I realize every barrel is different But THIS different?
Put a 30" Krieger 308 barrel on my rifle. The smith used an older reamer throated for 168SMK's (remember those old Highpower days) and I decided to shoot 155's. Well let me tell you, on the lands, off the lands, jamed, -020, -040, -060 nothing worked. Changed to Berger 155.5's same thing. Nothing grouped better than 1 1/2 - 2" at 300 yds and there was always a flier. Changed powders, 4895, 4064, Varget, R-15 even tried 4350. Tried MAX loads, medium loads same results. Maybe it's the primers? Changed to several different brands. Nope that didn't work either.
By now I'm thinking my wife needs another tomatoe stake in the garden. To say I was frustrated is an under statement. So one day I decided just for grins to load three rounds with IMR-4064 and a 175 SMK at -.020. I know this isn't gonna work. SOB!......all three touched at 300yds! Reloaded 10 more and repeated the test. Covered all 10 with a quarter! Loaded up some 190 SMK's. I know some 1-12's will shoot them some won't. Another quarter size 10 round group at 300. Now I got something to play with.
Still wondering why the 155's performed so poorly? Got out the cleaning rod and checked the barrel twist. Yup it's 1/12. Can't be the brass since it shot the 175's - 190's so well (Winchester). Only explanation I can come up with is a Mutant Barrel. So I guess the moral to the story is never give up.
Put a 30" Krieger 308 barrel on my rifle. The smith used an older reamer throated for 168SMK's (remember those old Highpower days) and I decided to shoot 155's. Well let me tell you, on the lands, off the lands, jamed, -020, -040, -060 nothing worked. Changed to Berger 155.5's same thing. Nothing grouped better than 1 1/2 - 2" at 300 yds and there was always a flier. Changed powders, 4895, 4064, Varget, R-15 even tried 4350. Tried MAX loads, medium loads same results. Maybe it's the primers? Changed to several different brands. Nope that didn't work either.
By now I'm thinking my wife needs another tomatoe stake in the garden. To say I was frustrated is an under statement. So one day I decided just for grins to load three rounds with IMR-4064 and a 175 SMK at -.020. I know this isn't gonna work. SOB!......all three touched at 300yds! Reloaded 10 more and repeated the test. Covered all 10 with a quarter! Loaded up some 190 SMK's. I know some 1-12's will shoot them some won't. Another quarter size 10 round group at 300. Now I got something to play with.
Still wondering why the 155's performed so poorly? Got out the cleaning rod and checked the barrel twist. Yup it's 1/12. Can't be the brass since it shot the 175's - 190's so well (Winchester). Only explanation I can come up with is a Mutant Barrel. So I guess the moral to the story is never give up.
