First outing with the 30BR and question

[Kevin1990]

So this is my first bench gun ever. I've just shot ARs and hunting rifles before this. Got my brass all prepped and loaded 125gr speer with 34.5gr of N130 to fire form. Did a little break in while sighting in. Then shot 150 rounds, cleaning after every 50. (Waiting on my die from harrells.)

Some of my targets are below. Unfotunatly it was pretty windy and rainy. I also don't have a scope for this rifle yet, so I'm using my Arken sh4 6-24 power FFP. The dot covered the entire bullseye.

Questions:
I noticed that when I started shooting I had it sighted in a little above and to the left of the target. By the time I finished they were still to the left but lower and my groups started opening up quite a bit. I understand that I was shooting speers with like .001 neck tension and just fireforming, but could the shift be caused from the barrel speeding up?

What would be a good starting charge for the barts and hottenstien 112s?



Also, a huge thank you to everyone who helped me and answered all my questions this far. I would not have even attempted any of this without the great advice I received here.

All are 3 shot groups. And I understand cardboard is not a great thing to shoot on, and my targets also.

 

[Bill Norris]

Your barrel will likely speed up as you get the first 100 or so rounds down the tube.

With Bart's 112 gr. I load 35.2 - 35.5 gr. of VV-N130 to get 3040 FPS. Groups are consistent there and almost as good as with Bart's 118 gr. bullet in my rifle with 34.9 gr. of VV-N130.

 

[Kevin1990]

Your barrel will likely speed up as you get the first 100 or so rounds down the tube.

With Bart's 112 gr. I load 35.2 - 35.5 gr. of VV-N130 to get 3040 FPS. Groups are consistent there and almost as good as with Bart's 118 gr. bullet in my rifle with 34.9 gr. of VV-N130.

Thanks bill! Hopefully fireforming will add a tiny bit more space in the case, because with 34.5 I was half way up the neck. Perhaps a drop tube is in order as well.

 

[Bill Norris]

Yea the case will fill up rather full. I just try and be real careful not to spill any. LOL. Drop tube is not a bad thing at all though.

 

[Websurfer]

My first few shots from a clean barrel are always a little slower than later rounds. As measured by Garmin chrono.
Your two bottom right targets look good! See if those are repeatable, and then shoot a few practice targets. If it holds up, try a match with them.
Custom match bullets are the way to go, though. Get a few weights/brands, and see what your rifle likes. Most folks I compete against use LT30 or N130, although a couple other powders will work.
Happy you’re in the 30BR! Good shooting!
MR

 

[Jayplace]

Thanks bill! Hopefully fireforming will add a tiny bit more space in the case, because with 34.5 I was half way up the neck. Perhaps a drop tube is in order as well.

I've found that pouring the powder in slowly allows more powder than when it's just dumped.

 

[Kevin1990]

I've found that pouring the powder in slowly allows more powder than when it's just dumped.

I'll give that a go as well. I usually load maybe 50 at a time when I go to the range, 150 had me wanting to go a little faster than normal to get them done.

 

[Kevin1990]

My first few shots from a clean barrel are always a little slower than later rounds. As measured by Garmin chrono.
Your two bottom right targets look good! See if those are repeatable, and then shoot a few practice targets. If it holds up, try a match with them.
Custom match bullets are the way to go, though. Get a few weights/brands, and see what your rifle likes. Most folks I compete against use LT30 or N130, although a couple other powders will work.
Happy you’re in the 30BR! Good shooting!
Me

Thanks! I was alone at the range. The first target I shot, I walked down to check to see because I thought they weren't on the paper. Definitely a little more accurate than the ARs and bolt guns I've been shooting. Looking forward to trying the barts and hottenstien bullets I have!

 

[DaWhit]

I use a long drop tube and slow pour to get 36.1gr N130 in the case, 1/3-1/2 way up the neck with 112gr BIB bullets.

 

[troupe]

Kevin1990, I have to agree with you about all of the help from the great folks on this forum. I have not loaded my ammo as of yet, but you give me hope that my set up will be accurate as well. There is so much help here, and I can't thank enough to all that I follow.

 

[Ccrider]

Good shooting. The Speer bullets shoot pretty good for their cost.

 

[Kevin1990]

Good shooting. The Speer bullets shoot pretty good for their cost.

Thanks! I was very surprised.

 

[Ccrider]

Thanks! I was very surprised.

Look at my first outing post.

I suggest that you go ahead and start a method for development, changing one thing at a time and seeing the effect. The “Boyer” method works good and it is easier to see what the change does to your group.

When right, the 30br shoots amazingly.

 

[Kevin1990]

Look at my first outing post.

I suggest that you go ahead and start a method for development, changing one thing at a time and seeing the effect. The “Boyer” method works good and it is easier to see what the change does to your group.

When right, the 30br shoots amazingly.

Just found your posting from your first outing with the 30BR. I'll be reading the whole thing in a few. I'm embarrassed to say, but I don't know the Boyer method. Anytime I ever did load development I just did an OCW test, then messed with seating depth.

I have a .332 neck, and I have 2 bushings a .327 and a .326.

 

[J.D.Erwin]

Just found your posting from your first outing with the 30BR. I'll be reading the whole thing in a few. I'm embarrassed to say, but I don't know the Boyer method. Anytime I ever did load development I just did an OCW test, then messed with seating depth.

I have a .332 neck, and I have 2 bushings a .327 and a .326.

kevin yoiur doing a good job with the 30br when i start a new load for any caliber I do a powder ladder and look for my best node once I decide what my charge weight will be I then load that charge for a seating depth ladder and again I'm looking for the best node or two and then its just a matter of tweaking all of that info to get the best results good luck and keep everyone posted.
aim small/shoot small
Jerry

 

[swd]

The barrel will speed up and also shooting something so accurate tells you all about you gun handling or lack and all the bad habits you didn’t know you had. And you have to use flags or you’ll never know why things are moving around. There’s probably a lot happening that you never knew you got away with shooting less accurate rifles..

 

[Bill Norris]

The barrel will speed up and also shooting something so accurate tells you all about you gun handling or lack and all the bad habits you didn’t know you had. And you have to use flags or you’ll never know why things are moving around. There’s probably a lot happening that you never knew you got away with shooting less accurate rifles..

Totally agree 100%.

Gun handling (bench manners) matter a lot. I was told many years ago if I could not hold 1/4 min. then I could not shoot 1/4 min. Lots of truth in that statement.

Awhile back Bart told me if I did not use some sort of wind flag I was pissing in the wind while trying to work up loads. I took him at his word and hung some surveyor's tape on a stake about 20 yds. from my shooting bench and another one at my target. I soon realized he was right. It makes a huge difference when you can see what (seemingly) no wind can do as my hole in the woods is just that. I don't do any load development without them now.

 

[DaWhit]

Totally agree 100%.

Gun handling (bench manners) matter a lot. I was told many years ago if I could not hold 1/4 min. then I could not shoot 1/4 min. Lots of truth in that statement.

Awhile back Bart told me if I did not use some sort of wind flag I was pissing in the wind while trying to work up loads. I took him at his word and hung some surveyor's tape on a stake about 20 yds. from my shooting bench and another one at my target. I soon realized he was right. It makes a huge difference when you can see what (seemingly) no wind can do as my hole in the woods is just that. I don't do any load development without them now.

Last week, doing some bushing testing, I shot a nice group, (for me), at 200, then shot some dots. Hit the 1st dot, second was wide right. Breath of wind at the bench, nothing at 100yds, flag was limp at 200. At 150 it looked like a wind tunnel going through there. I missed that condition and so did the guy shooting next to me, because I didn’t pay attention to one flag. Compensated and got the last two dots.

Without flags you are guessing what caused thrown shots. Shooter, setup, load, conditions, with flags you have more info for evaluation.

 

[troupe]

Totally agree 100%.

Gun handling (bench manners) matter a lot. I was told many years ago if I could not hold 1/4 min. then I could not shoot 1/4 min. Lots of truth in that statement.

Awhile back Bart told me if I did not use some sort of wind flag I was pissing in the wind while trying to work up loads. I took him at his word and hung some surveyor's tape on a stake about 20 yds. from my shooting bench and another one at my target. I soon realized he was right. It makes a huge difference when you can see what (seemingly) no wind can do as my hole in the woods is just that. I don't do any load development without them now.

Bill, looks like a bear could pop out at the end of that path anytime.!!!

 

[Bill Norris]

Bill, looks like a bear could pop out at the end of that path anytime.!!!

Oh yea its kind of swampy no doubt. LOL Shallotte swamp actually.