Well, I had a chance to get out and shoot some rounds today. Found a new range 15 miles from my house! I had no idea it was there. It only runs Sept-Mar, but heck, when you wanna get youre fix, you gotta get it! It is actually a very nice 100 yard range. Covered and everything. Very nice target stands. No range officer! It is on state owned land, and seems to be a well kept secret. Heck, I have been here for almost three years and never thought about it.
Anyhow, first up was the M70 300WSM. I ran some loads with 180 AB's and RL19. I used CCI250's and WW brass for these. Anyhow, groups were decent around 1.5" or so and speeds were where they should be, but I was starting to worry, it wasn't really bringing them in like I thought, till I got here.
69.5gr RL19 (3029-3035-3027)
I was pretty happy with that load. May load 10-12 of them and head back out tomorrow to verify what I have, but I am pretty hopeful.
I also ran some 168 ET's through the rifle. Nothing really special and speeds were pretty poor. I used RL19 and the guidance Nosler put out that says to use Mid loads as your max. Well, they were kinda 308 like...
64.5 - 2750, 2751, 2750
65.0 - 2807, 2811, error
65.5 - 2850, 2870, 2850
66.0 - 2867, 2867, 2860
Nothing special. Groups in the 1.5" range. I think if I leaned on them a bit, they might come in some. Not sure though. That is a long way off from the 3100 I was looking for.
The little 7x57 Featherweight of my boys did pretty danged good. I boresighted it and used some old Remington 175gr RN stuff I was given. It was very fun off the bench and just for the record, three of them ran across the screens at 2346, 2318, 2358 and printed into a 1.5" group or so.
It is kinda hard to make the three out as I fired on the same targets when I started with the BT's on accident. Nothing too shabby though. Seems like the rifle shoots.
Then I moved onto my loads using the RL19 and the 140 BT's. Speeds were fair, but things started to look up when I shot this group of 51.5.
I moved onto 52gr's (2714, 2703, 2699) and got this one.
So the rifle shoots pretty well. I was pretty happy with it.
I also shot my TC Venture 22-250 with the 60 PT and RL15. The load used to shoot really well in my old Savage and I had high hopes it would do okay in the new rifle, since it has a 1/12" twist as well.
35gr RL15 - CCIBR2 and the 60gr PT
I got that rifle zeroed up and ready to hunt coyotes should I get the chance!
I also rezeroed my 35 Whelen. I fired 3 quick ones over the chrono to check it, they came in right at 2639 avg and printed this. Nothing great, but decent for me just checking the zero. I know the rifle will do better, but I wasn't as focused as I need to be with the big guy.
Overall, it was a great day. Looking forward to working some more with the little 7 and the 300WSM. Seems like they are both going to work out pretty well.
Oh, anybody with any good advice for the 168 ET's, let me know. I am .100" off the lands already. I am sure I could get the accuracy I want, but under 2900 with a 168 out of the 300WSM is a little too slow for me to mess with it. Pressures were fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I don't think I could get much more RL19 in the case as these were already compressed. Pretty sure I couldn't add much powder to it, at least to make a difference.
Anyhow, first up was the M70 300WSM. I ran some loads with 180 AB's and RL19. I used CCI250's and WW brass for these. Anyhow, groups were decent around 1.5" or so and speeds were where they should be, but I was starting to worry, it wasn't really bringing them in like I thought, till I got here.
69.5gr RL19 (3029-3035-3027)
I was pretty happy with that load. May load 10-12 of them and head back out tomorrow to verify what I have, but I am pretty hopeful.
I also ran some 168 ET's through the rifle. Nothing really special and speeds were pretty poor. I used RL19 and the guidance Nosler put out that says to use Mid loads as your max. Well, they were kinda 308 like...
64.5 - 2750, 2751, 2750
65.0 - 2807, 2811, error
65.5 - 2850, 2870, 2850
66.0 - 2867, 2867, 2860
Nothing special. Groups in the 1.5" range. I think if I leaned on them a bit, they might come in some. Not sure though. That is a long way off from the 3100 I was looking for.
The little 7x57 Featherweight of my boys did pretty danged good. I boresighted it and used some old Remington 175gr RN stuff I was given. It was very fun off the bench and just for the record, three of them ran across the screens at 2346, 2318, 2358 and printed into a 1.5" group or so.
It is kinda hard to make the three out as I fired on the same targets when I started with the BT's on accident. Nothing too shabby though. Seems like the rifle shoots.
Then I moved onto my loads using the RL19 and the 140 BT's. Speeds were fair, but things started to look up when I shot this group of 51.5.
I moved onto 52gr's (2714, 2703, 2699) and got this one.
So the rifle shoots pretty well. I was pretty happy with it.
I also shot my TC Venture 22-250 with the 60 PT and RL15. The load used to shoot really well in my old Savage and I had high hopes it would do okay in the new rifle, since it has a 1/12" twist as well.
35gr RL15 - CCIBR2 and the 60gr PT
I got that rifle zeroed up and ready to hunt coyotes should I get the chance!
I also rezeroed my 35 Whelen. I fired 3 quick ones over the chrono to check it, they came in right at 2639 avg and printed this. Nothing great, but decent for me just checking the zero. I know the rifle will do better, but I wasn't as focused as I need to be with the big guy.
Overall, it was a great day. Looking forward to working some more with the little 7 and the 300WSM. Seems like they are both going to work out pretty well.
Oh, anybody with any good advice for the 168 ET's, let me know. I am .100" off the lands already. I am sure I could get the accuracy I want, but under 2900 with a 168 out of the 300WSM is a little too slow for me to mess with it. Pressures were fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I don't think I could get much more RL19 in the case as these were already compressed. Pretty sure I couldn't add much powder to it, at least to make a difference.
