I'm interested in some feedback regarding the Nosler 190 ABLR, because I'm struggling to get it shoot well. Is it time to give up on this bullet or am I missing something?
Background, maybe more than you want to know.
I'm shooting the Nosler 190 Gr ABLR out of a newly rebarreled stainless 26" Bartlein #3 contour 1/10 with an ASR brake in 30-06 AI. I have about 200 rounds down the barrel. I have experimented with RL 23 and IMR 4831. The IMR 4831 has single digit std at 2805. The RL 23 std is 11 fps at 2860. I followed the Berger seating depth recommendations because a Nosler rep told me these bullets perform better with a lot of jump. (He didn't say to use the Berger method I just applied it because of the similar secant ogive.)
I started .002 off the lands and moved away in large incrimates. Between .002 and .140 it was shooting 2.5 moa. At .150 the groups shrunk to 1.1 moa. At .163 the groups stay the same size, but will put 3 in a .25 moa cluster the other two open it up.
That is not good enough for a custom barreled rifle. All work was completed by a competent smith. I've never experienced a bullet that was so challenging to get it to group consistently. I'm not excited to go much deeper, since I am already negatively impacting the case capacity.
For fire forming I have thrown together some new win brass and 168 nos cc jammed into the lands it shoots 1 moa. I just wanted brass and it out shoots the loads I put a lot of care and effort into.
Is it time to move off this bullet or is there some secrete sauce I'm not pouring on this bullet? Any 190 ABLR wisdom would be appreciated.
Background, maybe more than you want to know.
I'm shooting the Nosler 190 Gr ABLR out of a newly rebarreled stainless 26" Bartlein #3 contour 1/10 with an ASR brake in 30-06 AI. I have about 200 rounds down the barrel. I have experimented with RL 23 and IMR 4831. The IMR 4831 has single digit std at 2805. The RL 23 std is 11 fps at 2860. I followed the Berger seating depth recommendations because a Nosler rep told me these bullets perform better with a lot of jump. (He didn't say to use the Berger method I just applied it because of the similar secant ogive.)
I started .002 off the lands and moved away in large incrimates. Between .002 and .140 it was shooting 2.5 moa. At .150 the groups shrunk to 1.1 moa. At .163 the groups stay the same size, but will put 3 in a .25 moa cluster the other two open it up.
That is not good enough for a custom barreled rifle. All work was completed by a competent smith. I've never experienced a bullet that was so challenging to get it to group consistently. I'm not excited to go much deeper, since I am already negatively impacting the case capacity.
For fire forming I have thrown together some new win brass and 168 nos cc jammed into the lands it shoots 1 moa. I just wanted brass and it out shoots the loads I put a lot of care and effort into.
Is it time to move off this bullet or is there some secrete sauce I'm not pouring on this bullet? Any 190 ABLR wisdom would be appreciated.