Hello, if anyone knows of a newer thread I can move my question.
New to the forum but have been on here for years. I wanted to check for any shared experiences. I am running a 28" Criterion 1 in 8 twist and H4350 in my new 6.5CM. Brass is Lapua and Starline. My new Criterion barrel is very fast after 250 rounds and I can run H140 ELDMs at 2850 with zero pressure signs at 41 grains. Full length sizing with both Redding type S and Hornady full length.
Finding a repeatable sub 1/2 inch group has been a challenge. I expect more I have experimented with seating from lands to .020 jump. I'm running between .400 and .800 on group size with the avg being above .600 inches at 100yds.
Have several rifles that I have tuned to shoot 1/4 inch 5 shot groups. I use, OCW, Satterly..I've reloaded a fair amount which means I know enough to not blow myself up now
Is there some secret to finding optimal seating depth with high BC bullets? They seem really fussy...Berger 144, Sierra 142, Hornady 140. So far the H140 has been the best shooter but I'm still averaging about .6 inch 5 shot groups at 2850fps-ish. I can take the barrel off this rifle, slap on my 20 practical barrel and shoot in the .3s all day. Same everything except barrel, bolt head and caliber.
Again, I have worked up my H4350/H140ELDM loads from 40 through 41.7 grains with different seating depths. I am not finding the 5 shot groups I want. 3 shot groups are fine, but we all know the flyer or wacky shot happens on shot 4 or 5. Murphy's Law. And that is the strange thing. Even tried factory ammo in H140 and H147 and got similar results. One or two .5 - .6 inch groups and then the next will be 1.2 inches. I've had several ask if its my shooting. No. Too much bench time. It's just not.
Maybe I should just step down into the 39 grain range with the H4350 and drop the velocity and see if I can find a node that is both wide and consistent in the 2700 fps range.
Criterion makes good stuff - I figured by now I would be shooting in the mid .3s for five shots groups. That's usually where I end up after some tuning fun.
Any opinions/thoughts out there? Seems hard to tune compared to other rifles. Geez, I have 4 ARs that shoot tighter groups than my 6.5CM.
Thank you
New to the forum but have been on here for years. I wanted to check for any shared experiences. I am running a 28" Criterion 1 in 8 twist and H4350 in my new 6.5CM. Brass is Lapua and Starline. My new Criterion barrel is very fast after 250 rounds and I can run H140 ELDMs at 2850 with zero pressure signs at 41 grains. Full length sizing with both Redding type S and Hornady full length.
Finding a repeatable sub 1/2 inch group has been a challenge. I expect more I have experimented with seating from lands to .020 jump. I'm running between .400 and .800 on group size with the avg being above .600 inches at 100yds.
Have several rifles that I have tuned to shoot 1/4 inch 5 shot groups. I use, OCW, Satterly..I've reloaded a fair amount which means I know enough to not blow myself up now
Is there some secret to finding optimal seating depth with high BC bullets? They seem really fussy...Berger 144, Sierra 142, Hornady 140. So far the H140 has been the best shooter but I'm still averaging about .6 inch 5 shot groups at 2850fps-ish. I can take the barrel off this rifle, slap on my 20 practical barrel and shoot in the .3s all day. Same everything except barrel, bolt head and caliber.
Again, I have worked up my H4350/H140ELDM loads from 40 through 41.7 grains with different seating depths. I am not finding the 5 shot groups I want. 3 shot groups are fine, but we all know the flyer or wacky shot happens on shot 4 or 5. Murphy's Law. And that is the strange thing. Even tried factory ammo in H140 and H147 and got similar results. One or two .5 - .6 inch groups and then the next will be 1.2 inches. I've had several ask if its my shooting. No. Too much bench time. It's just not.
Maybe I should just step down into the 39 grain range with the H4350 and drop the velocity and see if I can find a node that is both wide and consistent in the 2700 fps range.
Criterion makes good stuff - I figured by now I would be shooting in the mid .3s for five shots groups. That's usually where I end up after some tuning fun.
Any opinions/thoughts out there? Seems hard to tune compared to other rifles. Geez, I have 4 ARs that shoot tighter groups than my 6.5CM.
Thank you