Ok, I've been busy with life on top of dicking with the Valkyrie and 85.5 Berger's and I haven't been able to be keeping the forums up to date, so, here I am with an update.
To start off I got my load data from Berger on these bullets and you will see how far I was able to go.
NOTE: This is a Remage Bolt Action Valkyrie, CBI 1-6.5 24" LT Varmint barrel, I know these are hot. Work up your own loads at the low end and go up on your own!
H4895
CCI450
85.5g Berger's
Neck turned Starline brass
Annealed every firing
All velocities taken by a MS V3 on a homemade deal to keep it off the barrel
Charge weights weighed out to the .02gr by a A&D fx120i
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This is where I started, when I didn't hit pressure signs with what Berger told me I went above that in .3gr increments and was able to get where I wanted to go which 2900-2930 is where I want to be with these bullets.
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Trying to verify my node or flat spot, as you can see, it started here where nothing seems to duplicate what I first got...…
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Seeing what kind of accuracy I can get, and once again, what I got first is showing here now again
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Settled on a powder charge, and now testing seating depth. I expect velocity changes here so, whatever.
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Ok, looking good, still not the velocity I'm looking for but accuracy is capable it appears. Also started to investigate some shit and it turns out I was having the "dreaded doughnut"...….ok so try to remedy that, got a Redding type S-die.....trying different shit to get SOMETHING CONSISTANT to work but nothing is working.
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As you can see, the second from last RH side target, it says I sanded the id, which I had some marks in the id caused by the neck turner when I had the doughnuts, so I used 800grit for a bit and then used 0000 steel wool. To my surprise it turned out great except when I used my arbor press with a psi gauge, I could bottom it out so I had to use my coax to seat them and I thought, oh shit this is going to shoot like shit......ha group was ok but the es/sd was awesome!!!!! Tried it again, whelp can't duplicate it...….
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Still testing.....pretty good accuracy, not so good es….new Starline brass, was hopeful to find a virgin brass load but.....no
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Shot the second left target and thought oh thank GOD!!!!! Tried to duplicate that below...….bloody fucking hell!!! Fell apart, again.....
I'm starting to think that H4895 ain't the be-all powder or something...… hell my 80 eldm loads are hitting 20-40fps lower than they did in the summer, I've seen guys shoot around 25g h4895 and be at 3000fps with the 80's. So it appears my barrel is not a velocity barrel, about toast, or idk, about tired of it not working out!! This cartridge was the first I started to reload and a year later reloading for it I'm baffled, aggravated and so on.....oh and I'm on my 3rd box of 85.5's! Think these are great bullets, just thinking H4895 is not optimal or my barrel freaking sucks. Also when going to the new starline brass, I sized that, neck turned and then resized again all to find a doughnut in those after the fact. How I found this, pin gages, bought a bunch of pin gages and use them to find issues and to set neck tension.
Sure hope my 6.5prc ain't this big of a PIA!! Although I can hit a 2'x2' plate with it WITH FACTORY AMMO at a grand pretty easily!!