Interesting groups.

[salmonchaser]

Been playing with my 300 HH #1 hoping to get consistent 1/2 moa with 180 accubonds. I got there with 68.5 gr of RL 19 but velocity was only 2880, hoping for a little more.
The first group, 69 gr. Rl 19 came in at 2914 for five shots. Extreme spread of 11.6, std dev of 4. Also running the new Garmin chronograph. First three shots went into about 1/2 moa. Did the math and put two shots dead center on the 300 yard gong. Garmin appears to be pretty accurate!
Next up was 69.5 grains of Rl 19, came in at 2928. Extreme spread and Std. Dev. Doubled. So did the group. The last one, high and left was the nut behind the trigger. I knew it was gone before I looked.
70grains of RL 19 got me to 2966. Extreme spread was 35 and Std. Dev was in double digits. I began to think my scope had taken a dump but a follow up group with my go to 180 gr. Partitions proved it wasn’t the scope.
Confirmed a couple of things; Accubonds will shoot in the old girl, she doesn’t like to be pushed and she is just plain fun to shoot.

 

[DrMike]

I have often found that the highest velocity was not the most accurate load in a surprising number of my rifles. The difference in terminal ballistics at the velocities you are generating will be negligible. I do need to get out with my Garmin. I need to justify the purchase.

 

[xphunter]

I have often found that the highest velocity was not the most accurate load in a surprising number of my rifles. The difference in terminal ballistics at the velocities you are generating will be negligible.

The difference down range is not that much.
If you are not shooting/hunting at distance, the difference is meaningless.
Even at distance, it may take a click or two more...AS long as the bullet impact velocity is within it's design parameters=dead critter!

 

[truck driver]

I have often found that the highest velocity was not the most accurate load in a surprising number of my rifles. The difference in terminal ballistics at the velocities you are generating will be negligible. I do need to get out with my Garmin. I need to justify the purchase.

Hey DrMike how about send it to me on a lend lease plan. You send it to me and I'll lease it back to you.

Cabin fever is driving me crazy.

 

[DrMike]

Hey DrMike how about send it to me on a lend lease plan. You send it to me and I'll lease it back to you.

Cabin fever is driving me crazy.

Homeland Security likely would protest. Kestrel instruments are off the table, as are scopes. I couldn't even arrange to send a lever gun to Scotty--a Model 94 made in Connecticut! Anyone living in the Great White North is a danger to you living in the US of A. Sorry, Rodger. My natal land has become paranoid, or at least the politicians who control everything are paranoid. There is still the issue of illegal immigrants flooding across the borders. Oh, oh, now I'm getting political. I'll just have to hang onto this fine instrument.

 

[truck driver]

Homeland Security likely would protest. Kestrel instruments are off the table, as are scopes. I couldn't even arrange to send a lever gun to Scotty--a Model 94 made in Connecticut! Anyone living in the Great White North is a danger to you living in the US of A. Sorry, Rodger. My natal land has become paranoid, or at least the politicians who control everything are paranoid. There is still the issue of illegal immigrants flooding across the borders. Oh, oh, now I'm getting political. I'll just have to hang onto this fine instrument.

Gee Gosh Golly Oh My I guess that ends our trade agreement.

 

[JD338]

Nice shooting Don. Could some of it be bedding related? Nothing wrong with that first group. Still a decent speed and more than enough to put a bull elk in the freezer, even 400-500 yards out.
Well done sir!

JD338

 

[IdahoCTD]

That is a crazy jump in group size between nodes. If your brass can handle it I'd try higher to see if you hit another node. A lot of times the higher nodes wont shoot as well as the lower nodes.

 

[salmonchaser]

Nice shooting Don. Could some of it be bedding related? Nothing wrong with that first group. Still a decent speed and more than enough to put a bull elk in the freezer, even 400-500 yards out.
Well done sir!

JD338

It might be Jim. I installed the hicks accurizer in 4 of the number 1s it has worked every time and worked with the 300. Prior to the hicks I was getting stringing and 1 1/2 groups. I haven’t worked too hard with the others, found a load that shoots and called it good. It seems like I’m adjusted ok with the 300 HH, I’ve three loads, three bullets, that shoot pretty well at around 2900. I’ve plenty of 4350 and Rl19 so I’m hesitant to try any of my limited 26 or 17. I’m going to try the 70gr load again but before shooting adjust the hicks pressure point to see what happens.
4 to 500 is all I need. Only shot two right at 500, a couple more at 400 but even though our area is wide open I generally get to about 300. I’ve looked at 600 yards but other than putting down a cripple shot by one of brothers, I’ve just worked at getting closer.
I do have a couple loads now that have proven consistent over several trips to the range and I’m getting pretty comfortable carrying the rifles hunting so feel good looking ahead to Colorado elk and Alberta moose this year.

 

[salmonchaser]

That is a crazy jump in group size between nodes. If your brass can handle it I'd try higher to see if you hit another node. A lot of times the higher nodes wont shoot as well as the lower nodes.

I was surprised by that also. Felt like I was shooting pretty well. I do find some old notes from when I first got the rifle two years ago indicating erratic behavior when getting up around 3k

 

[PJGunner]

"Been playing with my 300 HH #1 hoping to get consistent 1/2 moa with 180 accubonds. I got there with 68.5 gr of RL 19 but velocity was only 2880, hoping for a little more."

That's what I get from a commercial FN Mauser in 30-06 running the 165 gr. Accubonds over W760. Rifle has a 24" barrel with unknown twist rate that was supposed to ne 1 in 12". I have a .308 Win. with 1 in 1" twist that will stabilze 220 gr. bullets. I also have a Husqvarna 640 30-06 that comes with a 1 in 12" 4" barrel as standard and so far shoots 180 and 200 gr. Spitzers into nice tight groups. My gunsmith trid to figure out the twist on the FN and just couldn't get a readding. I gave up years ago.

Funny story about that rifle.First, it was a commercial SFN made and barreled in Belgium, standard 24" 1 in 10" twist barrel. Dunno what hit it but the barrel literaly had chunks missing from the rifling so I got it for the action for $100. I was talking to the manager of the Sears catalog store in Winnemucca and he said he had a barrel in .30 caliber. Told me he'd put it on my action and chamber it to 30-06 for $100. Didn't seem I could lose so what the hell. He said he thought it was with a 1 in 12" twist. That got my interest as I was shooting a lot of cast bullets at the time so I went with the deal. About a week later he calls me and said the rifle is done. I'd done some looking into the fellow and he had a local reputation of being a superb metal man. He even restocked the rifle with a very nice piece of walnut. Only problem there was he was great working with metal but just didn't have the eye carving out a stock. BTW the stock was a freebie. Now that's all the good news. Around 1982 I got a McMillan stock to see if I had a beding broblem but no help.

The bad news was I couldn't get that rifle to shoot 180 gr. and heavier bullets. The 180s including round nose bullets showed instability at 100 yard and anything heavier key holed at 100 yards. It seemed to shoot cast fairly well but not as good as I was getting from stock 30 caliber rifles that had 1 in10 twist. More than once I figured I'd just have to eat the cost of that $100 barrel and several rebedding jobs were no help. One day while on a shooying site a few years back I was bitching about my results with that rifle and someone suggested trying 165 gr. and lighter bullets. I liked the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core in my Ruger RSI and had a box of 165 gr. Accubonds I'd picked up somewhere. I ended up with a rather stiff load using W760 with that 165 AB and groups in the .375 to .75" range depending on now well I'm shooting.I took that rifle along with my .35 Whelen on an elk hunt with the 30-06 as back up. While at the Whittington rifle range in New Mexico, the cross hairs in the scope of the .35 Whelen decided to do a disappearing act so the 30-06 had the duty. I was a bit leery about the somewhat light weight of the 165 gr. AB but when the time came, the elk only went maybe 30 yards before expiring. Never found the bullet or an exit wound.
Paul B.

 

[RL338]

I have often found that the highest velocity was not the most accurate load in a surprising number of my rifles. The difference in terminal ballistics at the velocities you are generating will be negligible. I do need to get out with my Garmin. I need to justify the purchase.

I find this so true in factory barrels.