Bullet Seating Depth??

[nosler06]

Well I was back at the range Sunday morning. It looks like my 30-06 has decided it really really likes an OAL or 3.330". That group was with a bipod and a rear sandbag, and yes there was 5 rounds through there. I have a witness who was just as shocked.



These are another set of 3 rounds shots with the .308, and I still can't decide on an OAL for it. I am thinking either 2.740" or even 2.750" to just split the difference. Any suggestions looking at this set and the last set?

this is 2.720"



This is 2.740"



This is 2.760"

 

[SJB358]

Honestly you could split the difference with the 308, but they all look great for hunting to 308/165 ranges. It seems consistent across the board, maybe not 1/2 MOA but easily good enough to kill elk and deer for a good ways out.

30-06 looks great! Way to go.

 

[nosler06]

Honestly you could split the difference with the 308, but they all look great for hunting to 308/165 ranges. It seems consistent across the board, maybe not 1/2 MOA but easily good enough to kill elk and deer for a good ways out.

30-06 looks great! Way to go.

I am thinking about using either 2.760" or just slightly below at 2.750". I am also looking at the data that jimbires supplied to me and do not want to go too short due to increase pressures. I would rather error on caution side that trying to make a hunting rifle into a sub 1/2 MOA rifle. Like you said I don't think any of those targets would have let a deer or elk go very far.

Thanks for the 30-06 confidence as I am still extremely happy and supprised with how all of the tweeking has turned out with that rifle. I think I made the right decision 30yrs ago when I bought it a Win Mod 70 Westerner over the Win Mod 70 Featherweight. A little research now shows the only difference between the two is Westerners had no floor plate on the mag, cheaper stock without the fancies and of course a few hundred $ less. I don't think any of the game it has put in the freezer has known the difference.

 

[Guy Miner]

Looks like that .30-06 is shooting GREAT.

I'd just hunt with it this year. Gee, who knew a Nosler Partition & H4350 shot so well from the .30-06 eh? :grin:

 

[DrMike]

I don't think any of the game it has put in the freezer has known the difference.

Oh, I don't know! In a study conducted a few years back, seven out of ten elk preferred to be shot with an expensive rifle. :grin:

 

[nosler06]

Looks like that .30-06 is shooting GREAT.

I'd just hunt with it this year. Gee, who knew a Nosler Partition & H4350 shot so well from the .30-06 eh? :grin:

Thanks, it has always shot like that right out of the box. The BLR used to shoot like that when I was loading IMR4350 powder for it and then was advised it was way too slow for a .308 rifle. I am still trying to chase that accuracy down with the Varget load. I am considering loading up some .308 rounds with the IMR4350 and magical 47.0grs and see if it shoots the same as it did before. The only other thing I changed with the BLR was a new Leupold Vari II 3x9 scope last year. I know that I have shot a few $$$ down range in Nosler Partitions trying to figure it out.

 

[nosler06]

I just checked a couple of new boxes of factory loads the I have just for the brass and the 150gr Imperial rounds are consistantly 2.710" OAL and the 180gr Remington Core-Lokt rounds are mostly 2.720" OAL with some being 2.690" OAL. I can't wait to take them to the range and see just how they shoot compared to what I will run as 2.760" OAL re-loads.