Still working up loads

[BroncoBill]

I loaded 20 rounds today. My focus today was getting a bullet jump that will be the most accurate. 5 rounds each at .010, .015, .020 and .025 ojive to lands. I have .001 to .0015 neck tension. I settled on 77gr of H1000, it seemed to be the most accurate. We shall see how the bullet jump affects accuracy and how it all works together. I have better records in my logbook.

Rifle is a Remington 700DM, .300 Win Mag, 26" 1 in 10 PacNor Stainless Ultra Match.

Range trip planned soon. New tools too! 21st Century windowed expander die, black nitride expander mandrel and Lee universal decapping die. These made life so much easier!

 

[Seabeeken]

Neck tension seems a bit light to me for a 300 wm. Are you getting any bullets movement in the magazine?

 

[std7mag]

What bullet are you using?

Berger VLD typically work best at 0.005" off the lands for me.

Other cup and core bullets typically work best at 0.02" off the lands.

When doing a seating depth test I typically use 0.005, 0.020, 0.040, 0.060.

If one looks like it's definitely tightening up, then I'll fine tune it.

 

[Dmagna]

I have been using .002 or .003 neck tension on magnums. Seems the larger powder charges like a little resistance in order to ignite efficiently

 

[jjmp]

Following, looking good ,Cheers n Congrats .

 

[BroncoBill]

Neck tension seems a bit light to me for a 300 wm. Are you getting any bullets movement in the magazine?

What bullet are you using?

Berger VLD typically work best at 0.005" off the lands for me.

Other cup and core bullets typically work best at 0.02" off the lands.

When doing a seating depth test I typically use 0.005, 0.020, 0.040, 0.060.

If one looks like it's definitely tightening up, then I'll fine tune it.

Nosler Accubond 180gr Spitzer.

Neck tension seems a bit light to me for a 300 wm. Are you getting any bullets movement in the magazine?

No movement.

That said these are work-up loads so there may be changes with the next batch.

 

[BroncoBill]

Neck tension seems a bit light to me for a 300 wm. Are you getting any bullets movement in the magazine?

Dummy me, I just realized what you were asking.

I have not fired these yet so recoil movement is unknown. I did go out and double check with a more accurate micrometer and inside ball micrometer. The neck tension is actually between .0015 and .0025 so that makes me feel better about it.

 

[.300 Dakota]

I may have missed the big picture, but make sure you aren't adjusting 2 variables at once. I.e. seating depth AND neck tension. Unless you are duplicating all loads with each combination. I have been guilty of that more than once. Decide to change powders and then, in the middle of the loading process, decide I want just a smidge less bullet jump, etc. That way, if you get a great group and scream, "IT WORKED!", an echo will sound in the distance inside your head going, "What worked??"

Yes, the end result is a great load regardless, but in case you want to try something different later on, you'll know exactly which variable worked. I suppose the greatest danger is if it DOESN'T work, and you leave a perfectly good load on the table because you assume that it would not shoot correcting one of the 2 variables back to baseline. I know when things go over 2 MOA with me, I typically abandon the powder used altogether, and may abandon the bullet if another powder or 2 don't give much better results. I might be giving up on a good combo by not trying to adjust tension, depth, etc. It's doubly hard to do if you move 2 variables at once.

 

[.300 Dakota]

Nvm. I see that you have not fired it yet. Establishing a starting point only. The "still" in the title made me think these were remade with changes from a previous outing. Carry on. As you were!

 

[BroncoBill]

Nvm. I see that you have not fired it yet. Establishing a starting point only. The "still" in the title made me think these were remade with changes from a previous outing. Carry on. As you were!

Thank you so much for the input.

Everything is the same except the jump. I loaded 20 rounds but realized my jump was insanely high. .120 or there abouts. Those were my first. I load pistol (.44 Mag) so rifle loading is still new and im learning. You guys make it much easier by making very helpful comments and suggestions.

 

[.300 Dakota]

Thank you so much for the input.

Everything is the same except the jump. I loaded 20 rounds but realized my jump was insanely high. .120 or there abouts. Those were my first. I load pistol (.44 Mag) so rifle loading is still new and im learning. You guys make it much easier by making very helpful comments and suggestions.

If you successfully load handgun ammo without detonating a brass grenade, rifle ammo will be a piece of cake! Depths and charges not NEARLY as critical. It's all about finding the sweet spot, and being consistent. You can get a bullet down and out of the barrel safely MUCH easier than handgun. It's just the ability to split hairs at distance that's frustrating and elusive!

 

[std7mag]

@BroncoBill,

Ah...
I wanted so much for the regular Accubond to work well for my rifles.

Thought it would be easy as they have the same form as the Ballistic Tip.

Boy was I wrong!

I started out at 0.005" off of the lands. Went to 0.120" in increments of 0.02" and could never get them to group well.
Different weights, and different calibers.

I wish you best of luck!

 

[BroncoBill]

My rifle seems to like them. These are my first set of test rounds. Each represents a different powder charge.
L-R 77gr, 77.5, 78, 78.5 and 79 all of H1000 with the 180 Accubond.

All these new loads are 77, since it performed the best. So now for the jump adjustments.

 

[Mikecr]

I suggest that you back off powder to maybe ~75gr, far away from any powder tune, for your seating testing.
Otherwise, any seating other than what you tested powder with will open/close grouping some amount -due to your testing affect to a specific powder tune. (not because the seating is worse/better).

If you put powder in a bad place to begin with, where it's not so sensitive to load density & starting pressure influences from seating changes, THEN you can see what seating is actually more/less optimum for your bullet & barrel combo.
I like big ugly grouping for seating testing, where I can see big opening/closing purely due to seating changes.
Same with primer testing.
I don't do powder tuning until this prerequisite testing is completed.

I would also go bigger changes, like std7mag suggested.