300 Ultra and 200 Accubond Results

[Autorotate19]

Today I went to the range to see how my gun likes the 200 gr accubonds. I loaded up from 93gr-95gr of retumbo in half grain incriments in Rem cases, cci mag primer, seated to magazine depth.

At 100 yards my results were: 4 shot groups

93gr- 2" and 1.8"
93.5gr- 1.5" and 1.6"
94gr- 1" and .59"
94.5gr- .95" and 2.6" ???
95gr- 1.8" and 3.6"

On paper most of these groups have a way better three shot than four shot so I have some sort of a flyer. I believe its the first shot most of the time but not positive because I didnt have my spotting scope with me but the ones I did see sure seemed like it was the first. A couple groups like the 3.6" 4 shot group if I measured closest 3 was .7"??? Also the first shot was a legitimate cold bore shot. I waited 20 minutes between groups. "Took forever!!!"
The .59" 4 shot group was a .25" 3 shot group. Both 94 grain loads had three touching the the third one off about a half inch.

So what do you guys think? I deburred my cases, uniformed the primer pockets, trimmed to all the same length and it was all once fired brass. Also my gun seems to the like 94 grainish so how would you guys recommend I fine tune it? Any responses are greatly appreciated.

 

[liltank]

Sounds like the 94gr. is the one you want. Good results as far as I am concerned. You sure you are not flinching on the first shot. Might be the one waking up your senses between shots and allowing you to settle in for the next 3 shots. Just a thought.

Tank

 

[Autorotate19]

There is a possibility it could be me but I dont think so....? It just seemed to consistent throughout all the groups but I really hope its me lol! Id rather have to fix me than my gun These were all groups that were shot from the start cold bore and shot right after another so no more than a minute between shots.

How would you guys try to fine tune my load as far as charge, etc?

 

[winmagman]

I'd load up 3 each at 94.0, 94.2, 94.4, and 94.6 and see if one of those shines over the rest, if it does then I'd play with the seating depth .005 or .010 at a time to see if I could tighten things up a little more.

Sounds like you're getting some good 3 shot groups so I'd stick with 3, may help eliminate barrel heat as a flyer cause. Besides when was the last time you had a critter stand there and let you shoot at it 3 or 4 times?

Chris

 

[Moman]

Have you checked for concentricity? I have been doing quite a bit of testing my 300 RUM with Rem brass and have found a lot of runout. I'm still trying to nail it down but it's really looking like the brass has a lot to do with it. I'm using Forster and Redding Comp dies, but still lots of runout. The neck wall uniformity has been all over the place and I think this is leading to it.

I had a good email conversaion with J.E. Custom regarding my troubles and he pointed me in this direction. It's something I used to pay more attention to but got used to Nosler and Norma brass in other calibers, so I got a little lazy. I was constantly getting the same groups and flyers you mention. I sorted my last loads by concnetricity and found the best three (ranging from .001 - .003) and grouped those. They shot a .25. I now know the problem but have some more measuring and checking to remedy it.

 

[bigngreen]

I'd try the 94gr again but color the bullet on each a different color and write it down as the order you shoot to see if you have a patten.
If I get a real good group but have a consistent flyer I switch primers, I do a 4 or 5 primer test right next to each other with everything else the exact same, the results are alway interesting.

 

[Autorotate19]

Yeah I think ill just load some more up at 94 and figure out which one is consistently or if at all and I have a bunch of rem primers so I could switch that to if I had to. How much of a difference can you expect with different primers. Do you have to start all over or what?
Moman, Im not to familiar with checking for concentricity and Im kinda new to the reloading game. I have another questions for other 300ultra guys, as far as cleaning what does your rifle like. I showed up today with all the copper out of it fired 3 foulers and started grouping. At 20 rounds I just scrubbed the barrel with a brush and a few wet patches until the patches didnt come out completely black. When does your guys rifles accuracy seem to start falling off? Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Buffalobob]

If I get a real good group but have a consistent flyer I switch primers,

Agreed.
If you are using Fed 215s then sometimes switching to the Rem primer will settle thing down.

 

[Autorotate19]

What about CCI's?

 

[bigngreen]

Just change the primers nothing else. I will try mag and standard of CCI, Feds, Wins and Rems. Basically one of everything
The last round of this I did I found CCI 200's would put two touching and a third an inch away, Fed 215's shot .380 in. 270WSM with Retumbo.

 

[Autorotate19]

Sounds good ill try it out! I also never got any pressure signs so im going to load up another grain or so to find my max. Thanks for the help!gun)

 

[Troutslayer]

I believe its the first shot most of the time but not positive because I didnt have my spotting scope with me but the ones I did see sure seemed like it was the first.

If you can't see a .30 hole in the target through your scope at 100 yards I think you should try some different targets, or better optics.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

If you can't see a .30 hole in the target through your scope at 100 yards I think you should try some different targets, or better optics.

That's what I was thinking. If you cant see your bullet holes at 100 yds through you're scope then how can you be sure of your POA? That's the first thing to fix.

My method of tuning is to start with my max load and and work with seating depth if the group isn't too bad. Then work down in charge increments checking different seating depths. If you're still getting flyers, try different powders and primers.

It could be any number or combo of a dozen things, but if the rifle is a descent rifle it should should give you at least close to MOA with just about any load and go from there.

But befroe you do anything you need to be able to see what you're shooting at.

Mark

 

[Autorotate19]

I know I used the cheap targets that were at the range the other day. They were on cheap brownish paper with black target outlines so it was difficult to spot the shots in the black. Today I used shoot n see targets. My scope is Leupold 4.5x14x50mm 30mm tube long range so I can see perfectly fine. I found out that my first two will always touch and the third one was the flyer. At least today. I tried the rem primers and it didnt like them at all.... 2" group. Thats kinda what I cant figure out is it doesnt really like anything at all other than 94grs. I found max load is 95.5grs of powder and it didnt shoot them good either. Im really starting to think that maybe this gun doesnt really like heavier bullets....