265 ABLR looking good

[Westernhuntr]

I'm starting load development for my 338 Norma Mag using 265 ABLR'S.
I've heard mixed reviews about the ABLR's in general being explosive.
I recovered a few today that were fired at 2800 fps, they blew through a 22" log at 100 yards and I dug them out of wet soil behind it.

I'm really impressed with how they expanded and stayed bonded to the jacket, plus they're shooting .6 with the second load I tested.
One weighed 168 grains, and the other 207.
Kind of a basic test but for comparison all the ELDM's and Berger's that I've shot blow to pieces in the same media (including 250's, 215's, and 225's).

After some super poor performance on game from the above mentioned bullets I'm moving to the 265 ABLR for elk and deer this season.

 

[codyadams]

Nice, I need to play a little more with mine, but accuracy looks hit and miss, there may be a couple nodes that will shoot

 

[Korhil78]

I had to seat the 168 Gr ABLRs super deep to find accuracy. May be the same for you as well. I was only getting 1-1.5 MOA until I seated them .110" off. And then it dropped down to 1/2 MOA. A lot of others have experienced this as well. I was about to pull my hair out.

 

[sp6x6]

Two guys at defiance shoot the 300 NAB out of there 338 nm,think bartlein barrels.They been happy.

 

[Westernhuntr]

Nice, I need to play a little more with mine, but accuracy looks hit and miss, there may be a couple nodes that will shoot

Yeah I'm still working up loads, but everything I shot yesterday at .020 off the lands grouped moa or better.
I'll play with seating depth as I go and see if I can get some real tight groups.
If I remember correctly from your post you're shooting a 9 twist, mines a 9.5
The guys at Benchmark said not to go any faster for this class of bullet or accuracy could take a hit..
I'm going to have to wait on further load development, pretty sure I have excessive headspace. I had two weak primer strikes yesterday that required a second firing to detonate, I'll know for sure when my shoulder gauge comes in.

 

[codyadams]

I know my shoulder grew about .015" from new brass.

 

[elkaholic]

Yeah I'm still working up loads, but everything I shot yesterday at .020 off the lands grouped moa or better.
I'll play with seating depth as I go and see if I can get some real tight groups.
If I remember correctly from your post you're shooting a 9 twist, mines a 9.5
The guys at Benchmark said not to go any faster for this class of bullet or accuracy could take a hit..
I'm going to have to wait on further load development, pretty sure I have excessive headspace. I had two weak primer strikes yesterday that required a second firing to detonate, I'll know for sure when my shoulder gauge comes in.

Is it an improved?

 

[Westernhuntr]

Is it an improved?

No it's a standard NM

 

[elkaholic]

I know my shoulder grew about .015" from new brass.

.015" is EXTREME!

 

[Westernhuntr]

I know my shoulder grew about .015" from new brass.

Holy crap your shoulder grew 15 thousandths!
This can't be normal right...
I think my last several rifles grew about .005 at the shoulder, trying to remember for sure.
I thinking the weak primer strikes are an indicator of excessive headspace though.
The last time I experienced this was when I fire formed 7 saum brass to 6.5 saum, turns out the 6.5 saum has a slightly longer shoulder and the case was moving forward when the pin hit the primer.

 

[codyadams]

To be fair I wasn't using a proper shoulder gauge, it was actually the one that came with a .270 Sherman whidden die set, it fits around the neck with just a little bit of room, doesn't actually measure off the proper datum line in the shoulder, it just gave me a measuring point to see how much my die was moving it back. I need to get a larger diameter shoulder bump gauge to measure properly

 

[Rhovee]

I would make a false shoulder or jam the bullets on the first firing. That is excessive and you will have early case head issue's. Peterson brass is short on headspace, Lapua is better.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

What powder did you start with...

 

[Westernhuntr]

What powder did you start with...

So far I've used N570, Retumbo, and H1000.
92 grains of Retumbo shot .6's and was 2800 fps. I got a slight ejector mark though, so I'll back off a little untill the brass is once fired.