Can't get the 60 grain partition to shoot

[nshunter]

I bought a Ruger Hawkeye Predator in 223 a month ago. I had a model 77 mark II prior to that and had a load worked out using the 60 grain Partition that shot well. 26 grains of H4895 and a win primer. Tried this load in my new rifle and it shoots terrible, like 4-5" groups at 100! So I switched to CFE 223 with a couple different charges near max and got the same results! I now have a pound of Varget to try, but i'm wondering if I am just wasting powder on this bullet? I should add that my old rifle was a 12 twist and this one is a 9. I have had good luck with Sierra 55 and 65 GK as well as 60 grain varminters in the new rifle so I know there is nothing wrong with it, just frustrated that I can't even get half decent results with the Partition!

 

[DrMike]

Ruger lists the 223 as a 9 twist, which should be excellent for stabilizing the sixty grain bullet. They do, however, put a 14 twist on the 22-250. It might be worth your while to verify that it is a 9 twist before doing anything else. Did you chronograph your loads? If so, are they showing you low standard deviations? If so, then it may be a matter of seating depth. I would work up from at least a five percent drop from maximum charge. You may find that a lower charge weight gives you the accuracy you want. The fact that the rifle is shooting the other bullets well would indicate that for some reason it doesn't like the PT. You may be forced to look at another bullet. I wouldn't give up, but I would explore a little farther.

 

[nshunter]

Pretty sure it is a 9 twist as it will shoot the hornady 68 grain BTHP well. I don't have a chronograph, I haven't played with the seating depth too much. Does anyone have experience with this bullet? I don't want to waste powder or the bullets with components being so scarce right now!

 

[rick smith]

Read some info from John Barsness that indicated using a faster powder would often make partitions shoot better.Rick.

 

[AzDak42]

Just out of curiosity, have you tried going slower instead of faster? I've found a few combinations where the slow end of the range shot better than the high end. And while I've usually found a suitable powder/bullet combo without having to go too far afield, I'd highly recommend a few more before you write it off.

 

[nshunter]

I can get IMR 4198 and AA2230, both of which are faster with the 4198 being the fastest. Checking the numbers on the 4198 it doesn't produce much for velocity with the 60 grain bullet though, so it would seem to be pointless in a way, to lose a couple hundred feet per second with a bullet that will actually hold together at higher velocities!

 

[SJB358]

I would look at the slower end of powders, such as RL15 and Varget. IMR4198 and AA2230 seem sorta fast for the 223 with heavier bullets, I am sure you can find something, but I am not sure they are getting enough boot to seal the bore..

 

[257 Ackley]

I don't think this is a powder/burn rate issue. There are going to be some bullets that your twist barrel and rifle may not like and it sounds like this may be one of them. You might need to write off the Partition if other bullets in the 60 grain weight class shoot well with H4895, CFE223, Varget, benchmark, etc...

 

[300WSM]

Something isnt adding up. That should be shooting decent. The rate of twist unless Ruger has bumped its head should be 1-9"

That being said...

Are you one hundred percent you are following the same identical steps you took before with the other rifle?

Don't laugh but we all have been there done that with things that we either take for granted or rush...or forget...

 

[nshunter]

Was just about to seat the bullets on 26.5 grains of varget which is half a grain under max according to the IMR site. Decided to check the Nosler data and they are listing 24.5 for a max charge of varget!! That's quite a difference! What's going on here?

 

[Run]

NSHunter,
I'm in the same boat as you. Been banging my head against the wall trying to get the .22 cal 60gr Partitions (bought a couple of months ago through SPS as overruns) to group with my 1:9" twist Marlin X7VH .223 rifle. Tried CFE223, Varget, RL15 powders (according to latest Nosler reloading manual), CCI and Tula primers, and LC, Winchester, and Lapua brass. All different permutations and nothing will group under 3" @ 100 yards, norm is around 5" groupings. Something is definitely amiss here.

 

[SJB358]

Give Nosler a call. Pretty good folks on the phone and will help if they can. I don't get it. They shot pretty well in my last two 1-12 22-250's. granted, the 250 is faster but the extra twist has to be doing something. Especially if it handles the 65 SGK.

 

[300WSM]

Was just about to seat the bullets on 26.5 grains of varget which is half a grain under max according to the IMR site. Decided to check the Nosler data and they are listing 24.5 for a max charge of varget!! That's quite a difference! What's going on here?

That isn't really odd having a difference between the two sources of data. Throw Lyman's data in there and it will be different too.

Moreoever a group of that size is NOT going to be brought down to respectable levels based on your powder charge. Tweaking the powder charge can bring the group down some but it won't make it go from a 5" group to under one inch.

Something else is creating the square peg/round hole sympton here.

 

[nshunter]

I expect some minor differences between sources, but not that much of a difference! I guess I will have to slowly work up starting lower than I had planned to. I suspect it may simply be a case of my rifle just not liking this bullet no matter what powder is used!

 

[300WSM]

It may not like those bullets but a 5" group?

I'm telling you that something else is at work here.

If I were you I would get 20 brand new cases...load them up with a "middle of the road" charge...

Seat the bullet .010 below the saami max for this bullet...and try again.

unless they stuck a bbl with a different twist on your rifle...what I just told you above will get you better than 5" group.

Things that you can't dismiss...They might sound crazy but it happens all the time to people...

Is the scope you are using working proper like? A crosshair that has become unattached to the scope wall will drive a person insane at the range.

Is your scale suddenly out of calibration?
How dirty is the rifle you are shooting? (Does it have 100 plus rounds thru it since its been cleaned last?


If you do what I suggest above and there is nothing else going on I can guarantee you under a 5" inch group with that load. Those Ruger's shoot good.

 

[nshunter]

It's not the rifle! Just got back from the range, tried 25.5 and 26 grains of varget and got about a 3-4"group! Tried varget with my 60 grain Sierra's two seperate 5 shot groups that were both under an inch with three shots within each 5 shot group all touching! I think I will put these bullets away for a while and maybe use them in my mini 14 or sell them, no point continuing any further with this rifle!

 

[300WSM]

It's not the rifle! Just got back from the range, tried 25.5 and 26 grains of varget and got about a 3-4"group! Tried varget with my 60 grain Sierra's two seperate 5 shot groups that were both under an inch with three shots within each 5 shot group all touching! I think I will put these bullets away for a while and maybe use them in my mini 14 or sell them, no point continuing any further with this rifle!

Did you call Nosler?

At the very least I bet they would like to know the lot# to make a note of it. Maybe they had a 500 bullet run or something that never should have made it outside. I've never heard of or seen a rifle shooting a 5" group with one hand load of a good bullet, and 1" of another. Interesting

 

[nshunter]

Haven't called them, but maybe I should! The funny thing about these bullets though is that they shot well out of my old rifle, it's just this rifle that won't shoot them. I'm at a total loss to explain what has been happening?

 

[338 Ultra]

I have shot them out of my 220 swift with a 14 twist and had good groups mostly under one inch on a regular basis but to get there I had to drive them fast. I thought they would be more fur frendly than the standard bullets I normally use but at swift speeds they were not on the few yotes I shot with them at moderate ranges. The barnes 53 grain though are excellent and might just do what you want if you want to try them versus the 60 partitions.

 

[Run]

I started from the beginning again to give another go with the 60 gr Partitions before calling Nosler CS. Before loading a new bullet, I find the max COL with the Hornady OAL gauge. With my rifle (Marlin X7VH), the max COL with this bullet is 2.220". Then I would start it .02" off the lands. Once I wrote down 2.20" as the starting COL, an "Ah Ha" moment hit me. I checked my old notes and noticed my poor handwriting as 2.26".

Reloaded with CFE223 and Varget at correct COL and everything is copacetic again. Getting very good results (.5" to 1") with 27 gr CFE223 and 26 gr Varget. I'm very surprised that .06" difference in COL resulted in 3-5" groupings instead of sub-MOA.