new custom cant get to shoot

[MT4XFore]

I can't offer any advice that hasn't been given. But I do want to say a couple of things. Foster_65: That was a very generous offer that coyboy made you. If you can possibly find a way to accept it, you would be a fool not to. Cummins cowboy: For someone who joined this forum only 3 months ago and has but 32 posts, you make some pretty strong statements. Tikka's are very nice factory rifles, as are Sako's. They use barrels out of the same bin. But neither of them can match a quality custom. If you have ever looked at how a Tikka is assembled, especially their recoil lug, you probably wouldn't have made that comparison. I can't speak for ALL gunsmiths, but the one's on this forum DO guarantee 1/2 moa accuracy, or it doesn't leave their shop. Period. Although customs can be as difficult to find a load for as any other rifle, most of the time they aren't. If the smith is worth his salt, he will have tested the gun for grouping ability and given his customer at least one load that will duplicate his guarantee. 'nuff said.

 

[bigngreen]

Just reading fast over the thread the thing that stuck out to me is that you had a good load with a powder with burn rate some where around IMR 4350 which is 227 on the burn rate index then you slammed the brakes on and went to a powder with a burn rate of 270, while I dig H1000 and think I would look for a more temp stable situation I think I would go with something with a similar burn rate like H4350 with a burn rate at 229 and see if you can duplicate the accuracy then start working on getting that to mag feed.

Take up Cowboy on his offer at all costs!!!!!

 

[Coyboy]

Jim,

Will that same conversion typically work for a 6.5x284 in a short action for 140's seated out to the lands?

Or, do you really need a long action for a repeater?

Thanks!
Richard

It will help some gaining about .100" of oal length. But the 284 case generally does it's best in a long action when using the 140 grain bullets.

 

[BountyHunter]

I can't speak for ALL gunsmiths, but the one's on this forum DO guarantee 1/2 moa accuracy, or it doesn't leave their shop. Period. Although customs can be as difficult to find a load for as any other rifle, most of the time they aren't. If the smith is worth his salt, he will have tested the gun for grouping ability and given his customer at least one load that will duplicate his guarantee. 'nuff said.

Guns are individuals and a smith might give load "parameters" for wildcats especially but even that is not guaranteed. It is extremely rare for a smith "work up a load" for that rifle as part of a build. Most will not even do it, for extra due to liability (bet their insurance company does not know they are doing that). We have even seen guns that locked the bolt at 10 grains less powder than a smith from this board listed as the magic load (albeit a very large case). So I would not put much faith in that being a routine practice or would I want them doing it for me.

BH

 

[Foster_65]

one more question. what is a good tool to use when checking the seating depth. when i check it can be inconsistant but the tips of the bullet are also inconsistant. i think hornady makes a head space gauge but i dont know if this can be found locally. are there any tols that i can pick up here in town(bismarck, ND)

 

[liltank]

one more question. what is a good tool to use when checking the seating depth. when i check it can be inconsistant but the tips of the bullet are also inconsistant. i think hornady makes a head space gauge but i dont know if this can be found locally. are there any tols that i can pick up here in town(bismarck, ND)

You don't want a headspace gauge for seating depth. Hornady makes a Lock-n-Load bullet seating depth gauge. It works really well for setting to the ogive of the bullet.

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Bolt Action - MidwayUSA

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Modified Case 7mm Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) - MidwayUSA

Hornady Lock-N-Load Bullet Comparator Basic Set with 6 Inserts - MidwayUSA

This is the set up I use to measure my seating depth. It keeps within +/- .002" when you measure. It can be within .001 depending on how consistent you are in your pressure pushing it into the lands.

Tank

 

[Good]

Long-Range Load Development

Here's a good article on load workup. There are several ways to skin a cat, but this one is a good one.

 

[liltank]

Long-Range Load Development

Here's a good article on load workup. There are several ways to skin a cat, but this one is a good one.

Well that was interesting. Thanks!

Tank

 

[cummins cowboy]

I can't offer any advice that hasn't been given. But I do want to say a couple of things. Foster_65: That was a very generous offer that coyboy made you. If you can possibly find a way to accept it, you would be a fool not to. Cummins cowboy: For someone who joined this forum only 3 months ago and has but 32 posts, you make some pretty strong statements. Tikka's are very nice factory rifles, as are Sako's. They use barrels out of the same bin. But neither of them can match a quality custom. If you have ever looked at how a Tikka is assembled, especially their recoil lug, you probably wouldn't have made that comparison. I can't speak for ALL gunsmiths, but the one's on this forum DO guarantee 1/2 moa accuracy, or it doesn't leave their shop. Period. Although customs can be as difficult to find a load for as any other rifle, most of the time they aren't. If the smith is worth his salt, he will have tested the gun for grouping ability and given his customer at least one load that will duplicate his guarantee. 'nuff said.

so I guess this forum is the only gun related one out there?? say what you want about tikkas, about how the recoil lugs sucks, the mag is plastic and everything else is plastic and how that sucks. I have owned 3 tikkas, my first one a 30-06 will aggregate .5 moa with 4 different bullets and 3 different powerders on the same day, and those were not ladder loads, just ones I picked from the book loaded and shot. next up a 204 ruger varmint, it shoots .5 moa with 32 vmaxs and 40 grain vmax hornaday factory loads. next up a 243 first time out shot a 3/8" ragged hole on the first group I shot after site in with 55 grain federal factory loads.

the point is I have owned customs 4 total built by big name smiths that have built match winning rifles. yeah some are as accurate as the tikkas but they required ladder loads to beat them and nothing shoots everything well like the tikkas do, at least from what I have seem, when you get to .5 or even 2's or 3's with a factory 6.5# gun you don't feel the need to ladder test the loads further, so I never have done that with a tikka.

there are some gunsmiths that offer a .5 moa guarantee with lighter rifles, but they want a ton of money to do it in most cases, ie 5k or so and my guess is they have to replace a few barrels that don't meet that. other makes like for instance GAP also offers a .5 moa guarantee but keep in mind the much heavier barrel.