JustC...UPDATED
I just loaded up 3 different loads .02 into my lands. Weather permitting and God willing, I'm going to go shoot them tomorrow and see if there's any improvement. 73.5 grains, 74 grains, 74.5 grains of RL-22.
Update:
Seating them .02 into the lands seemed to help a little with the same load of 73.5 grains of RL-22. The groups went from 2.25" to 1.625", with one flyer per 5 shot group (the flyers opened the groups up considerbably larger than the stated #, but the remainder of the group was considerably tighter than I had been getting). These were my fouling shots as well. I already had 10 rounds loaded up, so I reseated the bullets so that they were deeper into the lands.
I then shot one 6 round group at 74 grains of RL-22 and it shot a 1.6875" group.
The next group was a 3 shot group with 74.5 grains of RL-22 and it was horrible (2.625")...but the barrel was pretty hot. I let the barrel cool down and shot another 3 shot group and it was .503". The only problem is that it was a 3 shot group...I only loaded 6 rounds at 74 gr and 74.5 gr.
It looks like the rifle likes the hotter loads, but I'm still getting at least 1 or two flyers with every group (with the exception of the last 3 shot group) and this simply should not be the case. I'm beginning to wonder if I may have a problem with my scope... I'm shooting at 25X and my cross hairs are dissecting a 3/4" dot, rock solid in sand bags.
I'm going to load up 15 rounds at 74.5 grains (5 fouling shots, and 10 to see how it groups), then 10 at 75 grains...and maybe 10 more at 75.5 grains. This will give me 2 5 shot groups at each load. I'm going to shoot it one more time and if I'm still getting flyers, I'm going to take the scope off and send it back to Leupold.
Do you ever seat deeper into the lands than .02".?.? Do you know of any tricks for ruling out the scope before sending it back to Leupold.?.?...without taking a scope off another rifle and trying it. I can't really do the Square test b/c it's shooting so erratically. I seriously doubt the problem is the gun...I just cannot see John putting out a rifle that shoots like this. I also have not tried any other powders, but I've had good luck with RL-22 in the parent cartridge in the past.
I'm still frustrated b/c I know this rifle should be shooting WAY better than it's shooting...I don't believe I've handloaded for any rifle that has shot this bad in my life.
The snow will be setting in any day now and I won't be able to shoot until next summer...I hate having undone projects.
Update:
Seating them .02 into the lands seemed to help a little with the same load of 73.5 grains of RL-22. The groups went from 2.25" to 1.625", with one flyer per 5 shot group (the flyers opened the groups up considerbably larger than the stated #, but the remainder of the group was considerably tighter than I had been getting). These were my fouling shots as well. I already had 10 rounds loaded up, so I reseated the bullets so that they were deeper into the lands.
I then shot one 6 round group at 74 grains of RL-22 and it shot a 1.6875" group.
The next group was a 3 shot group with 74.5 grains of RL-22 and it was horrible (2.625")...but the barrel was pretty hot. I let the barrel cool down and shot another 3 shot group and it was .503". The only problem is that it was a 3 shot group...I only loaded 6 rounds at 74 gr and 74.5 gr.
It looks like the rifle likes the hotter loads, but I'm still getting at least 1 or two flyers with every group (with the exception of the last 3 shot group) and this simply should not be the case. I'm beginning to wonder if I may have a problem with my scope... I'm shooting at 25X and my cross hairs are dissecting a 3/4" dot, rock solid in sand bags.
I'm going to load up 15 rounds at 74.5 grains (5 fouling shots, and 10 to see how it groups), then 10 at 75 grains...and maybe 10 more at 75.5 grains. This will give me 2 5 shot groups at each load. I'm going to shoot it one more time and if I'm still getting flyers, I'm going to take the scope off and send it back to Leupold.
Do you ever seat deeper into the lands than .02".?.? Do you know of any tricks for ruling out the scope before sending it back to Leupold.?.?...without taking a scope off another rifle and trying it. I can't really do the Square test b/c it's shooting so erratically. I seriously doubt the problem is the gun...I just cannot see John putting out a rifle that shoots like this. I also have not tried any other powders, but I've had good luck with RL-22 in the parent cartridge in the past.
I'm still frustrated b/c I know this rifle should be shooting WAY better than it's shooting...I don't believe I've handloaded for any rifle that has shot this bad in my life.
The snow will be setting in any day now and I won't be able to shoot until next summer...I hate having undone projects.
0
-
May you hold steady and your bullet fly true. Have fun, let us know the results. 0 -
Eric, is this a hunting or target rifle? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by guntech59
Eric, is this a hunting or target rifle?
It's a custom made long range hunting rig made by the man who built the last 1000 yard world record setting rifle. #5 Contour (medium weight) Lilja Tube on a 700 action with a Jewel trigger and a VX III 8.5-25X50mm scope. This rifle should shoot in the .25 MOA range when I have the right load worked up for it. I would be disappointed with any less.0 -
Eric
What kind of groups do you get if you fire 5 rounds of (dare I say it) factory ammo?
It often helps to have a base line "standard" to compare to.0 -
I would really look at replacing the scope, seems the Leupolds these days are less than perfect...
You can only seat so deep into the lands before it will start to shove the bullet deeper into the case, depending on the fit of the neck... .025 is about all I've been able to seat into the lands with most loads...0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tailgunner1954
Eric
What kind of groups do you get if you fire 5 rounds of (dare I say it) factory ammo?
It often helps to have a base line "standard" to compare to.
I have not tried that yet...might be worth a try. I have tons of .300 brass...it's hard to spring for the ammo when you can load your own...and like I said before, I've never had handloads group like this.
If I don't see better results with this next batch of handloads, I may try some factory ammo to see how it does.0 -
quote:Originally posted by mrbruce
I would really look at replacing the scope, seems the Leupolds these days are less than perfect...
You can only seat so deep into the lands before it will start to shove the bullet deeper into the case, depending on the fit of the neck... .025 is about all I've been able to seat into the lands with most loads...
That's kind of what I was thinking. Thanks!0 -
You might try another scope. Just got rid of a VX-III that would do one hole on a Cooper bench 22lr. one day and 1in. the next. I would see two cross hairs with glasses on at times. 0 -
I would have the scope checked. Just grab one of your known scopes, install it, and shoot a group again with the best load so far.
Remember, 5 shots is a test of the shooter, 3 shot groups is the test of the rifle.
Unless yours just really doesn't like those loads, and I mean really doesn't like them, you seem to have an equipment issue. Trued action with match grade barrels should not be shooting groups that large unless there is an issue somewhere.
.020" is just a common distance that VLD's are jammed, you may back off to .010", but before doing that as a final tweak, I would just try another scope.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
9 comments