Post by Richard on Feb 21, 2017 21:02:25 GMT -5
that is the question?
DEFINITELY BRAKE!
Lots of good tests today with various powders and duplexes and “break/no brake” info! The thing is, if you disregard my narrative along with the accompanying velocities for individual shots, average velocities and Extreme Spreads, you will miss the point of the testing? If all I wanted to do was shoot bug holes and post them, I have loads that will do that all day long………….boring! I like to try different powders/combinations/bullets etc. in hopes of finding the HOLY GRAIL! In the mean time give members here a look at the possibilities of different loads.
Again, an ideal day for shooting the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club in Hickory NC. It started out at 40* at 7 a.m. and was up into the mid 60’s by late morning. It was overcast but still bright with virtually no wind……….a little mirage but very doable. All shooting from my Brux 26” barrel, Rem. 700 CF action, Shilen 2 oz. trigger with HIS ignition (.035 bushing) and Fed. 215 match/mag. LR primers. A very modified lead sled is used for all shooting. All loads dispensed with a Harrell’s and a Lyman 55 powder measure. The scope is Sightron 8x32x56. Two fouler shots were fired to begin fouling the clean barrel………………………….NO WADS were used at all today!
The first group (one thru seven are at 100 yards) (also one thru eight use the Hornady 300 gr. XTP sized in Hank’s die to measure right around .4502”) was shot using 8/65 of N-110 and H-4198. I think the barrel still needed a shot or two more to be properly fouled as the ES was a little on the high side but the group stayed under ½”
Recently there had been a question about whether a muzzle brake or no brake changed POI? Since I had a good load going, the next group was shot with the brake off. Note how the ES dropped way down as the barrel fouled? Yet the velocity remained basically the same. What did change drastically was the POI. It shifted 2.2” low and 1.2” to the right of POA. So, does it change? Definitely did for me and my gun. If it was shot at 300, it would have easily been a miss on a deer so you have to check how your gun responds if want to remove it for hunting. Oh, and I might add, I would not want to shoot the 38 shots I shot today with NO brake! Even with the lead sled (24 lbs., rifle 14 lbs. and 16 lbs of lead shot all recoiling as one unit) I could tell the difference. But the good news is the group was just as good.
For group #3 I wanted to see what the difference in velocity and POI was if I substituted 4759 (same amount) for the N-110. As you can see, I lost about 30 fps of velocity but still maintained similar velocity. So then I wanted to see what adding one more grain of booster would do to the velocity and shot #4 came in at 2799 or almost 30 fps faster than the N-110 load. And, the bullet remained in the middle of the group.
Last week I shot a 40/40 duplex with 4198 and 3031 which was down just under 2700 fps sot this week I put in 60 gr. of 4198 and hen 20 of 3031 to see what happens? The velocity definitely went up but the ES also went wild at 62 fps. Still, at 100 yards it put 3 shots in .387” with all five in .662”. While the group looked good, it would not be a good long range load. It might even hold to 200 or 300 but that’s about all.
For group #5 I went with 75 gr. of straight H-4198 (but did click the scope a couple to the right and one down) It also shot good but actually moved much further to the right than expected? Probably just the load doing it. The group slightly larger but ES low at 9 fps.
In group #6 I went with 75 gr. of Reloader 7 powder. It shot somewhat slower and lower and the ES was just OK. Maybe at a higher volume it might improve?
Moving on to group #8 I did a modified version last weeks 10/80 N-110/3031 at 2850 fps and dropped to 8/80 which gave me 2779 fps but the ES was on the high side at 38 fps.. Still, the group was .432” for three shots and .842” for five.
Next up I put 7 MOA (on top of those 100 yard groups) on the scope using the 8/65 load and shot the 300 yard gong hitting my POA. This is with the 300 XTP. Then a three shot group on the target netted a nice 2795 fps average with 12 fps ES and a 3.265” group.
Using the same duplex and Kyle’s 300 gr. AEROMAX I removed 3MOA down to 4 MOA and fired the next 300 yard group. Here is where it gets funny! The ES was terrible at 77 fps. but the group measured 1.372” Go figure? It could be that because the BC is so high on these bullets that the large ES was not enough to destroy the group?
The last group really gets funny……….I dialed the scope from the POA to the bullet group to get me more centered. M velocity was 2833 fps with a 4 fps ES but shot #3 went out of the group…………making a two shot one inch group into a 2.990” three shot group? Condition looked great, the shot felt good but I guess S#!@$%T just happens?
So here is what, in particular I noticed today: #1 IMR 3031 is noticeably dirty! I could tell when loading the bullets how I needed two hands to seat them. Once I shot a load with N-110 and 4198, they would begin to seat normally. The powder itself may produce some decent results but I don’t like it for that reason. To each his own? #2 while single powder loads shoot pretty good, I am still leaning towards the duplex with either N-110 or 4759 and H-4198. I am also liking the velocity range of mid to upper 2700’s with the 300 gr. bullets.
You will also notice in the picture that I am still using my Cool Rod (see the red knob sticking thru my window unit)
DEFINITELY BRAKE!
Lots of good tests today with various powders and duplexes and “break/no brake” info! The thing is, if you disregard my narrative along with the accompanying velocities for individual shots, average velocities and Extreme Spreads, you will miss the point of the testing? If all I wanted to do was shoot bug holes and post them, I have loads that will do that all day long………….boring! I like to try different powders/combinations/bullets etc. in hopes of finding the HOLY GRAIL! In the mean time give members here a look at the possibilities of different loads.
Again, an ideal day for shooting the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club in Hickory NC. It started out at 40* at 7 a.m. and was up into the mid 60’s by late morning. It was overcast but still bright with virtually no wind……….a little mirage but very doable. All shooting from my Brux 26” barrel, Rem. 700 CF action, Shilen 2 oz. trigger with HIS ignition (.035 bushing) and Fed. 215 match/mag. LR primers. A very modified lead sled is used for all shooting. All loads dispensed with a Harrell’s and a Lyman 55 powder measure. The scope is Sightron 8x32x56. Two fouler shots were fired to begin fouling the clean barrel………………………….NO WADS were used at all today!
The first group (one thru seven are at 100 yards) (also one thru eight use the Hornady 300 gr. XTP sized in Hank’s die to measure right around .4502”) was shot using 8/65 of N-110 and H-4198. I think the barrel still needed a shot or two more to be properly fouled as the ES was a little on the high side but the group stayed under ½”
Recently there had been a question about whether a muzzle brake or no brake changed POI? Since I had a good load going, the next group was shot with the brake off. Note how the ES dropped way down as the barrel fouled? Yet the velocity remained basically the same. What did change drastically was the POI. It shifted 2.2” low and 1.2” to the right of POA. So, does it change? Definitely did for me and my gun. If it was shot at 300, it would have easily been a miss on a deer so you have to check how your gun responds if want to remove it for hunting. Oh, and I might add, I would not want to shoot the 38 shots I shot today with NO brake! Even with the lead sled (24 lbs., rifle 14 lbs. and 16 lbs of lead shot all recoiling as one unit) I could tell the difference. But the good news is the group was just as good.
For group #3 I wanted to see what the difference in velocity and POI was if I substituted 4759 (same amount) for the N-110. As you can see, I lost about 30 fps of velocity but still maintained similar velocity. So then I wanted to see what adding one more grain of booster would do to the velocity and shot #4 came in at 2799 or almost 30 fps faster than the N-110 load. And, the bullet remained in the middle of the group.
Last week I shot a 40/40 duplex with 4198 and 3031 which was down just under 2700 fps sot this week I put in 60 gr. of 4198 and hen 20 of 3031 to see what happens? The velocity definitely went up but the ES also went wild at 62 fps. Still, at 100 yards it put 3 shots in .387” with all five in .662”. While the group looked good, it would not be a good long range load. It might even hold to 200 or 300 but that’s about all.
For group #5 I went with 75 gr. of straight H-4198 (but did click the scope a couple to the right and one down) It also shot good but actually moved much further to the right than expected? Probably just the load doing it. The group slightly larger but ES low at 9 fps.
In group #6 I went with 75 gr. of Reloader 7 powder. It shot somewhat slower and lower and the ES was just OK. Maybe at a higher volume it might improve?
Moving on to group #8 I did a modified version last weeks 10/80 N-110/3031 at 2850 fps and dropped to 8/80 which gave me 2779 fps but the ES was on the high side at 38 fps.. Still, the group was .432” for three shots and .842” for five.
Next up I put 7 MOA (on top of those 100 yard groups) on the scope using the 8/65 load and shot the 300 yard gong hitting my POA. This is with the 300 XTP. Then a three shot group on the target netted a nice 2795 fps average with 12 fps ES and a 3.265” group.
Using the same duplex and Kyle’s 300 gr. AEROMAX I removed 3MOA down to 4 MOA and fired the next 300 yard group. Here is where it gets funny! The ES was terrible at 77 fps. but the group measured 1.372” Go figure? It could be that because the BC is so high on these bullets that the large ES was not enough to destroy the group?
The last group really gets funny……….I dialed the scope from the POA to the bullet group to get me more centered. M velocity was 2833 fps with a 4 fps ES but shot #3 went out of the group…………making a two shot one inch group into a 2.990” three shot group? Condition looked great, the shot felt good but I guess S#!@$%T just happens?
So here is what, in particular I noticed today: #1 IMR 3031 is noticeably dirty! I could tell when loading the bullets how I needed two hands to seat them. Once I shot a load with N-110 and 4198, they would begin to seat normally. The powder itself may produce some decent results but I don’t like it for that reason. To each his own? #2 while single powder loads shoot pretty good, I am still leaning towards the duplex with either N-110 or 4759 and H-4198. I am also liking the velocity range of mid to upper 2700’s with the 300 gr. bullets.
You will also notice in the picture that I am still using my Cool Rod (see the red knob sticking thru my window unit)
....It is corrected---Thanks for spotting that.