 8.5 Twist, can't remember which ) . My 4 shot groups with 3 Brands .....140-142 Gr., Sierra, GTB, and Caterucio ) Bullets were awful and ranged from 0.64 - 0.98 inches at 100 Yards . 140 Gr Amaxes gave 0.51 inches, and 128 Gr. Cauterucios gave 0.38 inches . 120 Gr. Sierras gave 0.33 inches, and 107 Gr. Sierras gave 0.18 Inches . Because of weather, I will have to wait until Spring to do more testing, so I have a lot of time to decide what to do . My application is Long range Varminting . Is there much of a relation between Forming Loads and Final Loads and should I Retest all Loads or just concentrate on the lighter Bullets . This Fast Twist business is very confusing in that I got similar results with a Fast Twist Swift . It much prefers 40 Gr Vmaxs to 69 Grainers !

 

[2506]

You really can't tell much with fire forming loads. There will be a big difference with the filled out cases. Some bullets don't like to be jammed into the rifling. Sierra's like to jump some most of the time. If you are going to varmint hunt then you will want to go with the 100 gr and under bullets to get explosive expansion. The 120's and heaver are big game bullets and will not give you the expansion needed to kill varmints on the spot. I shot a 6.5X55 Swede for groundhogs and found that with the 120 gr. Nosler ballistic tips even with good chest shots many made it back into their hole before death. With the 100 gr Sierra HP it was red mist city and it scattered a groundhog all over the place. Those 120 ballistic tips are great deer killers tough.