Range Report 243WSSM - RL17, 105 Amax and 215 Gold Medal Match

[blksno]

Well, I finally got around to testing some more bullet, powder combos today. A very small test, but effective none the less. I've had VERY POOR luck with RL17 in the past, but I figured that if I've still got some left, I might as well keep testing till it's gone. If I can't find a group with a pound of powder...might as well move on.

ONE MINOR HITCH IN MY GIDDY-UP. I MAY HAVE messed up the order in which I shot my groups...so my "good group" might be .2 gr of powder high or low...so I have to test it again next week. [I may have shot them in this order (43.2 - 42.4 - 42.6 - 42.8 - 43) ] And judging by the rate of expansion...is entirely possible.

So, when you see the powder charge listed by each group...it's not a range...it's actually that I don't know which charge made the group, it's one or the other.

1:9 twist 24" barrel AR15 chambered in 243WSSM
50 degrees, 3-5 mph wind from about 7:30, Elevation = 1645'
Gold Medal Match 215 Primers
RL17 Powder
105 Amax seated to 1.85' to the ogive, (1.35" OAL IIRC) roughly a .1" jump yet still feed from my VLD Pmags
(42.4 - 42.6 - 42.8 - 43 - 43.2)

Quickload estimates 42.6 is approaching max with my seating depth, but I saw no pressure signs on any loads.
Also a Quickload estimation is roughly 3150fps, 3163fps or 3175fps for 42.4 - 42.6 - 42.8 respectively. Enough to stay supersonic out to +1400yds (depending on elevation)

Regardless. I'm very pleased and I think I have a new Go-To, big game load for next season. I'll be testing 5 shot groups next weekend. Hopefully between 400-1000 to see how they fair.

Shot the 1st group, then adjusted 1 MOA left.

A beautiful string, that may or may not have been effected by wind from 7-7:30. I'll be testing the range between these two groups more in the future.

On this group...I couldn't tell where the bullet hole actually was, because of the paper rip...so I marked it at the farthest possible spot. It could however, have been more between the two holes on the right, essentially cutting another 1/4 off this group.

 

[skinney_7]

Re: 243WSSM - RL17, 105 Amax and 215 Gold Medal Match

its about time!!!

 

[blksno]

Re: 243WSSM - RL17, 105 Amax and 215 Gold Medal Match

Heading out this weekend to add some more detail to the test. This time at <span style="color: #804080"><span style="text-decoration: underline">300</span></span> yds.

I'll be testing 105 Amax and RL17 again with the same OAL of 1.85" to the ogive.
I hope to be using a chrono as well, to not only give me verifiable drop data, but also a true BC for the Amax in my settings, as well as a larger sample size and farther distance to better judge extreme spread.

5 shots <span style="color: #804080">42.4gr</span> with <span style="color: #008000">new</span> brass and <span style="color: #FF0000">215</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #804080">42.4gr</span> with <span style="color: #FF4040">used</span> brass <span style="color: #663366">and</span> <span style="color: #FF0000">215</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #804080">42.4gr</span> with <span style="color: #008000">new</span> brass and <span style="color: #0000BF">210</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #804080">42.4gr</span> with <span style="color: #FF4040">used</span> brass and <span style="color: #0000BF">210</span> match primers

5 shots <span style="color: #FF00BF">42.6gr</span> with <span style="color: #008000">new</span> brass and <span style="color: #FF0000">215</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #FF00BF">42.6gr</span> with <span style="color: #FF4040">used</span> brass and <span style="color: #FF0000">215</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #FF00BF">42.6gr</span> with <span style="color: #008000">new</span> brass and <span style="color: #0000BF">210</span> match primers
5 shots <span style="color: #FF00BF">42.6gr</span> with <span style="color: #FF4040">used</span> brass and <span style="color: #0000BF">210</span> match primers