Small Test of Nosler RDF consistency

[JimSC]

hi Jim

I normally don't have much luck with Nosler bullets, but the 22 cal 70RDF in my 223 work good. going to give them a try on groundhogs and see if they expand.

chet

I still have about 70 of them, I may test them again and use CFE 223. My bolt rifle seems to really like that powder with 77 SMK's and Berger 80 VLD's. I need to try it with some 69 & 77 grain bullets.

On the Nosler bullets both my .260 Remington rifles shoot them good enough for mid 190's scores up to 800 yards. I bought a 1000 bullet box of the 140 CC's a couple of years back and started shooting them when I ran low on SMK's. That lot shoots great but I am down to my last 100 of that lot. The BC is pretty bad for anything beyond 800 however. I also like the 69 Custom Competitions for the price. I can get consistent .5 to .75 MOA out to 300 with 24.7 gr Varget

 

[benchrest]

i keep chasing the 105rdf in my dasher. not as consistent on paper as the vld's. maybe my 1:8 twist isn't enough for them idk.

 

[L W P]

After all of my testing with the Nosler RDF 140gr bullets I've found that nothing can make them work in my 6.5 Creedmoor. I've tried eveything that should be needed to see some consistency. The only constance is that they don't group. My Hornady HPBT 140gr bullets shoot better groups than the RDF's buy a large margin. Sure did want them to work, but it's just not happening.

 

[DR_2297]

I would love to see your Gage RR...

 

[dminn1]

After all of my testing with the Nosler RDF 140gr bullets I've found that nothing can make them work in my 6.5 Creedmoor. I've tried eveything that should be needed to see some consistency. The only constance is that they don't group. My Hornady HPBT 140gr bullets shoot better groups than the RDF's buy a large margin. Sure did want them to work, but it's just not happening.

My experience with the 140 RDF in this caliber mirrors yours. I tested a box with 4350 and RL-16 and had some great three shot groups but 1 or 2 were always off in space. This mirrors my experience with every Nosler bullet I have tried for long range except some Custom Competition 80g .224 that shot reasonably well at 600 yards in a service rifle.

 

[Nature Boy]

I would love to see your Gage RR...

I think a lot of people would be surprised if they did that

 

[JimSC]

My experience with the 140 RDF in this caliber mirrors yours. I tested a box with 4350 and RL-16 and had some great three shot groups but 1 or 2 were always off in space. This mirrors my experience with every Nosler bullet I have tried for long range except some Custom Competition 80g .224 that shot reasonably well at 600 yards in a service rifle.

I get great results from the Nosler 140 and 69 grain CC's

 

[ranger3]

In my 243 the RDF 's group in 3s and 4s, while 105 Hornady HPBT group in th 2s and 105 hybrids group in the high 1s. But I haven't done much load development with the RDF 's either.

 

[dc.fireman]

I'm having some decent results with the 6.5 140's, which I shoot in a .260 300M prone rifle. They've consistently held the 10 ring, which is about 3.5".

 

[Hengehold]

I have not gotten around to testing my RDF Bullets yet but am starting to dread the process after reading many of the reviews and results from others.

I am surprised that the recommended twist rate is the same as similar weight Bullets. I expected to see a faster published twist the same way that Berger increased the published twist for some of their longer hybrids (ex. .30 cal 155gr hybrid). Perhaps slow twist is the root cause of most of the poor testing results that are being experienced.

-T

 

[Beau]

I hope I can get the 70s to work. Wind-wise they'll run with Sierra 80s at 600 and beat about everything else loaded mag length at 300. So far they've been OK at 3, but I didn't have good luck the one time at 6. But then I'm a spotty prone shooter.

 

[Steve Ladino]

I just got a "relatively" new 6 x 47, 1-8 twist. My fav 6mm bullet is the Berger 108BT. However, after EXTENSIVE testing in this rifle, they shot like a blunderbuss! This is the first 6mm I know of that won't shoot them. So I tried the 105 Scenar, which is another super accurate bullet. Well they shot excellently! However, their B.C.'s are in the basement as far as 105 class bullets go. I found a single 100 box of 107SMKs. I gave them a good run and they shoot very well indeed! I doubt I could find a more accurate load>>>>maybe a bullet it's equal, but not MORE accurate! This has given me a good jolt! So I decided to try the 142s in my 6.5 x 284>>>they also shoot very, very well! I am beginning to think that Sierra may have finally got their "act" together! I certainly hope so!

The new 77 TMK's shoot.....! !

 

[Pigdog]

can any of yall who are using the 140's confirm if you need a VLD seating stem in the bullet seater with these? I have a Wilson seater with a "normal" seater for my 139 scenars and wondering if this will damage the RDF?

 

[dc.fireman]

can any of yall who are using the 140's confirm if you need a VLD seating stem in the bullet seater with these? I have a Wilson seater with a "normal" seater for my 139 scenars and wondering if this will damage the RDF?

I'm using a Forster Micrometer Seating Die to seat mine - I don't *think* it has a VLD seating stem.

 

[tflorman]

I like the 140 RDF's in 6.5 Creedmoor. My load is 41.4 of IMR 4350 in Hornady brass and they are 2.2 base to ogive or about 2.850 COAL using hornady comparator with 26 insert.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

They do sort well but to say theyre better than hornady.... maybe on theory paper but not the paper that really matters. I love nosler as a company but the rdf will bite you if you shoot in any type of competition. The flyers cannot be identified by any sorting method.

 

[Dgd6mm]

They do sort well but to say theyre better than hornady.... maybe on theory paper but not the paper that really matters. I love nosler as a company but the rdf will bite you if you shoot in any type of competition. The flyers cannot be identified by any sorting method.

I proved this very thing to myself, all the way to 1000 yards. The longer the distance of course the worse the flyer. Their worse than a barrel going south pitching a shot here and there.

 

[Depart123]

I bought 1,000 30 cal 175 RDF's. About 1 out of 12 on average exhibit some weirdness. Usually a full minute out, so they are obvious.

 

[Fast14riot]

They do sort well but to say theyre better than hornady.... maybe on theory paper but not the paper that really matters. I love nosler as a company but the rdf will bite you if you shoot in any type of competition. The flyers cannot be identified by any sorting method.

I went through about 600 of the 140 rdf in my 260AI learning to read the wind at 1000. Once I really felt like I could be consistent, many of the random fliers started becoming apparent. I've switched to the 140VLDT with much better results.