2 out of 3 ain't bad.

[muleman]

I had a pretty good day at the range today. Two rifles gave me excellent performance and the third one almost got wrapped around a tree :x . My 280AI shot well last summer but had problems repeating performance last fall. The scope got changed out as well as the rings/mounts. I checked and rechecked everything - the action screws were torqued, base screws, ring screws, rebedded the action, cleaned the barrel down to bare steel, checked the crown etc. Last summer I had 150 and 168ABLRs shooting 3/4" groups. I could use it for a shotgun these days. My smallest ABLR groups were 3-4". The best group I shot today was a fireforming load with 160 ABs. It was 1 3/4".???????
On to the better news......the 22-250AI shot 77gr. CC and the 64gr.BSB very well.



The 6.5 Creedmore is really starting to hum. I improved the 140BT load by increasing the charge weight to the best OBT. Started working with the 129ABLR; best group was 1". Not bad for the ABLR, I've found them to be a little fussier than other bullets.





I also spent a couple of hours helping a couple of 70+ year old vets with their rifles. They both had declining vision and some real classic firearms and scopes. They were pretty good with the M1 Garands but the scoped rifles hadn't been shot in 20+ years. They couldn't hit paper at 25 yards so I helped them bore sight them and get them on paper. The two rifles were a converted Ariska to 257Roberts with a 4x power Leupold and a Sako Vixen in .222 with a 3x9 Leupold. It didn't help that one gentleman had his scope mounted so that the elevation knob was on the left side. I got them squared away and grouping at 100yds in a about an hour. They were pretty pleased and I was happy to help them.

Scott

 

[gerry]

Good of you to help those gentlemen. Your Creedmoor is doing great and the 22-250 AI looks to be a shooter. Something sounds really strange with your 280 AI sounds like you have checked a lot of different things already. Hope you can figure it out when a gun goes bad for no apparent reason is extremely frustrating.

 

[DrMike]

Few things quite so frustrating as a good rifle gone bad. The 280 AI does sound exceptional for its failure to provide accuracy. However, the other two give you plenty of reason to smile.

 

[6mm Remington]

Scott refresh my memory. What rifle is your .280 AI in? Sure sounds like you have considered all possibilities. I hope you get it figured out. Hard to have confidence in something that won't shoot, or changes how it behaves whenever it wants!
David

 

[SJB358]

cleaned the barrel down to bare steel, Scott

Scott, I am not saying it is the culprit, but any of my cut rifled barrels won't shoot for a hill of beans till I get about 10 rounds through them if I clean them down to bare steel and they generally get better past ten. I have truly gone to the method of not touching them until it is absolutely necessary.

I have some other rifles than be squeaky clean and cold that put 1st round hits right in the same darned group. My point is if it was shooting and all the stuff is right where it was, that would be the only thing different.

As for your other two, I am digging how well that 140 BT looks.. Any idea on speeds? That bullet has shot really well for me in my 264 and I might just have to give it a try in the 6.5 Swede.. I have found the same fussiness for the ABLR's as well. I know they shouldn't, but that sorta fussiness doesn't breed huge amounts of confidence in me. I know they are fine bullets, but I won't use the added ballistic benefit to it's full advantage and BT's make the rifles so good most of the time it is like cheating!

 

[muleman]

David,
My 280AI is a Rem 700 with a 1in9 Douglas super match barrel. Work was done by Redhawk rifles. B&C Medalist stock with the action bedded and the barrel free-floated. I have a hunch on what the problem was. I'll check it out and post what I found.

Scotty,
Good thought on the barrel being too clean. I put a half dozen fire forming loads down range to foul the barrel before I began load work.
The 140BTs should be at 2800FPS out of the Creedmoor. I forgot my tripod for the chrono . That bullet has a BC of 509 so I'm pretty sure I could take to 600+ on an animal and I think a 1000 with steel or paper. The barrel is a Bartlein 1in8 so it should handle everything. I've got some 142gr ABLRs on the way and some 140gr Amaxs I'm going to work with as well. Those 142gr ABLRs would be great in the 26Nosler or your 264.

Scott

 

[SJB358]

I doubt I'd get enough twist for the 142's from my 264. Pretty sure it's a 1-9. Maybe on the next barrel though. It shoots the 140 BTs and ABs really well though so I'm not complaining too much.

That 280 seems odd. What do you think would be causing it?

 

[muleman]

When I was chambering the rounds I felt a little resistance and I new I was nowhere near the lands. I was thinking that perhaps I might have let the cases stretch a little too long. I measured every fired case and they all were 2.515" to 2.520"; well under the max of 2.525. Another theory disproved. I also had been using Redding's competition shell holders that can lessen the shoulder setback by .002" to .010". They give a tighter, consistent chamber fit and less working of the brass. I think I'm going to try an "easy" to tune bullet like the 150gr BT to see what I can do with it.

Scott

 

[DrMike]

Scott, do shoulders on the 280 rounds need to be set back? This won't be a consideration if you are full-length sizing. However, if you are partial neck sizing, it is possible that they have begun to move forward enough to give you some resistance chambering. I do believe your suggestion of using the 150 grain BT is sound, however. I've had occasion to jettison ABs in a rifle because the change when I picked up a new lot was so pronounced. Haven't seen this with the ABLR yet; but, then, I'm still on the initial lots in the loads I've worked up.