Anyone have a load for 250 badlands in a 33 Nosler ?
Badlands Precision Bullets thread - From BC to terminal ballistics
- Thread starter codyadams
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codyadams
Well-Known Member
Seating depth test on the 300 WSM and 175 BDII's revealed that they liked .040"-.060" off, close to the lands and .020" both showed pretty large groups and erratic velocity, while further off seemed to settle down some. Started top left, top right, center, bottom left, bottom right as I went further from the lands. This is obviously not a good powder charge node, hopefully the ladder finds that. Bumped them all to .050" off, and gonna go shoot the ladder.
If I am interpreting all your notes correctly, your ES and SD for these groups are as follows:
@ lands ES: 98 SD: 36.23
0.020" off lands ES: 112 SD: 45.58
0.040" off lands ES: 65 SD: 24.56
0.060" off lands ES: 39 SD: 14.11
0.080" off lands ES: 25 SD:11.14
Statistically, the 0.020" is by far the worst and ES and SD improve from there as distance from lands is increased. If that is true, why would you not do more testing at 0.080" and beyond a little? There are a few chrono measurements missing from the whole set so that could very likely be skewing the numbers and making that 0.080" group look better than it was. The group for 0.040" does look the best, but ES and SD decreased consistently as distance from lands increased.
I ran through 100 BD2 bullets without doing any testing like this and will definitely be doing so with my next order of bullets. Thanks for sharing.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Because while seating can (obviously) effect velocity consistency, this seating depth test isn't really about e.s., it's about group size. E.S. will have more meaningful results from a ladder test. I have generally found during seating that if I find a depth that shoots well, getting good e.s. at that depth is pretty easy with tuning the powder charge as long as I'm using an appropriate primer. I just picked a powder charge that I knew would be safe, and loaded for seating depth and shot it (at 125 yards). Also, if I go another .020" deeper, the bearing surface will be below the case mouth of the cartridge.
I also just shot the ladder test, and got some pretty good results. I shot two ladders, the other was a different gun. The ones with the bullet hole, charge and number all circled are this 300 wsm and 175 BDII's. This was shot at 608 yards.
So I thought I felt beginning of bolt lift at 66.6, but there wasn't any other signs or any bolt lift again until 67.4, and 67.6 had heavy bolt lift and an ejector mark. I am going to load 66.5, as it is in the middle of a consistent node, and 66.2, 66.4 and 66.6 grouped well under half MOA at 2.750" ctc, and shoot them at range next! I considered going with 67.2, as it also grouped good, and e.s. of 7, 8 and 9 is only 27, but it is right at max pressure and beginning of bolt lift increase, if not a little over max, and only 35ish fps faster than the lower node. Also, e.s. from 66.2 through 66.8 was only 18 fps. Lookin good!
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codyadams
Well-Known Member
So looks like 41 rounds is what it took to pretty much get me to a final load, or close. That consisted of an initial "finding max" gross work up (1 grain at a time), then conducted a rough seating depth test (.020" at a time), then conducted a 10 shot ladder test. Next calm day we have, I'll get a final zero @100 and then go strait to somewhere between 800 and 1000ish on steel to verify bc and see what I get for groups.
Will be interesting to see how much more this barrel settles in as I shoot it more. As of now, this load should run around 2875ish.
Will be interesting to see how much more this barrel settles in as I shoot it more. As of now, this load should run around 2875ish.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
For those curious like me, after seeing that StaBALL 6.5 generally shows the best velocity in the 300 wsm with these weight bullets, I decided to just do a quick pressure work up and see if I could get much more velocity with this powder. In the load data I looked at, StaBALL 6.5 is generally 1.5-2 grains below H4831sc on it's max charges. I got initial pressure signs at 67.4 grains H4831sc, so I started at 63.0 and loaded up to 67.0 grains in .5 grain increments, knowing I should most likely hit max pressure before my top charge. Well, this powder pressured up a little quicker!
300WSM
175 BDII @ 2.930" OAL
StaBALL 6.5
CCI 250
63.0 - 2937
63.5 - 2978 with light bolt lift
64.0 - 3014 with stiff bolt lift and ejector mark
So, that would put 63.0 grains around the top end of what I would load, and would likely be a pretty warm charge. As far as pressure, I would compare it to 67.4 grains of H4831sc, which ran around 2920 fps. So, there isn't really any reasonable gain with this combo and 6.5 StaBALL vs. H4831sc, and also, if I were to do it again, I would start at 61 grains and work up to see the velocity profile of this powder. Well, at least now my curiosity is satisfied, and it only cost 3 rounds!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming......66.5 grains of H4831sc ha ha.
300WSM
175 BDII @ 2.930" OAL
StaBALL 6.5
CCI 250
63.0 - 2937
63.5 - 2978 with light bolt lift
64.0 - 3014 with stiff bolt lift and ejector mark
So, that would put 63.0 grains around the top end of what I would load, and would likely be a pretty warm charge. As far as pressure, I would compare it to 67.4 grains of H4831sc, which ran around 2920 fps. So, there isn't really any reasonable gain with this combo and 6.5 StaBALL vs. H4831sc, and also, if I were to do it again, I would start at 61 grains and work up to see the velocity profile of this powder. Well, at least now my curiosity is satisfied, and it only cost 3 rounds!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming......66.5 grains of H4831sc ha ha.
Wow. Hodgdon reloading for a 300wsm and a 175 Sierra are at a max of 68.3g of 6.5 Staball.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Yup, same length barrel they have their data with (24"), and my max velocity was 63.0 @ 2937, max listed at Hodgdon @ 68.3 is 3097. I have heard Proof barrels can sometimes be on the tight side and loose some top end velocity. That combined with the fact that these Badlands monos are generally a little behind a standard cup and core may be the issue.
Thats interesting. I tried out staball up to 64.2gr in my 270 wsm with the 128s. I didn't have any pressure signs and got up to 3330 fps, which is the fastest I've managed to fling these things so far (24.2" tikka barrel). I didn't get great SDs from what I've tried, but I need to do some more testing.
Monkeygoat
Well-Known Member
Updating my 6.5 Max w/ 135's - 63 grains N570 is accurate in my 7.5 twist barrel. 1/2" @ 300yds @ 15 off the lands.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
What's your speed at, and have you shot any cup and core bullets to compare speed? I'm debating rebarreling my heavy .260 AI with a tighter twist to run these for pronghorn
Monkeygoat
Well-Known Member
I was dialed 0.6-0.7 mils up from 100 yd zero @ 300 yds. I'm normally 0.8-0.9 mils for Berger 153.5's over 66gr N570, and also for 145 Match Burners over 63gr 8133. I will get the magnetospeed out next time. 28" Bartlein FYI.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Sweet. I'm thinking a 22-24" MTU contour with a can would make a pretty sweet heavy flatlands rifle.
Justincaseholsters
Member
Has anyone loaded the 205 super bulldozer 2 in a 30 nosler yet? I built a long throated 30 nosler and thinking about giving these a try but can't find much info other than this thread.
Thank
Thank
