Accuracy Vs Speed...decisions!

[bigngreen]

Why even try to make a decision at 100 yards, either load could blow out with range, load development at 100 yards for a long range rifle is very close to a waste of time and components.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

This may have been covered, but I would try a little more to bring in the 3209 load.

Did you tweak the seating depth, primers, etc?

When I get a little vertical like that, I seat a little deeper and it tends to reduce the vertical-which sucks because who want to shoot short non-sexy bullets at long range right! Of course longer range and a chrony will tell more.

For instance, been banging my head with a 308 win/ Hammer load. I haven't had to do a seating test with these bullets on two other rifles, but did with this one and it brought it right in.

 

[MELEX]

I built a 300 rum for a long range elk gun. Turned out that the barrel does not like speed and my groups open up the faster I go. Ended at 2940 with Berger 210 hunting. My son is shooting the same bullet with a win mag at 2860 with 10 grains less powder. Kinda defeated the purpose of the rum, but I would rather have the accuracy than the speed. Hopefully next barrel will like them faster.

 

[Ross1147]

So just ran it at 400 (414 to be exact). It's not a range and involves me busting some brush and hiking in a little way. I guess I never mentioned anything about the gun but it is a custom off a PTG Rem 700 LA that they trued up. Added a manners EH1, trigger tech, HS bottom metal, Bartlein 2B stainless fluted, topped with a Leopold VX5 HD. This is a hunting gun that has already seen the back of a truck and 4 wheeler rack and I just picked it last December.

Back to the shooting. I also had my notes mixed up and the slower load was not my 57 grn load at 3060, it was 57.5 grn. Checked my notes and I guess I was mistaken. So that adds a little more speed to it (3120s). I was shooting from a rock across a canyon so not the stablest but pretty stable. The slower load ended up coming in at 2.8". 2 shots didn't pick up on the LabRadar but first was 3120 and last 3130. The faster load all picked up but wasn't great (ES22, SD 9.0) average 3207 group was just at 4".

I'm going with the 57.5 grn 3100 and some change load. I'll keep screwing with it little changes trying to bring it in but that will do pretty good right now as a hunting rifle.

 

[tooth doc]

View attachment 132875 View attachment 132876 At a crossroads right now and wondering opinions. I'm in the process of working up a load for my 6.5-06AI for my buddy to use this year on a Wyoming Muley hunt. Since I live in Cali I already have a good non-lead load worked up. It's a little slower coming in at 3000fps and shooting consistently in the .3s.

For the WY load I'm focusing on Berger 135 hunting VLDs. Already found the seating depth and today I went out for speed. I'm using 4831sc, CCI 250s, and Norma brass. My last 2 out of 3 shots had a stiffer bolt and topped out at 3240fps (60 grns). 2 loads stood out the most. One 3 shot group at 3060 FPS (3068, 3058, 3057) at .200". Then I had another group .5 grns below the stiff bolt load at 3209fps (3211, 3209, 3207) at .493".

What do I go with solely for hunting? An extra 150fps equates to 10% more energy and 10% less drop at 1000yds. But I love one hole groups!

Good bullet. I prefer barnes ttsx for hunting but have also used berger vld's, know your range dope and the animal wont know the diff! ,

 

[arch408]

If you aren't shooting off a bench on your hunt 1/4" groups are irrevelant. In a hunting situation you probably would never see any difference between 1/4" and 1" groups. Shoot the fastest most consistent load providing the bullet can hold up. I've seen .338 225 gr Accubonds come apart at fairly long range.

 

[Ross1147]

If you aren't shooting off a bench on your hunt 1/4" groups are irrevelant. In a hunting situation you probably would never see any difference between 1/4" and 1" groups. Shoot the fastest most consistent load providing the bullet can hold up. I've seen .338 225 gr Accubonds come apart at fairly long range.

Agreed, the way I was shooting today is the exact way I would shoot hunting. Off a rock or off a pack. I have a couple different bipods but always find them cumbersome when I'm trying to beat brush or hike in a long way. .7 MOA at 414 yds is a dead deer. I'll load up a few more and check the dope again at 700. At 400 it was spot on.

 

[vancewalker007]

I'd shoot them both at 400-500 yards to check consistency. I've seen tight 100 yard groups fail at longer ranger. The faster group might stabilize better, won't know until you try.