Developing 20 Tactical Loads

[Lenard]

Sometimes it is hard to understand why one particular load just shoots tighter groups. Anyone who thinks it is easy, needs to think again. Last fall, I had a mini Mauser rebarreled to a 20 Tac. Used a PacNor barrel, 1-10 twist. The gun has shot 32 VMax into .250's but had never tried 40 VMax with Benchmark until yesterday. Started with 25 Grains of Benchmark and shot 3/4" the next load was increased two tenths and it shot a .305 outside measurement which equates to a .101 group. Next load when back to 3/4". Now the work begins to see if I can come close to duplicating that group. By the way, that is a very lightweight 22" barrel.

I have not run into tenths of a grain being so different in group size, since I developed loads for my Sako 243. Half of a grain of 4350 made for really small groups, while up and down with the powder charge, did not produce good groups. I have to get all this done and plot the trajectory before it comes time to hunt rockchucks.

[Glen]

That .305/.101 sure is a dandy starting load Lenard!!

[Lenard]

Yes Glenn, that is a good starting load. Some days I think we are just blessed. Every time I shoot a good group, it reminds me of the guys I used to shoot with 30 some years ago. They were shooting .25 groups with anything from a 223 up to magnums. Thought I would never get to the place where I could shoot that good. The proof is if I can do it again, even come close.