overall length for abolt medallion?

[jschmitz192]

I have a Browning Abolt medallion 2 that I have tried almost every factory load there is. The best I can get out of this gun is about 3.5" at 100 yards. I was hoping for a lot better than this. It is a 30-06 that I bought new. It probably has 200 rounds through it. I always let it cool between shots and clean it regularly(about every 50 shots).
I have a .243 that I can get .420" inch groups and a .300 win mag that I can get .9 inch groups. So I know how to shoot. I just cant get the Abolt medallion 30-06 to group. I have switched scopes and put Talley rings on it. Both scopes shoot good on other guns. I guess I want to try handloads. Somebody once told me that factory loads overall length is way to short for the abolt. I don't know, maybe.
What overall length should I try? I was going to start with 180 grain nosler ballistic tips. Any other ideas are greatly appreciated. I'm fairly new to all this stuff.

 

[MarkA]

I was going to start with 180 grain nosler ballistic tips. Any other ideas are greatly appreciated. I'm fairly new to all this stuff.

H4350 to start. Find seating depth for your gun by way of testing loads seated at differing depths.

 

[MudRunner2005]

A-Bolts have the detachable internal mag. It tends to be short, which is going to be your limiting factor in this setup. But, I have figured out a way to work around this with my A-Bolts.

First, remove your internal mag, take it apart, and measure the internal length of the mag box with your calipers. Then subtract about .010" from the mag box and that is your maximum cartridge overall length you can use in your rifle (as a repeater).

Then use a OAL tool to measure your chamber/cartridge depth to the lands with whatever particular bullet you plan on shooting. Each bullet will produce a different distance because they are all shaped differently.

Then you take that measurement from the OAL gauge, and you subtract the magazine length from it. and you have your minimum jump to the lands (don't forget to include that .010" removed from the mag box length).

Then you have your seating depth for the A-Bolts. Load them all to that same length, and use different powder charges to find your most accurate load. If you've never done load development before, you will want to buy a reloading manual for each brand of bullets you plan on shooting. And then determine which powder you want. Start at the "starting load" and work up slowly in .5 grain increments towards your max load, to find accuracy. I wouldn't go over book max if you're just starting to load, do a lot of research on cartridge pressure signs and learn what to look for before going beyond book Max loads.

 

[jschmitz192]

Soooo, at the end of the day my mag is the limiting factor on OAL?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Soooo, at the end of the day my mag is the limiting factor on OAL?

I do not know about the .30-06...Both of my A-Bolt II rifles were/are 7mm RemMags. So for a magnum cartridge, yes, the magazine was the OAL limiting factor.

You would need to take both the chamber/cartridge length measurement, and the magazine internal length measurement to determine if your magazine will be the limiting factor for your rifle.

 

[Mikecr]

I know one thing, you can't just pull an OAL out of your butt, or one that fits in a magazine, and predict at all that this would be best.
I consider full seating testing a fundamental part of load development. And if that tested best seating falls outside of magazine use, then I would heavily consider what's more important; a magazine, or accuracy.

 

[FEENIX]

I know one thing, you can't just pull an OAL out of your butt, or one that fits in a magazine, and predict at all that this would be best.
I consider full seating testing a fundamental part of load development. And if that tested best seating falls outside of magazine use, then I would heavily consider what's more important; a magazine, or accuracy.

Agreed!

 

[jschmitz192]

OK, my buddy says he has a gauge, how short of the rifling is optimal?

 

[MudRunner2005]

OK, my buddy says he has a gauge, how short of the rifling is optimal?

Different types of bullets can handle/prefer different amounts of jump. What brand, weight, and model bullet do you want to shoot?

 

[jschmitz192]

I was going to start with nosler ballistic tips

 

[MarkA]

I was going to start with nosler ballistic tips

With Ballistic tips i load 3 of each seating depth and test. The Ballistic Tip is generally very forgiving of seating depth.

I first test ballistic tips:

.020" off the lands

.040" off the lands

.060" off the lands

.080" off the lands

.100" off the lands

My favorite powders for the 30-06 with 180 Ballistic Tips:

Tried and true in order of preference H4350, IMR4451, Hybrid 100V, and H414. With these powders you can check Hodgdon manual but I start at like 53.5 grains work load up to approx 2,750fps. I find best accuracy nodes for the 180 ballistic tips from 2,700 to 2,750fps

Take Aim at Rifle Reloading Data | Hodgdon Reloading

 

[FEENIX]

Different types of bullets can handle/prefer different amounts of jump. What brand, weight, and model bullet do you want to shoot?

^^^This!^^^ Please take no offense but since you're new to this stuff, take the time and enjoy the learning process; stick with the SAAMI/reloading handbook for now and before you know it, you're a pro. "IF" you don't have a reloading manual I suggest you get one or more, I'm pretty sure most of us that has been reloading for while have quite a few for references.

Cheers!