Long range load development at 100 yards.

[BradY]

I was thinking the same Erik but then 36.1 and 36.3 are pretty much identical minus the one wind shot out to the left. Was hoping the 35.8gr area isnt a scatter node that is laying wait to fail when its not wanted. Will do some 10 shot groups at 500m this weekend of 35.8 and 36.2gr to hopefully to see its potential. Its good to see the barrel is fairly tolerant of all that range of charges as they are all pretty close. Looking forward to being able to chrony it soon as well.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I was thinking the same Erik but then 36.1 and 36.3 are pretty much identical minus the one wind shot out to the left. Was hoping the 35.8gr area isnt a scatter node that is laying wait to fail when its not wanted. Will do some 10 shot groups at 500m this weekend of 35.8 and 36.2gr to hopefully to see its potential. Its good to see the barrel is fairly tolerant of all that range of charges as they are all pretty close. Looking forward to being able to chrony it soon as well.

This is where I would use ES to decide on which load to tune. 500 yards should help you decide which to tune.

 

[BradY]

Yes I know, need to pull the finger out and get a magnetospeed. At least my club is in the process of getting one.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Yes I know, need to pull the finger out and get a magnetospeed. At least my club is in the process of getting one.

Issue is that you have to do chronograph testing separate from accuracy testing since the magnetospeed requires that it is strapped on the barrel.

 

[6.5X55guy]

Hi, brand new on the forum with a new 6.5X55 Savage/CBI build I'm working with. Would greatly appreciate any help Erik and others can give me. Shot these groups this morning.

IMR4350, 140gr SMK, CCI 200, in new unfired Lapua cases.

Chrony data is also included. Looks like the node is at 44? Does the chrony spread at 46 point to anything? I believe 46 is getting on the hot side, though brass looked OK and bolt lift was fine. Could tell the increase in recoil though.

Thanks!

 

[Cburlette]

Magnetospeed has a new sporter model they are just starting to ship, great price if you can live without the extra features of the standard model.

http://www.magnetospeed.com

 

[Erik Cortina]

Hi, brand new on the forum with a new 6.5X55 Savage/CBI build I'm working with. Would greatly appreciate any help Erik and others can give me. Shot these groups this morning.

IMR4350, 140gr SMK, CCI 200, in new unfired Lapua cases.

Chrony data is also included. Looks like the node is at 44? Does the chrony spread at 46 point to anything? I believe 46 is getting on the hot side, though brass looked OK and bolt lift was fine. Could tell the increase in recoil though.

Thanks!

Change primers. The ES numbers are too high. I would not go forward with this load combo.

 

[Brians356]

Magnetospeed has a new sporter model they are just starting to ship, great price if you can live without the extra features of the standard model.

http://www.magnetospeed.com

Can you summarize the features omitted? Their site doesn't offer an easy feature comparison matrix.

Edit:

Ok, there is a pop-up Sporter vs V3 comparision matrix.

 

[alton9]

Hi Erik,
I shot this target this morning, looks like the node may be at 39 gr? But I need to change primers also? Would you reshoot the whole test, or just right around 39 gr?
As far as changing primers, different brand, magnum primer, or what? I'm using H-4350 & CCI Lg Rifles.
Thank you, alton9


Update: Tried CCI magnum rifle primers with 38.5, 39.0, and 39.5 gr.....SD & ES were virtually identical to the previous data from these charge weights . The evidence on the target was much worse than the set of groups using large rifle primers.
Maybe try a different powder? Or a different lot of H-4350?
Thanks Alton9

 

[alton9]

Ok, I kept looking at the 37.0 gr target, and the low SD & ES. Loaded 36, 36.5, & 37 gr & shot them this morning. The 37 gr load gave low SD & ES again, nearly identical to yesterday's numbers. The group centers were all very near the same. Could 37 be the node? Is it possible that .5 gr increments are too large for this particular combination?
Thanks, alton9

 

[savageshooter86]

I would do seating test. Then once you find the best go back and try 0.3 increments around 36 up to 37.5. That should verify/narrow window down

 

[BradY]

Heres a little harder one to decipher...

I like 35.7 but maybe load a little towards 35.9 since the groups are flat in that direction and vertical the other way. Maybe 35.8 gr.

A follow up on this one. Shot both 35.8gr and 36.2gr for group at club 500 meters F class today on a kongsberg electronic target. The 35.8gr load that looked good but I was suspicious of being a scatter node was indeed that. 1MOA vertical and quite wind sensitive. It scored a 50.1 out of 60.10.

Then shot the 36.2gr load. Much better, X ring vertical (1/2MOA) at 500m and dropped 2 shots from a 10 shot string- one on a dropoff in mirage and one low as I didnt have the group centered properly. Was a tough day for shooting with very few possibles.

Had a crack at 1000ydBR later and shot an 8.5 inch group again in tough conditions. At least it was pretty flat but the little 6 got smashed by the switching mirage. Will probably go back to RL15 for benchrest but the H4350 looks good enough for a club f class load.

 

[comagutsa]

Hi Eric
ok i have been shooting 105gr berger hunting vlds with 29.5gr of reloader 15 seated .020 and .050 off the lands (these 2 shoot great at 500m just seeing which one i will use full time, but need more testing in good conditions)

now i have changed to 105gr berger hybrids and am still using reloader 15
the sighters i did at .050 off lands just to see what they did all the rest of the testing is at .020 off lands
dont know what i did to the one in 29.4gr but i think i moved my head at the wrong time :

what do you think ?? sorry no chrony this time

 

[Fursty]

Could you please clarify one more time on the "jam" procedure? I attempted this last night, seated the bullet long, lubed the bullet so it would not get stuck, and forced the bolt closed. It was really hard to close the bolt and when I extracted the round, the bullet had about 1/4 long grooves from the rifling. Am I doing something wrong? Is the neck tension too tight? This seems like the bullet is too far into the rifling.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Could you please clarify one more time on the "jam" procedure? I attempted this last night, seated the bullet long, lubed the bullet so it would not get stuck, and forced the bolt closed. It was really hard to close the bolt and when I extracted the round, the bullet had about 1/4 long grooves from the rifling. Am I doing something wrong? Is the neck tension too tight? This seems like the bullet is too far into the rifling.

If bolt was that hard to close then it was too long to begin with. Seat bullet about .050" longer, measure base to ogive, lube bullet shank, close bolt, snap bolt open, extract and measure. If still same as when it went in, seat bullet .020" longer and repeat.

 

[Fursty]

Could you please clarify one more time on the "jam" procedure? I attempted this last night, seated the bullet long, lubed the bullet so it would not get stuck, and forced the bolt closed. It was really hard to close the bolt and when I extracted the round, the bullet had about 1/4 long grooves from the rifling. Am I doing something wrong? Is the neck tension too tight? This seems like the bullet is too far into the rifling.

If bolt was that hard to close then it was too long to begin with. Seat bullet about .050" longer, measure base to ogive, lube bullet shank, close bolt, snap bolt open, extract and measure. If still same as when it went in, seat bullet .020" longer and repeat.

Ok. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Hollywood]

Would this method work with a gas gun?

 

[Erik Cortina]

Would this method work with a gas gun?

Try it and let us know.

It should work with all rifles regardless of action type.

 

[Hollywood]

I feel a bit out of place here with this being my precision piece. You guys are definitely a few classes above me.

 

[savageshooter86]

I use this method with my AR. But it definitely is tougher. Only because my AR is factory barrel and is shorter length than I would like. And I believe bolt guns are more accurate anyways