mjcmichigan
Handloader
- Dec 26, 2016
- 2,461
- 469
This is part of rationalizing all my loads and specifically today was 243 win Nosler Ballistic tip. The intention is to load up ballistic tips and partitions for this rifle. I had great success with SGK 85gn HP doing doe patrol on a tight parcel (subdivision on both north and south borders of a 120 acre parcel. Farmer asked that I use a round that doesn’t exit. Hence the SGK HP.
the Nosler manual lists the same recipes for the 85 gn Partition and 90 gn ballistic tip. Figured I’d load develop with the cheaper BT and then try a solid load for PT to avoid the added cost of risking a poor powder choice with the PT
I limited my selections of powder to temperature insensitive powders I had on hand.
Selected
StaBALL6.5
IMR 4451
H4831sc
To today. RL 16 fit the criteria as well, but has I have pounds of the other three, I held RL16 in reserve.
Results on combustion testing measured by ES and SD.
StaBALL 6.5 45.0 grains
average 3250, ES 7.8 fps, SD 3.5
IMR4451 43.4gn
Average 3150 ES 11 fps, SD 5.1
H4831sc 46.0 grains
Average 3015fps, ES 6, SD 2.5
All using GM210m primers
All seated 2.750”
Also ran H4895 with a 58 grain varmint bullet for song dogs.. 43,8 grains average
3836, ES 12, SD 5.2
My worse load of the day managed and ES of 66 and SD of 28, so only showing you the best of each powder.
Guilty
Of only doing 3 shots at each powder level as I wanted to narrow down a wide open field. And try several powders in parallel.
No pressure signs on any loads.
I think I could really make nice loads with all of these. The H4831sc was -135 fps vs what the book observed. This can was slow by a lot in my 270 as well. I think I could take that up a bit more to closer to 3200.
The IMR4451 was about 200 fps slower than predicted… StaBALL6.5 was a little slow.
I find it a little crazy that all three powders delivered an ES of 11 or less and an SD of 5.1 or less.
Next step will be for the StaBALL6.5 to have a seating depth test to see if we can get a remarkable group on paper. Will probably use three shot groups for first round of seating depth test.
I’ll probably try the H4831sc up another grain maybe two. The case should handle 48 grains of H4831.
I should add starline brass was used.
RCBS FL sizing die with the competition shell holder +0.08”, no depriming on or sizing button used… pulled that out.
Neck sized using a LE Wilson Mandrel die which sizes to 0.242”. When seating the bullet, case neck dry lubed, bullet dry lubed, RCBS seater, two steps,?just enough seat to feel bullet engage, then back off, rotate case 180 degrees and finish the seating stroke.
Lee factory crimp die with a light crimp.
All bullets we’re cycled through the magazine, so third shot experienced recoil from shot 1 and shot 2.
My son did all the shooting. I’m two days out of the immobilization sling and while I could shoot, it was fun to go to the range with him.
There was an incident at the range. Shooter was ok. Older guy, shooting muzzle loader, went to step back from the bench, he was shooting from standing position, his heel caught on a chain that is holding the chair to the bench. He fell over backwards and hit his head hard on the rail. We hear the ooofff through our hearing protection. I realized he wasn’t on the firing line and looked to his truck and didn’t see him. Finally spotted him laying on the ground not moving. We cleared the gun and attended to him. He was a little annoyed the medic fall alert thingamabobbfailed to activate… he guessed it was the landing on his back that cushioned the sensor… as he became more responsive we helped him up and checked for cuts… looks like a bump on back of head and a bruised wrist.
I say this as many of us are focus on what we are doing at the range and rightly so, but take note of the facilities and potential trip hazards etc. I’ll be reporting the hazard to the club. I suspect we have video cameras that probably caught the whole thing.
Overall loving my Garmin. None of the groups looked remarkable. But pretty confident with three poweders putting consistent numbers on paper, with a little tuning, I’ll have my new load for the MBT for 243 and will move on to testing the PT.
For those of us with Moms still amoung us
Give them a call or visit!
Plan to test 3006 tomorrow.
Will be NBT 150’s and NBT180’s with
StaBall 6.5.
Other temperature stable options RL16, H4350,H4831, IMR 4451 and IMR4955
the Nosler manual lists the same recipes for the 85 gn Partition and 90 gn ballistic tip. Figured I’d load develop with the cheaper BT and then try a solid load for PT to avoid the added cost of risking a poor powder choice with the PT
I limited my selections of powder to temperature insensitive powders I had on hand.
Selected
StaBALL6.5
IMR 4451
H4831sc
To today. RL 16 fit the criteria as well, but has I have pounds of the other three, I held RL16 in reserve.
Results on combustion testing measured by ES and SD.
StaBALL 6.5 45.0 grains
average 3250, ES 7.8 fps, SD 3.5
IMR4451 43.4gn
Average 3150 ES 11 fps, SD 5.1
H4831sc 46.0 grains
Average 3015fps, ES 6, SD 2.5
All using GM210m primers
All seated 2.750”
Also ran H4895 with a 58 grain varmint bullet for song dogs.. 43,8 grains average
3836, ES 12, SD 5.2
My worse load of the day managed and ES of 66 and SD of 28, so only showing you the best of each powder.
Guilty
Of only doing 3 shots at each powder level as I wanted to narrow down a wide open field. And try several powders in parallel.
No pressure signs on any loads.
I think I could really make nice loads with all of these. The H4831sc was -135 fps vs what the book observed. This can was slow by a lot in my 270 as well. I think I could take that up a bit more to closer to 3200.
The IMR4451 was about 200 fps slower than predicted… StaBALL6.5 was a little slow.
I find it a little crazy that all three powders delivered an ES of 11 or less and an SD of 5.1 or less.
Next step will be for the StaBALL6.5 to have a seating depth test to see if we can get a remarkable group on paper. Will probably use three shot groups for first round of seating depth test.
I’ll probably try the H4831sc up another grain maybe two. The case should handle 48 grains of H4831.
I should add starline brass was used.
RCBS FL sizing die with the competition shell holder +0.08”, no depriming on or sizing button used… pulled that out.
Neck sized using a LE Wilson Mandrel die which sizes to 0.242”. When seating the bullet, case neck dry lubed, bullet dry lubed, RCBS seater, two steps,?just enough seat to feel bullet engage, then back off, rotate case 180 degrees and finish the seating stroke.
Lee factory crimp die with a light crimp.
All bullets we’re cycled through the magazine, so third shot experienced recoil from shot 1 and shot 2.
My son did all the shooting. I’m two days out of the immobilization sling and while I could shoot, it was fun to go to the range with him.
There was an incident at the range. Shooter was ok. Older guy, shooting muzzle loader, went to step back from the bench, he was shooting from standing position, his heel caught on a chain that is holding the chair to the bench. He fell over backwards and hit his head hard on the rail. We hear the ooofff through our hearing protection. I realized he wasn’t on the firing line and looked to his truck and didn’t see him. Finally spotted him laying on the ground not moving. We cleared the gun and attended to him. He was a little annoyed the medic fall alert thingamabobbfailed to activate… he guessed it was the landing on his back that cushioned the sensor… as he became more responsive we helped him up and checked for cuts… looks like a bump on back of head and a bruised wrist.
I say this as many of us are focus on what we are doing at the range and rightly so, but take note of the facilities and potential trip hazards etc. I’ll be reporting the hazard to the club. I suspect we have video cameras that probably caught the whole thing.
Overall loving my Garmin. None of the groups looked remarkable. But pretty confident with three poweders putting consistent numbers on paper, with a little tuning, I’ll have my new load for the MBT for 243 and will move on to testing the PT.
For those of us with Moms still amoung us
Give them a call or visit!
Plan to test 3006 tomorrow.
Will be NBT 150’s and NBT180’s with
StaBall 6.5.
Other temperature stable options RL16, H4350,H4831, IMR 4451 and IMR4955
