Hey gang, I'm a bit of newb on this site and hope to contribute where I can but I'm looking for some help today.
I have been reloading for a few years and have worked up some loads that have shot sub 0.5" 5 shot groups at 100 yards with a bolt action .223 with a 3-9x scope, 1" groups with an AR with a 1-4x scope, and even some 1" groups with a .30-30 Contender with a 1-4 scope.
I recently got a Savage LRP in .260 Rem and mounted a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 on it with NF base and rings.
I am using Berger VLDs 140 grain and H4350 powder and new Lapua brass. Using a RCBS Rockchucker with Redding dies. Out of the box, the neck tension was too tight (IMO) so I had to run the expander ball through the necks and then resized the neck only with Redding bushing neck sizing dies (.292 bushing). Neck tension felt good when seating bullets. The brass did not require trimming and the body did not require resizing (they all chambered fine). RCBS Beam scale with hand weighed charges. I'm seating the bullets with I think about .004" off the lands.
I've loaded up some test loads and chronographed them. Started seeing signs of pressure (slight ejector marks) at about 2900ft/sec (I think 43.5 grains of H4350 is where I started getting signs of pressure).
So I loaded five round groups of 0.2 grain increments from 42.2 to 43.2 and went out and shot them. Sandbags, solid rest. Everything with the scope and base remained tight.
Here's the problem: No acceptable groups out of the 6 six test groups. All the groups had 2-3 tight holes and then 2-3 spread out from there. Average group size was 2.5-3.0" center to center. The spread was not just in a vertical string but horizontal spread as well.
Velocity was 2750-2850 or so (don't have the numbers in front of me now).
Any thoughts?
What do I do now?
It was frustrating considering this is the worst load development I've experienced and the guns I've had good results with in the past were not target style rifles and scopes.
Do I need to try different seating depths?
Different bullets (SMK?)
Will I expect any improvement after the brass has been fire formed to the chamber?
Do I need to mess with the torque of the action screws on the rifle?
I know the amount of variables makes this hard to diagnosis, but any insight would be appreciated. I'm sure I'm overlooking something.
Thanks guys.
I have been reloading for a few years and have worked up some loads that have shot sub 0.5" 5 shot groups at 100 yards with a bolt action .223 with a 3-9x scope, 1" groups with an AR with a 1-4x scope, and even some 1" groups with a .30-30 Contender with a 1-4 scope.
I recently got a Savage LRP in .260 Rem and mounted a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 on it with NF base and rings.
I am using Berger VLDs 140 grain and H4350 powder and new Lapua brass. Using a RCBS Rockchucker with Redding dies. Out of the box, the neck tension was too tight (IMO) so I had to run the expander ball through the necks and then resized the neck only with Redding bushing neck sizing dies (.292 bushing). Neck tension felt good when seating bullets. The brass did not require trimming and the body did not require resizing (they all chambered fine). RCBS Beam scale with hand weighed charges. I'm seating the bullets with I think about .004" off the lands.
I've loaded up some test loads and chronographed them. Started seeing signs of pressure (slight ejector marks) at about 2900ft/sec (I think 43.5 grains of H4350 is where I started getting signs of pressure).
So I loaded five round groups of 0.2 grain increments from 42.2 to 43.2 and went out and shot them. Sandbags, solid rest. Everything with the scope and base remained tight.
Here's the problem: No acceptable groups out of the 6 six test groups. All the groups had 2-3 tight holes and then 2-3 spread out from there. Average group size was 2.5-3.0" center to center. The spread was not just in a vertical string but horizontal spread as well.
Velocity was 2750-2850 or so (don't have the numbers in front of me now).
Any thoughts?
What do I do now?
It was frustrating considering this is the worst load development I've experienced and the guns I've had good results with in the past were not target style rifles and scopes.
Do I need to try different seating depths?
Different bullets (SMK?)
Will I expect any improvement after the brass has been fire formed to the chamber?
Do I need to mess with the torque of the action screws on the rifle?
I know the amount of variables makes this hard to diagnosis, but any insight would be appreciated. I'm sure I'm overlooking something.
Thanks guys.
