SilverbulletMAG
Well-Known Member
I need a sanity check fellas, as I may have an unrealistic goal with this rifle shooting the 265 AB Long Range.
The very first powder I tried with this bullet/rifle combo was IMR4350 and the very first trip out provided the most accurate load. I have since spent months trying to get that same accuracy but, at a higher velocity. That IMR4350 load is a ragged hole at 100yds (actually had to triple check because I thought I was off the paper somehow) but the node is slower than I'd prefer coming in around 2475fps. Loaded up to max and accuracy falls off the faster it's pushed and I never found the "top end-second node" I was hoping for. I then tried RL19 and H4831SC with poor accuracy. I have a ton of H100V on hand so for grins I gave that a shot. This powder makes the 265 absolutely scream! I was hitting well over 2800fps without any scary pressure signs but again, accuracy wasn't great (1 to 1.5 MOA) unless I kept it around that 2500fps node. With all powders tested, I started low and worked up (over a long period of time) to the max for each and all were staggered .3 grains. I am confident all potential nodes were covered with those powders. The only thing I haven't done was seat shorter but, the plan was to do the seating test last once I found something that shot sub-MOA over 2600fps. Mag length is killing me though and I'm having to jump further than I'd like (had good luck with 0.30" jump with other ABLR rounds) but can't get that close in this rifle.
Question for all of you - am I chasing my tail trying to find a powder that will be as accurate at 2600+fps as it is at 2450-2500fps? I concede the extra ~100fps is pretty meaningless but, as some of you may be able to relate, 2600fps+ and sub MOA was the goal going into it and not hitting that goal is bugging me. Other powders on hand to try would be H4350, Ramshot Hunter, Reloder 16, IMR 4064 or IMR 4451.
The very first powder I tried with this bullet/rifle combo was IMR4350 and the very first trip out provided the most accurate load. I have since spent months trying to get that same accuracy but, at a higher velocity. That IMR4350 load is a ragged hole at 100yds (actually had to triple check because I thought I was off the paper somehow) but the node is slower than I'd prefer coming in around 2475fps. Loaded up to max and accuracy falls off the faster it's pushed and I never found the "top end-second node" I was hoping for. I then tried RL19 and H4831SC with poor accuracy. I have a ton of H100V on hand so for grins I gave that a shot. This powder makes the 265 absolutely scream! I was hitting well over 2800fps without any scary pressure signs but again, accuracy wasn't great (1 to 1.5 MOA) unless I kept it around that 2500fps node. With all powders tested, I started low and worked up (over a long period of time) to the max for each and all were staggered .3 grains. I am confident all potential nodes were covered with those powders. The only thing I haven't done was seat shorter but, the plan was to do the seating test last once I found something that shot sub-MOA over 2600fps. Mag length is killing me though and I'm having to jump further than I'd like (had good luck with 0.30" jump with other ABLR rounds) but can't get that close in this rifle.
Question for all of you - am I chasing my tail trying to find a powder that will be as accurate at 2600+fps as it is at 2450-2500fps? I concede the extra ~100fps is pretty meaningless but, as some of you may be able to relate, 2600fps+ and sub MOA was the goal going into it and not hitting that goal is bugging me. Other powders on hand to try would be H4350, Ramshot Hunter, Reloder 16, IMR 4064 or IMR 4451.
