ocw Lost on this one

[Boogie]

By reading responses on other ppls and my OCW tests I'm starting to get the hang of reading the test results. But this one has me confused. Some help would be appreciated.


This second test is a continuation of a earlier test I did with my 223 but I didn't go high enough. And still haven't reached max. The 24.6gr load still shows no pressure signs. I'll take it up a couple more steps next time out. I started out doing a regular ocw test but on the 24.4 target I bucked the second shot and decided to re-shoot it. Then since I had loaded 5 rnds of each step I just went ahead and shot them all. 3 weeks of no shooting because of weather I just couldn't stop pulling the trigger until I was out of ammo

 

[Dan Newberry]

Try 43.2 grains again... I think that shot to the right at 43.5 grains was possibly pulled, as there is not trend in that direction as the charge goes up to the next level. You might take it to 43.3 just to stay well away from the 42.9 grain level which shows a propensity to print left (assuming it's not a pull).

The next OCW level would be at around 44.4, but we see that pressure are getting too high by that level for any modicum of consistency... as you go up, things get worse and worse... brass and action are stressed, recoil would of course increase, making shot to shot consistency harder.

So I'd go with 43.3 and adjust seating depth, and things ought to look good from there. If you want to work with the higher node, maybe 44.2 would keep you close enough to it without reaching that tipping point you find at 44.7 grains.

On the .223 load... it looks like your scatter node is centered at 24.3 grains, pointing to a probably OCW at 24.7 grains. The next lower node would be at around 23.8 grains, and although POI is pretty consistent there, the OAL would need to be adjusted to tighten the group. Those bullets are not all going to be stabilized at 100 yards, as you probably know... seating depth adjustments should help.

 

[1lnbrdg]

Dan, how far apart do you typically find nodes?

 

[Dan Newberry]

they should be about 3% apart. you don't see that with every test, and there can be all sorts of reasons for that... but as a rule, the OCW nodes are 3 percent apart, interspersed at 1.5% intervals with scatter nodes (which means that the scatters are 3% apart also).

 

[Boogie]

Thanks Dan. I'm hoping the 43.3 -5 node will give me the velocity I need. Your right on with the 223. I've been shooting the 23.8 node for a while. At 300 yds it is very accurate. When all goes well it'll do a .3 MOA

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

[MENTION=84041]Dan Newberry[/MENTION]

You are a gem in our community. Thank you Dan.

 

[Macmathews]

Dan, how far apart do you typically find nodes?

My 700 308 in 5r
End up with nodes about 4 percent apart

 

[bruddah]

Dan is a HUGE help.