Memorial Day trip to the range

[wisconsinteacher]

I have made it a point to shoot on Memorial Day for the past 3 years. I like to take the M1 Garand out and shoot it in honor of my grandpas. Today I tried some 168 Hornady bullets and IRM 4895. I shot a 3" group with open sights at 100 yards with it. I am going to stick with that combo and load up a pile of ammo for it. I love shooting it. I also had 4 other rifles to shoot.

Ruger 30-06

I used 56.0 grains of H4350 with a 180 AB. I tried 3 different depths

2.659" at ogive=.873
2.653" at ogive=1.729
2.648" at ogive=1.351

Last time at the range, I shot the 2.659" load and shot a .818" I think I have my deer/bear load for this rifle.

Ruger 25-06

RL19 with 87gr Sierra
57.0gr=1.068
57.5gr=.661
58.0gr=.378

Last time with 58.0gr, I shot a .580" I just ordered 300 Sierra bullets. I am set with that load.

I shot some 75gr VMax they all shot around the 1" mark. I need to try the 110PT that I have for deer hunting but the 87 will do the trick on coyotes and targets for now.

6.5 Grendel I finally got the scope mounted up.

123 Nosler CC/8208 XBR

25.7gr-2.25"
26.0gr-1.439"
26.3gr-.782"

I need to play with this one. I really want to shoot the 123 grain CC bullet

107 Sierra/8208 XBR

25.5gr-.554"
26.0gr-.907"
26.5gr-.800"

I thinks if I play with seating depth on the 25.5, I could get down to the .3 or .4 but I am not too worried.

338WM

I am still not happy with the results I get with this rifle. I know it can shoot better.

RL19 powder and 210 PT

74.4gr-4.5"
74.7gr-1.6"
75.0gr-3.1"

I need to check to make sure everything is tight with the mounts and rings. I think I might try W760 or H4350 next just to see what happens. Looking at past notes, I average 1.5-2" groups with this rifle and RL19 and 210PT over the past year. I would love to shoot a 1" group every time I go to the range with it. Maybe I need to try a 225gr bullet. I don't know.

It was great to get out and shoot on Memorial Day. It was also great to see the 06's both shoot nice groups.

 

[SJB358]

That's pretty cool WT, sounds like it was a fun day with your rifles.

I would almost say something is loose or there is another issue, cause I have never seen .6 grain ever make that kinda difference in a group size. I would maybe look at your most accurate charge that has worked for you and then start at the max OAL length you can use and work back in .015 increments. Then, if you see the node where it wants to shoot, reshoot in .005" changes to tweak, if needed, but I would thouroughly check your rifle over if it has been a 1.5-2" shooter all along.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I would say it is me, but I can shoot my other rifles better and I do the same thing on the bags when I shoot them or the .338. I have a new Minox 3-9 on it. I am wondering if it is the new scope?

 

[SJB358]

Could be, but I doubt it is the scope. I have a couple of them exact scopes and haven't shaken one of the 3-9's yet. Does seem odd though WT.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I am going to go check screws right now.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Just checked all the screws I could reach.

Action screws
front=50 in/lbs
middle and rear=30 in/lbs

Leupold scope ring screws=15 in/lbs
Windage screws=30 in/lbs

75gr of RL19 has been the load I have used in the past. On average, it is a 1.712" load.

 

[SJB358]

Dang, not sure buddy. If it has been a consistent gun, at all of those settings, I can't see it changing, so maybe it is a scope deal, but I just think it is a stretch to think the scope gave up and changed that much on you.

Have you reshot your 75 grain load, really slowly, to see if it reshoots?

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Today I set a timer and never shot before the 5 minute mark so the barrel was cool. It was 54 out this morning. Today I shot just those three groups. I am thinking about shooting the 74.7 and 75 grain loads again. From there take the best one and play with seating depth. Kind of frustrated with it right now. I even thought about selling it after walking down and looking at targets this morning. Would you try H4350 just to play with it?

 

[SJB358]

Yup. Sure would. I would be looking for something different if I was sure it wasn't the rifle. H4350 is pretty danged good in the 338 as well.

 

[Hegland]

Looks like a productive trip, great shooting!

And I also have H4350 on deck in my .338 WM, with the 210 PTs. Just to play with it... :grin: Seriously, I've found that powder to be a very versatile one. Not only in the typical applications such as the .243 and .30-06, but also in things like the .270 where other powders usually steal the spotlight. I have to imagine it will work well in the .338 too.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I am going to try the H4350 on the next range trip. If that does not work out, I might pull my hair out and cry. I bought the rifle bedded and it has pillars with a floated barrel. If the RL19 doesn't work, the 25-06 will eat it up. Thoughts on trying a different bullet??? I don't have anything else on hand so I will try the 210 with H4350 first.

 

[SJB358]

WT, another good load between two of my 338's has been the 200 AB, 3.373" OAL, CCI250, 76.5 RL19, CCI250's and a WW case.

These were both shot at 300 yards, during last years zeroing..





I am not sure why I mess with other bullets, as that 200 AB would hammer elk and bear with ease, but I can't help myself sometimes.

These were shot with 76.8 grains of RL19, CCI250's, 210 PT's and WW cases at 200 yards. While, not a benchrest group at all, I feel confident with this sorta accuracy out to 500 yards or better, knowing it'll hammer deer thru elk with aplomb (stole that word from Dr. Mike) :lol:





My main point when shooting my 338 is I can get off two shots, pretty fast and they will print very close to one another, but unless the rifle cools right down, it'll toss the 3rd a little ways off. It is bedded tight, all along with the barrel with 40" lbs of pressure, so I don't expect it to drive tacks, but it is a consistent rifle and the POI doesn't shift, so, I run it.

I think H4350 is a great powder for the 338, but I have ran RL19 in quite a few now and never found it to be that fussy, and usually it shoots really well too.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Maybe I need to slide above that 75 gr charge. 75 is the highest I have used. Nosler #7 says max is 76 gr of RL210 with the 210 PT.

 

[SJB358]

Maybe I need to slide above that 75 gr charge. 75 is the highest I have used. Nosler #7 says max is 76 gr of RL210 with the 210 PT.

There just about right on with their max charge, at least in my rifle. You might able to squeak a little more outta your rifle, but maybe not.

I would say to run a ladder type test, trying to shoot them at 200, maybe 300 if you have the range. Shoot the loads side by side, equalizing the shots, so you aren't giving preference to any one charge. At that point, when you have the most accurate charge, do the same with varying seating depths. At the longer ranges, you should see which one really groups and get a better idea of grouping ability, of a given load. If you can chrono, all the better.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I do have a chrono but I have never used it. Today there was a chance of rain. I plan on shooting next weekend so I will take the chrono. With that said, I have RL19 and H4350 with the 210. What would you load up for next weekend as your test loads?

 

[SJB358]

WT, if it were me, I would load up 74.5-75.5-76.5, 4 rounds a piece. Then, set up a target with 3 bulls. Fire 1 shot from your 74.5 grain group, rest 2 minutes, shoot 75.5 at the next bull, rest 2 minutes, and fire the final load of 76.5 at your 3rd bull. Let the gun cool back down to normal ambient temp, then start at 76.5 and shoot in the other direction, then again, let it cool and reshoot, using the low load and shooting left to right. Same thing for the last set...

You get a good picture of what loads will shoot the best in your rifle, and if you throw a shot, you aren't killing all the data, and you'll see how the rifle does as it warms up so you aren't always shooting through an entirely cool barrel or finishing with an entirely hot barrel.

Once you get the charge you like, then, do the same for seating depth, shooting in the same order. Again, the longer the range, the easier it is to "see" what is going on with the gun and load.

That's how I would go about it. Seems to provide more consistent overall load for me. Chronoing just gives me more additional data to use.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Just an FYI, I looked at some info from last summer and I shot one group with H4350 and the 210. I used 60 grains and shot a 1.24" 3 shot group. The RL19 that day shot better so I went after the RL19 due to summer coming to an end and I wanted to deer hunt with the .338 last year.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Just an FYI, I looked at some info from last summer and I shot one group with H4350 and the 210. I used 60 grains and shot a 1.24" 3 shot group. The RL19 that day shot better so I went after the RL19 due to summer coming to an end and I wanted to deer hunt with the .338 last year.

You mention going 74.5/75.5/76.5, after that, would you go .5 from the best of those three then maybe .2 to fine tune?

 

[OU812]

If it was me I would opt for a 225 Hornady spire point seated to the cannelure to start. Adjust a known favorite power such as RL-19, either of the 4350's or IMR4831 until it shoots lights out. Could not see this taking very long to be giddy of the results assuming a clean barrel to start.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

The barrel has 25 shots down the tube since the last cleaning with Sweets 7.62.