Long range load development at 100 yards.

[BCoates]

Thanks Erik. I appreciate you giving your time and expertise to people new to precision shooting and reloading like myself.

 

[seidersjoden]

That's a good plan. I also agree with you about not using the magnetospeed while testing.
[/quote]

Erik, why would you say between 43.4 and 44.4 is a good testing area vice 44.6 and 45?

they all seem so close but I would think there's less verticale between 44.6 and 45 (POI for both groups averages just below the horizontal line) if I had to be nit picky, I ask becuase I'm about to do my own soon?

Thanks in advance,
Joden

 

[Erik Cortina]

That's a good plan. I also agree with you about not using the magnetospeed while testing.

Erik, why would you say between 43.4 and 44.4 is a good testing area vice 44.6 and 45?

they all seem so close but I would think there's less verticale between 44.6 and 45 (POI for both groups averages just below the horizontal line) if I had to be nit picky, I ask becuase I'm about to do my own soon?

Thanks in advance,
Joden

43.4 is actually up in the air for me because I do not know what 43.0 would do, but it's worth testing.

44.2 and 44.6 hit the target identically. If you stack the 44.6 target on top of the 44.2 target, you will see that it cuts a horizontal with 5 shots and one would be slightly higher. 45.0 starts to shoot slightly lower and 45.4 is even lower. Groups flatten out between 45.8 and 46.2 again, which is also probably worth taking a look.

 

[Brians356]

look at 39.5 - 40.5, the groups line up vertically on the target.

Erik,

Forgive the bump, but please explain how these three groups are aligned vertically.

You asserted this several times, but I see 39.5 and 40.5 nearly centered in the black and vertically aligned, whereas 40.0 is significantly to the left of those two.

Brian

 

[BCoates]

look at 39.5 - 40.5, the groups line up vertically on the target.

Erik,

Forgive the bump, but please explain how these three groups are aligned vertically.

You asserted this several times, but I see 39.5 and 40.5 nearly centered in the black and vertically aligned, whereas 40.0 is significantly to the left of those two.

Brian

Brian - Erik means that the groups are aligned on the same vertical plane.

 

[Brians356]

look at 39.5 - 40.5, the groups line up vertically on the target.

Erik,

Forgive the bump, but please explain how these three groups are aligned vertically.

You asserted this several times, but I see 39.5 and 40.5 nearly centered in the black and vertically aligned, whereas 40.0 is significantly to the left of those two.

Brian

Brian - Erik means that the groups are aligned on the same vertical plane.

Ok, now I see how I got thrown - Erik originally wrote in part "when the groups line up vertically" which to me means they are all centered on the same vertical line, i.e. neither right or left of each other.

But what he meant was they all had the same vertical displacement relative to the bull (i.e. all centered on the same horizontal line.)

See the ambiguity now?

Thanks.

Brian

 

[MOShooter]

I have a target I would like to post here but can't because the file is too large. How do I post it?

Scott

 

[mr45man]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=498230.0

 

[falconpilot]

Erik..your thoughts?

stopped at 54 grs as it was taking me out of the velocity range I was wanting to shoot. Bolt left as still good, but I could here the prime pockets screaming. This is just my powder test. Think I'm going to go from 52-53 tomorrow as I was hoping to be shooting it around 2850 to save my brass. After I do that and settle on powder load, I'll do my jump testing at 300 yards. These were all seated for a 15 thousand jump, 5 shot groups, good evening at 100 yards, all shoots were called and correct.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Sorry, barrel looks like a dud.. You better sell it before anyone catches wind..


Ray

 

[falconpilot]

If it tights up on jump test, it's coming off and going it safe until big match!

 

[Erik Cortina]

Try 52.0 - 53.0 and see why they look like. I can clearly see where all the groups kept climbing. Good barrel for sure.

I'm going to test mine Saturday, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Brians356]

Thanks for posting those groups! I for one would really like to see the 52-53grain results, and then read Erik's analysis. This way of looking at charge weight testing is new and intriguing for me.

Brian

 

[falconpilot]

I only loaded 52.8, 52.6 and 52.4 for the powder test this morning. Looking at the results, I'm reading two nodes, one between 53.0 - 53.4, and another one between 52.4-52.6. I suspect that if I'd loading some 52.2 they would look close 52.4, but again I'm wanting to run the gun in the 2880 range so it worked out perfect.

As for the jump test, it really surprise me as I was expect the 40 jump to preform the best. The conditions were OK, but not the best..I still can't be sure if I pulled the one shot or not at 15 jump. Since I wasn't sure before going to the range what I'd find below 53, I did all my jump test at 53.2grs

My load will be 52.5 grs, jumping the bullets around 12 thousands..

 

[Brians356]

Question:

What's there to choose from between 52.4, 52.6 and 53.0, 53.2?

I like the 53.0, 53.2 groups better, and they seem to print at the same vertical displacement as 52.4, 52.6.

What am I missing in the selection algorithm?

Brian

 

[falconpilot]

I choose the lower node for a couple of reasons. One being that the lower node should extent barrel life a little, and its easier on my brass. Second being that if I end up shooting somewhere where the temps are very hot, shooting the lower node should push me into the second node area, the though being that the gun will shoot out of one node into the next with the higher temps. If I go somewhere where the temps are cold, I'll load to the higher node.

 

[Steve Blair]

I choose the lower node for a couple of reasons. One being that the lower node should extent barrel life a little, and its easier on my brass. Second being that if I end up shooting somewhere where the temps are very hot, shooting the lower node should push me into the second node area, the though being that the gun will shoot out of one node into the next with the higher temps. If I go somewhere where the temps are cold, I'll load to the higher node.

[br]
With due respect, Jim, that is faulty thinking. You should be looking for the widest node, which my experience shows just below full pressure. Brass life should be Ok. If you use a less tolerant load that moves out of the preferred node, you will likely enter a scatter point well before reaching the next good node. My Shehane shows .5 grain node width with H4831SC @~2940 from 32" and that has not caused temp problems for me. The .300 WSM, however, has a .8 grain window and seems to work well within the ~50° range in which I've shot it.

 

[falconpilot]

Steve,

That does make sense, and the lower node is more narrow. I can see your line of thought and were mine might be faulty. That being said, your suggesting that I go with the higher node and if so, what load would you choose? I'd assume that picking a load in the middle would be the best.

Jim

 

[Erik Cortina]

Jim, I agree with Steve. Find the widest node and load to the middle of it. If temps will be higher, load to the bottom of the node. Do the opposite if the temps will be cooler, but don't load outside the node.

When you test seating depth, only move .003" at a time.

 

[falconpilot]

Thanks guys..