NW Hunter
Well-Known Member
I am working up a new load for my 6.5x284 norma.
I did a coarse bullet seating test of a Lapua Scenar 139 gr at the minimum charge weight of 48.5 gr H4831SC with 140 grain bullets from my Berger manual.
The winner was .025" off the lands.
The following pictures should tell the story of how this test went using a Magnetospeed.
Berger's first edition manual says max load is 51.1 grains of H4831SC. So, I thought I would load up to 54.5 grains thinking I would surely hit max in my rifle before then. Well, I never did hit max.
The case pictured is the 54.5 grain load.
After checking Berger's website, I see they list 53.7 grains as the max for H4831SC with 140 gr bullets.
Is there a second edition Berger manual out with new maxs? I'm not sure why the difference in max loads.
Well, back to my original question.....
From the results on the target, good speed nodes don't show good accuracy.
Should I reshoot good velocity nodes or good accuracy nodes?
In my mind, I know speed nodes are important for long range work.
Conditions were mild and the barrel was never hot to the touch before each shot.
Where would you go from here?
I am also going to continue up the powder charge until I find max in my rifle.
I did a coarse bullet seating test of a Lapua Scenar 139 gr at the minimum charge weight of 48.5 gr H4831SC with 140 grain bullets from my Berger manual.
The winner was .025" off the lands.
The following pictures should tell the story of how this test went using a Magnetospeed.
Berger's first edition manual says max load is 51.1 grains of H4831SC. So, I thought I would load up to 54.5 grains thinking I would surely hit max in my rifle before then. Well, I never did hit max.
The case pictured is the 54.5 grain load.
After checking Berger's website, I see they list 53.7 grains as the max for H4831SC with 140 gr bullets.
Is there a second edition Berger manual out with new maxs? I'm not sure why the difference in max loads.
Well, back to my original question.....
From the results on the target, good speed nodes don't show good accuracy.
Should I reshoot good velocity nodes or good accuracy nodes?
In my mind, I know speed nodes are important for long range work.
Conditions were mild and the barrel was never hot to the touch before each shot.
Where would you go from here?
I am also going to continue up the powder charge until I find max in my rifle.