Weekend range trips (pics)

[wisconsinteacher]

I was able to hit the range two times this weekend and here are the results. It could be better but I think I'm close with some of them.

22-250 with 55gr Vmax and IMR4064 (I am redoing this load to see if I can make it better)
35.0gr-1.247"
35.5gr-1.644"
36.0gr-1.137"
There is room to seat the bullet deeper if need be. I think I want to try 36.0-36.3-36.6 if pressure signs don't show up to fast.


7mmRM with 63.0gr IMR4350 and 150 Partitions
This group shot .75" last time so I shot 3 groups to retest.
Group 1-1.311"
Group 2-1.709"
Group 3-2.116"

I was not real happy to see the groups getting bigger as I shot them. I'm beginning to think the A-Bolt does not like a dirty barrel. I cleaned in and plan on retesting this load again.


338wm with 73.0gr RL19 225 AccuBonds. Last time this load shot 1.25" with Win LRMag primers so I thought I would try the same load with different primers.
CCI Primer-2.054"
Fed 210 Primer-1.739"
Both shot 2 in and 1 out????


30-06 with 180 B-Tips and H4350. This is the first time out with this bullet/powder combo.
56.0gr-1.183
56.5gr-2.556
57.0gr-1.883
The 56.0gr load shoots the 180 AccuBond around .8" so that is where I started and it is the best. I think I will play with seating depths next with the 56.0 charge.


243 with 85gr Partitions and IMR4350 These loads shot 1MOA last fall so I wanted to see how they shot. I shot 3-3 shot groups.
Group 1-1.196
Group 2-2.224
Group 3-1.775
All groups were again 2 in 1 out Speeds of 9 shots averaged 3168fps


444 with 265 Interlocks and 47.0gr of H4198
At 50 yards I got a .417" group. I tried a few groups at 100 but they were over 2". This gun will be used for deer/bear so 50 yards in the woods will be max. I am happy with the results and ready to load up a box or two for hunting.


I also shot some 70gr B-tips from the 243 and all three groups were under .800" so that is another load ready to hunt with.

All in all it was good shooting. I think cleaning the 7mm will help and with some time the 30-06 and 22-250 will be under 1MOA.

If you have any suggestions please share them. I am open to anything. Thanks

One last thing, why so many 2 in 1 out groups? Is it me the shooter, the way I reload, or just dumb luck of the day?

 

[SJB358]

WT, your 30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag will pull in as you seat them shorter. Do it slowly. In your case, if you have the time, I'd load 6 of each that way you'll see two groups of 6 with each seating change. I'd move them deeper .010" at a time. I'd bet a dollar you'll see them walking in.

 

[ksubuck]

Question for you regarding the 7mm with 150g partitions. Do you recall if there was much difference in temperature between the day you shot the .7 inch group and when you shot the groups this weekend? I have noticed occasional significant changes in muzzle velocities depending on outside temperature when using IMR 4350 in the 7 RM. I have one set of data using the 150g BTips where a 55 degree temperaure difference led to an 80fps change in muzzle velocity. It was enough to scatter the groups a bit.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

The day it shot the better group was 63 and it was 50 this weekend.

I have shot that 7mm load 2 other times and one as 1.1" and the other was .660". This weekend they grew.

I keep looking at the 338wm and seeing 2 in and 1 out and it makes me think that I should seat them deeper with the Fed 210 primer. Thoughts???

 

[ksubuck]

That probably takes temp out of the equation. Just a thought. Drives you nuts when you think you have a load figured out and then it doesn't perform consistently. Drives you nuts...

How frequently do you clean that 7 RM? My 7 RM ABolt stays pretty accurate for 40 to 50 rounds before it starts opening up. I have other rifles that only give me 20 rounds.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I put 40 through it before this range trip. I cleaned it when I got home so the next time out it will be clean. Now to retry loads that did well before or try something new with the clean barrel???

 

[SJB358]

I'd shoot it with some foulers before shooting for absolute accuracy WT. I think if you stick with the 210's and continue to seat them deeper you'll be looking very good fairly quick.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Those are really hot loads with the 7mm Mag, .338 and .30-06? That might be your problem?

 

[ksubuck]

How far off the lands are you at CBTO 2.756? I ran the 150PTs over 63.0g IMR 4350 with a CBTO of 2.740 (0.085 off the lands in my ABolt) and shot consistently at MOA. Gave up on them and focused on the BTips which were running .7 MOA consistently. May go back to PTs at some point and continue workup.

I agree with SJB. Looks like you have two in and one out. Try adjusting seating depth more to see if you bring the out back in.

 

[ksubuck]

Nosler #7 lists 63.0g IMR 4350 as the max load for their 150g bullets. I found 62.5g best for 150 BTips and found 63.0g was best for 150 PTS. Don't know about the charges for the -06 and 338

 

[Oldtrader3]

He is using the same charge for the 180 gr, .30-06 as I use for 165 gr bullets? I use 61 gr of IMR 4350 in the 7 mag for really small groups with the 150 PT. I have found that when I get two shots together and one out every group, my load is too hot FYI?

 

[ksubuck]

OT, I see your point and it can be very valid. Maybe 63.0 is safe pressure wise and offers an accuracy node, but a lower charge may be better. I had a possible node at 60.0g IMR 4350 with the 150 PT but chased speed at the higher node I found at 63.0.

 

[SJB358]

Here is a gander at the 7mm Rem Mag and IMR4350 for reference..

Cartridge : 7 mm Rem. Mag.(SAAMI)
Bullet : .284, 150, Nosler PART SP 16326
Useable Case Capaci: 75.117 grain H2O = 4.877 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.290 inch = 83.57 mm
Barrel Length : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder : IMR 4350

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 73 50.40 2460 2016 33391 9797 93.8 1.526
-18.0 75 51.66 2516 2108 35433 10075 94.7 1.491
-16.0 77 52.92 2571 2202 37588 10343 95.6 1.456
-14.0 79 54.18 2627 2298 39861 10601 96.4 1.414
-12.0 81 55.44 2682 2396 42258 10847 97.2 1.375
-10.0 82 56.70 2737 2494 44785 11080 97.8 1.337
-08.0 84 57.96 2791 2595 47450 11300 98.4 1.301
-06.0 86 59.22 2845 2697 50261 11506 98.8 1.266
-04.0 88 60.48 2899 2799 53225 11697 99.2 1.232 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 90 61.74 2953 2904 56353 11872 99.6 1.200 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 91 63.00 3006 3009 59654 12031 99.8 1.169 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 93 64.26 3058 3115 63138 12173 99.9 1.139 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 95 65.52 3110 3222 66818 12297 100.0 1.110 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 97 66.78 3162 3329 70707 12408 100.0 1.082 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 99 68.04 3213 3438 74818 12515 100.0 1.055 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 101 69.30 3263 3547 79167 12619 100.0 1.029 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 91 63.00 3111 3223 69201 11661 100.0 1.094 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 91 63.00 2855 2715 50107 11982 96.4 1.267


I think seating deeper will bring that third shot in. Just a hunch though, you could be correct Charlie, but depending on WT's rifle and brass I'd have no idea to how the PSI's are sitting. It doesn't look to harsh at first glance though..

 

[Elkman]

I have loaded 61 grains of H-4350 in my 7 mm Mag with a 160 for years without any problems. AOL was fairly short also. Every rifle is a little different however. I am working on a H-1000 load right now. I will look up AOL and post.

 

[Oldtrader3]

BTW, the 7mm Rem Mag I one of the flakiest cartridges to load. I have owned two rifles in 7mm Rem mag since 1963 and neither one of them shot well with maximum loads. I would much rather load for the .280 Rem and take the slight velocity loss.

My present Mauser 7 mm Mag shoots the 150 grain bullet well with 66 grains of IMR7828 SSC or with 62 grain of IMR 4350. The rifle shoots at close to 3000 fps and sub MOA.

 

[HeathSexton]

I don't load 4350 in my /06's with 180's but that looks a bit high to me.


I have a PDF with the 180 PT with H4350, Lapua Brass, Fed 210.

56grs gives an average chamber pressure of 59,500psi and 57grs gives an average of 62,300psi

 

[SJB358]

Heath is about spot on with his numbers. Seating depth and the rifle would play into as well..

Cartridge : .30-06 Spring. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 180, Nosler BalTip 30180
Useable Case Capaci: 58.797 grain H2O = 3.818 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : IMR 4350

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 85 45.60 2214 1959 33162 7993 88.7 1.440
-18.0 87 46.74 2268 2056 35403 8247 90.0 1.403
-16.0 89 47.88 2322 2155 37796 8495 91.1 1.365
-14.0 91 49.02 2377 2257 40349 8735 92.2 1.323
-12.0 93 50.16 2431 2362 43085 8967 93.3 1.284
-10.0 95 51.30 2486 2469 46009 9190 94.3 1.246
-08.0 97 52.44 2540 2579 49124 9402 95.2 1.209
-06.0 99 53.58 2595 2691 52434 9604 96.0 1.173
-04.0 101 54.72 2649 2805 55973 9793 96.7 1.139 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 104 55.86 2704 2921 59763 9970 97.4 1.106 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 106 57.00 2758 3040 63828 10133 98.0 1.074 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 108 58.14 2812 3161 68190 10282 98.6 1.044 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 110 59.28 2867 3284 72879 10415 99.0 1.014 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 112 60.42 2921 3409 77925 10532 99.4 0.985 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 114 61.56 2975 3537 83364 10632 99.6 0.957 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 116 62.70 3028 3666 89236 10715 99.8 0.931 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 106 57.00 2877 3308 75394 9957 100.0 1.002 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 106 57.00 2599 2699 52537 9838 92.3 1.169


Without knowing the speeds it's harder to guess at what its really doing in that rifle though.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have used 56.0 grains of 4350 for the 180 gr .30-06 for many years. Works for me?