help with hunting load

[Bigeclipse]

Ok so I have been having some difficulty finding a load for my rifle. With some factory ammo I was able to achieve .75 moa so I know the rifle can do it. All loads of powder I have tried have only got me best of 1.25 moa. Someone suggested I start with seating depth now instead of powder charge. So I tried that. I did two things...measured my rifles lands and loaded some .050 and .040 off the lands. I heard factory rifles tend to like .020-.050 off. I then measured the ogive length of the factory ammo that my rifle liked and loaded one set to those specs for ***** and giggles.... which was a whopping .150 off the lands. All three shot around MOA which is better then what I got with messing with powder charges. .050 shot the best out of the three at just Under 1moa so I am almost thinking the rifle likes the bullets farther off the lands. My question is should I keep messing with bullet depths... maybe try .060 and .055 or should I stick with the .050 and hope accuracy will increase by increasing powder charge. I am near the bottom of the recommended charge right now so I do have some room to go. Thoughts?

 

[RT2506]

What are you shooting and what load, bullet etc. are you using? Give particulars of the rifle, bedding etc.

 

[Bigeclipse]

What are you shooting and what load, bullet etc. are you using? Give particulars of the rifle, bedding etc.

factory remington mountain SS. 3006...sierra game kings 180 grains. h4350 powder

 

[roninflag]

Big-My remington 700 Mtn. is blued/wood. it is very accurate for as light as it is. i use a 168 berger ( also 168 cbt and nosler BT) with 50.5 of varget . .030 off. 210m and lapua brass. What are you shooting at?

 

[Bigeclipse]

Big-My remington 700 Mtn. is blued/wood. it is very accurate for as light as it is. i use a 168 berger ( also 168 cbt and nosler BT) with 50.5 of varget . .030 off. 210m and lapua brass. What are you shooting at?

I will be hunting deer, black bear and possibly elk all no more than 400 yards.

 

[RT2506]

You may have already achieved your rifles accuracy potential. In my experience those Mt rifles have really light barrels and they heat up really fast, like with two shots, and then start shots moving around. These are hunting rifles not target rifles. They are minute of deer vitals accurate not bug hole shooters.

 

[Bigeclipse]

You may have already achieved your rifles accuracy potential. In my experience those Mt rifles have really light barrels and they heat up really fast, like with two shots, and then start shots moving around. These are hunting rifles not target rifles. They are minute of deer vitals accurate not bug hole shooters.

that's the thing though...I have achieved .5-.75MOA with factory ammo so I know the rifke can do better. the question I had was should I continue messing with seating depth...or should I take the seating depth that worked best sl far...about 1moa and start messing with powder charger? can I expect any change in accuracy with that?

 

[roninflag]

With the loads i have tried , mine is a true .5 inch rifle. even with the light 2.5x-8x scope i have on it. i certainly know when it goes off.

 

[roninflag]

Did you shoot??

 

[Pa Grizz]

You may have already achieved your rifles accuracy potential. In my experience those Mt rifles have really light barrels and they heat up really fast, like with two shots, and then start shots moving around. These are hunting rifles not target rifles. They are minute of deer vitals accurate not bug hole shooters.

I bought one of the Mt rifles when they first came out and was told by alot of people about the barrel heating up.After a good breaking in period I went one June day and using 165 gr Sierra bt's with 57gr of IMR4350 shot 5 rounds as fast as I could.Then I shot the best 3 shot group the gun ever did.It was right at 1/4 in.To this day it will still shoot between 1/2 and 3/4 inch groups.I have taken bear deer and elk with this load.

 

[Dosh]

Big, have you tried the 168 bullet or a different powder? For seating depth measure the factory ammo that shot so well at the ogive. Good luck

 

[thatguyshm]

Any access to 4831? My moose load is a 200gr accubond with 4831. Its been a few years, but I believe I was loading around 56gr. It was in a cheap marlin walmart job, but at 217 yrds I put one off hand through the heart of a slow moving cow moose. It consistantly shoots under 1moa. Its strictly a hunting load, I don't chrono or anything for hunting loads, I only care about accuracy potential. I loaded to SAAMI specs. I put a cheap scope on it. Thats what I've noticed. I have a few rounds left, I'll try pulling one and seeing the charge. It may take a few days, my dad refuses to let me take the rifle away from his house as he is using it to test lead loads. He just put together a 300blk so I may be able to swipe it next time I see him.

-shm

 

[Bigeclipse]

All thanks for all the advice. sorry I haven't been around lately. I have been working up loads for my pistols to kind of take a break from the rifle haha. anyways, it is hard to find bullets and powders here in new york. The reason I've been only using rl22 and h4350 is basically that was all I have found. the rl22 worked amazingly for my browning. terrible for my mountain rifoe. since I started meseing with bullet seating the h4350 has shown a bit better performance. the last load I shot was clee to 1moa. I will be trying different charges with that bullet depth now to see if I can get a bit better. the goal right now is to get to anything under 1moa. I have all summer to try and get it back to half MOA like it was wiyh factory cor lokts. I will buy different powdere as I find them.

which do you all suggest? I have heard rl19 rl17 4064 are all contendors.

 

[roninflag]

Big - H-4350, varget, I 4064. 165 to 168 grain bullets. 030 off. lapua brass, 210M or Br-2.