30 Nosler N570 help please

I just did a 13 round ladder. First load w/u for this rifle. Velocities seem crazy. What is going on here?

GAP rifle with Bartein barrel - 1/10", 25.5"
New Nosler brass
VV N570
Fed GM215M primers
Hammer Hunter 181 gr
COAL 3.51" - 0.010" jump

Range: 208 yds (suboptimal but all I currently have access to)
70*F, light variable wind
Chrony Beta Master

Using this published data:
https://bergerbullets.com/pdf/30-Nosler.pdf

I loaded these with the corresponding velocities:

1. 88.3 gr - 3247 fps
2. 88.6 - 3245
3. 88.9 - 3237
4. 89.2 - 3261
5. 89.5 - 3223
6. 89.8 - 3217
7. 90.1 - 3260
8. 90.4 - 3292
9. 90.7 - 3353
10. 91.0 - 3372
11. 91.3 - 3370
12. 91.6 - 3365
13. 91.9 - 3429

Below is the target. After round #1, I dropped the scope 1.25 MOA.
Complete barrel cooling between shots.
Additionally, I forgot fouling rounds and started from a clean barrel.
I was feeling pretty fatigued and I noticed #9-11 were pulled off to the right. I was also shooting 3 other rifles between these test rounds. The shoulder was getting really sore and I was putting a lot of pressure on the rifle to mitigate the recoil due to pain. For #12 and 13, I squared up and took my time. You can see what that did for placement.


I was going to post this to ask for advice about nodes to test based on the chrono and target results. When I was looking back at published velocities for this bullet weight in this cartridge, now I'm worried about pressure and where to go from here. I never noticed difficult bolt lift or sticky extraction. The primers are no more flattened than factory nosler ammo I shot and none are cratered. There are few cases with a subtle shiny spot on the head but I have to say I don't have all that much confidence calling these.

I would appreciate help from you guys with a lot of experience here.

Go back when your not shooting other rifles. If your working that hard to mitigate the pain your results will show that and not give you accurate results. 3200+fps is possible with 180gr bullets in a case that size with normal powders. N570 is 75-100fps faster then "normal" powders. I would say 3400 is pushing things and while it might not show pressure on the case or bolt lift your primer pockets could very well be loose now.

IdahoCTD said:

Go back when your not shooting other rifles. If your working that hard to mitigate the pain your results will show that and not give you accurate results. 3200+fps is possible with 180gr bullets in a case that size with normal powders. N570 is 75-100fps faster then "normal" powders. I would say 3400 is pushing things and while it might not show pressure on the case or bolt lift your primer pockets could very well be loose now.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the recoil was showing for sure. Today I have a big purple bruise on that shoulder. Looks like I went through a case of high brass 12ga.

As far as velocity though, I was 200 FPS above what Berger had for the same powder. For others running N570 in 30 Nosler, are you seeing similar velocities?

IdahoCTD said:

Go back when your not shooting other rifles. If your working that hard to mitigate the pain your results will show that and not give you accurate results. 3200+fps is possible with 180gr bullets in a case that size with normal powders. N570 is 75-100fps faster then "normal" powders. I would say 3400 is pushing things and while it might not show pressure on the case or bolt lift your primer pockets could very well be loose now.

Click to expand...

This has also been our experience with N570. I 100% agree that you should check your primer pockets to see if they have gotten loose. If they have not, then I would load a few of that load and shoot them for group and make sure your es is good.

RockyMtnMT said:

This has also been our experience with N570. I 100% agree that you should check your primer pockets to see if they have gotten loose. If they have not, then I would load a few of that load and shoot them for group and make sure your es is good.

Click to expand...

Will do. Thanks!

I would get some brass cycled and not worry about velocity swings on virgin brass or 100 rounds down the barrel untill it settles down also. Virgin brass and new barrel aren't a good combo.
If you need more brass I would definitely get ADG trying to run 3300 + will probably ruin the primer pockets quickly.
If your not after max speed give H1000 a shot.

If you are loading near the lands those velocities do not surprise me. I am seeing 3200 with 200s with H1000 and RL26. As far as the "test" I see nothing on that target that screams this is the load. This is a prime example of why you can not get reliable data from a so called ladder at short distance. Either shoot for groups at short range or back way up and do a ladder. If you only have access to 200 yards I would do an OCW at 100 yards.

rfurman24 said:

If you are loading near the lands those velocities do not surprise me. I am seeing 3200 with 200s with H1000 and RL26. As far as the "test" I see nothing on that target that screams this is the load. This is a prime example of why you can not get reliable data from a so called ladder at short distance. Either shoot for groups at short range or back way up and do a ladder. If you only have access to 200 yards I would do an OCW at 100 yards.

Click to expand...

I agree that the target doesn't tell much. Is the chrono data not usable?

Ts3 said:

I agree that the target doesn't tell much. Is the chrono data not usable?

Click to expand...

Maybe maybe not. I've not found the velocity alone to be a reliable indicator. I know people are in love with satterlees method but I've only found it to work about 50percent of the time which really tells me it only works by accident. In order for a load to work the accuracy node and the velocity node need to coincide.

I've had better results with Retumbo than N570 with the 181. I'm off the lands more with the 181. My load with Retumbo, hits 3270 consistently and very tight groups. N570 is great with the 215's, but seems a hair too slow on burn rate for the 181. And totally agree on getting rounds down the barrel and using fire-formed ADG brass......much more consistent. I've had much better results with CCI 250 primers than the Federal 215.

Thanks for the good info guys. I will try this Nosler brass that I have a bit longer but if I am getting loose pockets, I'll go ahead and switch to adg.

Ts3 said:

Thanks for the good info guys. I will try this Nosler brass that I have a bit longer but if I am getting loose pockets, I'll go ahead and switch to adg.

Click to expand...

I have had 4 30 Noslers(still have 2). If you are loosening primer pockets on Nosler brass you are waaaaay over pressure.

rfurman24 said:

I have had 4 30 Noslers(still have 2). If you are loosening primer pockets on Nosler brass you are waaaaay over pressure.

Click to expand...

This I disagree with, I've loaded for 3 and all 3 would get to the 3100 node without any signs of pressure other than primer pockets are junk after 3 firings. Reamer makes s big difference.
If you have a reamer with .225 freebore and ADG brass you can run the 3080- 3100