First target - BOLD 30BR Tubal 2000 - was the initial test after acquiring a bunch of this Nobel Sport powder about 20 years ago.
For that test, I began high, but - wisely, as it worked out - at lower charge weight than people had recommended! Due to more pressure than I like, via 5-shot groups, worked down to a decent node: 31.3 Gr.
Per the sighter group (mapped the full value), & subsequent trip around the record bulls, I opted to shoot about 31.9 Gr. That combination won the 100/200/Grand, so not too shabby. The barrel was the original Ronnie Long smithed, Morrison 1:18" twist, on a Jim Borden trued Time/Precision. Using that load/combination, I shot another event, finishing in win/place/show for the Aggs, then, never used the Tu-2000 again - well, not via the 30BR - until this AM.
"Preparing" for a tournament this coming weekend, and following fire-forming 200 cases (Petersen 7mmBR brass - NO-NAME seconds from Graf & Sons), I decided to see if the Tu-2000 would group well enough to provide some hope.
The barrel is a 1:18" twist 5R Bartlein, fit and chambered by my pal, 'HUMBLE' Henry Rivers, on one of my Borden Rimrock BR actions and bedded into a Shehane wood laminate stock, by yours truly.
Today's Tu-2000 shots are circled in red - all of the other clutter is from fire-forming, using a mixture of 112-125 Gr. seven and ten ogive 30 Cal. culled bullets (mostly severe nose-folds), with 30.5 Gr. of the Tu-2000 and Winchester SMR primers.
Todays session began low and worked up to the TALL 5-shot group (#3), which bugged the bejabbers out of me.
So, I added another 0.010" shim, for "jam-seat" of 0.040" (this would be equivalent to a NEW barrel/leade), & shot a four-shot (#4), then chased that with another 5-shot deal (#5). This seems to have potential . . . 
The last two groups were Petersen 7BR ("seconds"?)/32.0 Gr. Tu-2000/CCI BR4/118 Gr.-10 ogive, via .324" NK bushing (.3282" loaded round), 0.040"longer than an empty case via barrel-stub head-space gauge, which was cut using the chamber reamer. Of note, on the current barrel, @ a little beyond 3K rounds, the extra 'jam" probably "made-up" for some erosion, re-establishing the original seating condition. For perspective, the black rings are .375" wide, and the inner white is 1.00" diameter. Don't have a clue regarding velocity, and don't care - never got an award for that!
Oh, all of the .224 holes are quite another adventure, unrelated to bench-rest competition - and MUCH more frustrating than working with, "the good stuff" . . . RG
P.S. The Petersen 7mm BR brass, sold under the moniker, "major manufacture" was likely factory rejects, featuring minor dents, mostly on the shoulders, and some dinged case-mouths, appears to be, "the real deal". . Other than the dents and dings, of which no trace remains, it proved very uniform and EASY to convert to thirty caliber. Getting a solid opinion will require a couple of tournaments worth of experience.
Following two firings via this barrel (my original 30BR reamer - print .200" DATUM - 0.4707"), the brass now measures 0.4703-.4704" just above the extractor groove: prior to initial firing, it ran 0.4685" - .4690". Extraction was very easy . . . again, time will tell. I am one who LIKES the tight primer fit!
For that test, I began high, but - wisely, as it worked out - at lower charge weight than people had recommended! Due to more pressure than I like, via 5-shot groups, worked down to a decent node: 31.3 Gr.
Per the sighter group (mapped the full value), & subsequent trip around the record bulls, I opted to shoot about 31.9 Gr. That combination won the 100/200/Grand, so not too shabby. The barrel was the original Ronnie Long smithed, Morrison 1:18" twist, on a Jim Borden trued Time/Precision. Using that load/combination, I shot another event, finishing in win/place/show for the Aggs, then, never used the Tu-2000 again - well, not via the 30BR - until this AM.
"Preparing" for a tournament this coming weekend, and following fire-forming 200 cases (Petersen 7mmBR brass - NO-NAME seconds from Graf & Sons), I decided to see if the Tu-2000 would group well enough to provide some hope.
The barrel is a 1:18" twist 5R Bartlein, fit and chambered by my pal, 'HUMBLE' Henry Rivers, on one of my Borden Rimrock BR actions and bedded into a Shehane wood laminate stock, by yours truly.Today's Tu-2000 shots are circled in red - all of the other clutter is from fire-forming, using a mixture of 112-125 Gr. seven and ten ogive 30 Cal. culled bullets (mostly severe nose-folds), with 30.5 Gr. of the Tu-2000 and Winchester SMR primers.
Todays session began low and worked up to the TALL 5-shot group (#3), which bugged the bejabbers out of me.
So, I added another 0.010" shim, for "jam-seat" of 0.040" (this would be equivalent to a NEW barrel/leade), & shot a four-shot (#4), then chased that with another 5-shot deal (#5). This seems to have potential . . . The last two groups were Petersen 7BR ("seconds"?)/32.0 Gr. Tu-2000/CCI BR4/118 Gr.-10 ogive, via .324" NK bushing (.3282" loaded round), 0.040"longer than an empty case via barrel-stub head-space gauge, which was cut using the chamber reamer. Of note, on the current barrel, @ a little beyond 3K rounds, the extra 'jam" probably "made-up" for some erosion, re-establishing the original seating condition. For perspective, the black rings are .375" wide, and the inner white is 1.00" diameter. Don't have a clue regarding velocity, and don't care - never got an award for that!
Oh, all of the .224 holes are quite another adventure, unrelated to bench-rest competition - and MUCH more frustrating than working with, "the good stuff" . . . RG
P.S. The Petersen 7mm BR brass, sold under the moniker, "major manufacture" was likely factory rejects, featuring minor dents, mostly on the shoulders, and some dinged case-mouths, appears to be, "the real deal". . Other than the dents and dings, of which no trace remains, it proved very uniform and EASY to convert to thirty caliber. Getting a solid opinion will require a couple of tournaments worth of experience.
Following two firings via this barrel (my original 30BR reamer - print .200" DATUM - 0.4707"), the brass now measures 0.4703-.4704" just above the extractor groove: prior to initial firing, it ran 0.4685" - .4690". Extraction was very easy . . . again, time will tell. I am one who LIKES the tight primer fit!
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