SmallCaliberCentral

Hi guys. Another range report. If you'll notice, my range reports are pretty varied. I think this format is my best so far. I hope it gives someone some useful info (me especially).

It was 68F, wind 5-10, gusting to 20, but if we have enough sun to use my chrono, it's going to be a little breezy here. I shot these prone, and the target image was very steady. I pushed forward into the bipod and used a rear bag. I think these results do show the load potentials accurately.

What I'm taking from today's range trip:
I'll be testing 25.5, 25.6, and 25.7gr Varget with the 50gr Bergers. 25.6 shows potential here. It looks like there's one keyhole in the 25.4gr target, but I think it was just the OSB backstop material splintering back through the target. I'll find a load that shoots tight consistently then check for stability at longer ranges. From the numbers so far, it feels like the 50gr Berger may be beaten by the fast twist .223's. Maybe not in typical accuracy, but in velocity/energy. The velocities I saw today aren't that great. Anyone think I should try heavier charge of a slower powder to get more velocity?

While still not impressive, why would the extreme spread on the 50gr Bergers be so much better than the 40gr Nosler loads, both using Varget? They both used the same batch of brass, and loaded within minutes of each other.

The 26.2, and 26.8gr TAC with Nosler BTHP loads look promising, although at 26.4gr, something went seriously wrong. The velocities are not very high either. I've seen no pressure signs yet from this combo, so may try pushing for a node at a higher velocity. Let me know what you guys think. Could my 10 twist barrel, in combination with it being a gas gun, be taking that much velocity off these loads? I thought I should be able to get at least 3700 from a 40gr bullet.

27.8gr TAC - 34gr Dogtown FBHP
Is this powder wet or what? These were the first 10 shots after a thorough cleaning last night. That could account for the erratic velocities, although further down in this report, you'll see the extreme spread is pretty wide on all my loads for some reason. It makes me question several things in my reloading routine. As if I needed more confusion. I've been working on this load quite a while now. Beginning to think my rifle just doesn't like them. or my chrono is dying.

No target scan of these. Grouped about MOA. I've seen them group better. Good enough for now. The velocities are all over the place though.

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3663
Shot 2: 3921
Shot 3: 3809
Shot 4: 3798
Shot 5: 3842
Shot 6: 3766
Shot 7: 3693
Shot 8: 3809
Shot 9: 3693
Shot 10:3820

HI: 3921
LOW: 3663
Av: 3781
ES: 258
SD: 79


25.2gr Varget - 50gr Berger BTHP
I figured I'd see what I can get going with these. Maybe have something for longer range stuff.

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3220
Shot 2: 3122
Shot 3: 3122
Shot 4: 3152
Shot 5: 3144

HI: 3220
LOW: 3122
Av: 3152
ES: 98
SD: 40

Didn't count the flyer in the group size measurement here.



25.4gr Varget - 50gr Berger BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3244
Shot 2: 3182
Shot 3: 3197
Shot 4: 3144
Shot 5: 3152

HI: 3244
LOW: 3144
Av: 3183
ES: 100
SD: 39

Is that a keyholed bullet? I think it was just the OSB backstop splintering. I was worried when I saw this, but I've never seen one of these keyhole out of my rifle yet. We'll see what happens at longer ranges.



25.6gr Varget - 50gr Berger BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3244
Shot 2: 3267
Shot 3: 3236
Shot 4: 3220
Shot 5: 3259

HI: 3267
LOW: 3220
Av: 3245
ES: 47
SD: 17




25.8gr Varget - 50gr Berger BTHP

Shot 1: 3174
Shot 2: 3174
Shot 3: 3205
Shot 4: 3220
Shot 5: 3159

HI: 3220
LOW: 3159
Av: 3186
ES: 61
SD: 23

Refigured without Shot 5. (Round sat in hot chamber about 30 seconds. I think this slowed it down to the 3159.)
HI: 3220
LOW: 3174
Av: 3193
ES: 93
SD: 20




26.2gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP
I have a bunch of these I purchased as 2nds cheap. They might be a good prairie dog bullet if I can get them to shoot.
Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3546
Shot 2: 3472
Shot 3: 3463
Shot 4: 3613
Shot 5: 3536

HI: 3613
LOW: 3463
Av: 3526
ES: 150
SD: 61




26.4gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3490
Shot 2: 3555
Shot 3: 3427
Shot 4: 3584
Shot 5: 3623

HI: 3623
LOW: 3427
Av: 3539
ES: 196
SD: 77

I remember these shots stringing left to right, in order. I thought the first one was a flyer, but no. Wow... ?



26.6gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3436
Shot 2: 3593
Shot 3: 3546
Shot 4: 3574
Shot 5: 3603

HI: 3593
LOW: 3436
Av: 3550
ES: 157
SD: 60




26.8gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3499
Shot 2: 3663
Shot 3: 3508
Shot 4: 3463
Shot 5: 3527

HI: 3613
LOW: 3463
Av: 3532
ES: 150
SD: 69

Flyer shown but not counted in measurement.


OK enough for tonight. Let me know if you guys see anything I can use from all this. Thanks

I said above I thought the velocities were low for these loads, but I kept thinking last night. The Hodgdon max of 26gr is supposed to yield 3287.

Here's the best target I had with it getting 3245, using only 25.6gr. Not bad I guess, but I'm beginning to agree with those who have commented how save for a small B.C. advantage, the .204 loses virtually all gains over a .223 using heavier bullet weights. Anyone see what I mean? Granted, a bolt action .204 may give 3500fps. Anyone have a link to that data?

25.6gr Varget - 50gr Berger BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3244
Shot 2: 3267
Shot 3: 3236
Shot 4: 3220
Shot 5: 3259

HI: 3267
LOW: 3220
Av: 3245
ES: 47
SD: 17

WOW...nice write up. Wish I could provide input but I have no experience with either of these combinations. As far as disregarding flyiers, unless you know why the shot(s) were flyiers, I count them in the group size. I will retest the load if I have 4 good ones just to verify consistency and in fact, after the accuracy test @ 200 followed by a velocity test, I follow up with three 10-shot group test @ 200 yds.

As far as powder I've used mainly H4895, RE-15 and Varget. If staying within the reloading manuals, of the three, Varget was the slowest in speed, RE-15 was the fastest. If all three had the same charge, then H4895 had the fastest velocity. Accuracy was on par for all of them.

Update 06/18/09
Had a break in the rains this afternoon so I thought I better get out and try this batch of loads. My chrono needs the sun up to work. I wanted to see if there was another 40gr Nosler / TAC combo that was faster but still accurate. It seems really odd to me how little velocity changed over these 6 loads, varying by .1gr. Notice how the ES and SD tightened up with the heavier charges.

Hope I get some analysis back on these. They seem slow to me. The Ramshot website shows 27gr as max load for 40gr, which should give 3680fps. I'm getting 3631 average with the three loads I tried over 27gr.

I think I'll be satisfied with the accuracy, as it seems most haven't liked the 40gr Nosler. I just wish I could get them a little faster. I don't think it's going to happen with this powder.

Conditions:
79F, South (my right to left) wind 15, gusting to 20

26.8gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3527
Shot 2: 3584
Shot 3: 3536
Shot 4: 3536
Shot 5: 3565

HI: 3584
LOW: 3527
Av: 549
ES: 57
SD: 23

Target image not worth posting.


26.9gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3593
Shot 2: 3652
Shot 3: 3623
Shot 4: 3593
Shot 5: 3574

HI: 3652
LOW: 3574
Av: 3607
ES: 78
SD: 30

Target image not worth posting.


27.0gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3603
Shot 2: 3569
Shot 3: 3555
Shot 4: 3555
Shot 5: 3593

HI: 3603
LOW: 3555
Av: 3574
ES: 48
SD: 22

Target image not worth posting.


27.1gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3633
Shot 2: 3683
Shot 3: 3613
Shot 4: 3555
Shot 5: 3673

HI: 3683
LOW: 3555
Av: 3631
ES: 128
SD: 51





27.2gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3642
Shot 2: 3613
Shot 3: 3642
Shot 4: 3652
Shot 5: 3642

HI: 3652
LOW: 3613
Av: 3638
ES: 39
SD: 14





27.3gr TAC - 40gr Nosler BTHP

Chrono Data:
Shot 1: 3633
Shot 2: 3603
Shot 3: 3613
Shot 4: 3652
Shot 5: 3623

HI: 3652
LOW: 3603
Av: 3624
ES: 49
SD: 18