.338LM Ladder test , NEW barrel - results - June , 13, 2015 FINAL LOAD CONFIRMED

I will try explain it, Jerry would be much better and will likely be along and help out my attempts.

You are looking for particular nodes(clusters) based on charge weight which will show patterns in barrel harmonics.Kind of have to decide what you also want for velocities for your application and look where those groups fall as well, short range plinking vs long range hunting for example.

73 - 77 grains in the first powder shows a tight cluster and 78 - 81 shows much more spread. This show that those particular charges "harmonate" in the barrels sweet spot.Easy to see with this IMR powder however less overall consistency.

Vertical stringing as well as horizontal will give a group so to say that shows what the barrel appears to like, the results are not always linear as barrels have more than one sweet spot I believe typically 2 or 3 is the norm when going from bottom to top charge.

The Retumbo results are much tighter and a bit tougher to choose where to work.However IMO the over all smaller group and more liner velocity increases tell me this powder is more suited for this barrel.

89, 91, 93 show very little vertical stringing and promising horizontal so that is why I decided to try 91,93 and 95 in group tests to see what I got as I was showing no pressure signs at 93 on my ladder test.

89, 91, 93 is about an 1.250" group @ 200 yards with different powder charges , I think that says something.

Definitely saves on components as opposed to group testing.

No flattened primers or difficult extraction yet to this point.





JIP911 said:
Can someone please explain how to interpret your pics? how does shooting 1 round of each charge tell you anything when they seem to be all over the map? (by that I mean I dont see the pattern where a particular node of say 3 charges are grouped together any better than any other 3 shots?) Lets just say you didnt go past 92 as that was max..., how would you decide where to start shooting groups with a particular charge?
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Alright

Finally had the chance to get back out in cool calm conditions.

Did some 3 shot groups at 500 and the 95gr load is confirmed to be the best I could find.Pretty much duplicated the group from previous.I did charge weights 93.5 to 96.5 in 1/2gr increments.Chronograph results didn't happen as I believe it was lighting conditions as I did this just before sunset in over cast conditions but I do have velocities from previous tests, maybe confirm again at a later date.



Again thanks to Jerry and Terry for having the knowledge and resources to get me a barrel that shoots.

My stubbornness did likely cost me the price of a new barrel in components on the first barrel.

Now another issue:

My zero!!!

What have been shooters been using as a zero on their LR rigs?

Here is my issue, last barrel I had plenty of up and down with my 40 MOA base, now I am bottomed out at 500 yards and not even close being near my center of the reticle, I had to use the hash marks for load development.

I don't mind having a far zero as it is intended for long range use , but it does limit things just a bit.

I could shim the front of the base I suppose.
 
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KT, that is a very nice group at 500yds. So happy the hair pulling can now stop :)

Don't be shy to take out loads 0.2 to 0.3 on either side of ideal as you get out to 1000yds... you might find small tweaks really help especially with vertical tuning. Also, do not worry that your load changes after 200rds fired.... bores will roughen, take a set and you will be very stable for load tuning until the bore starts to get real rough.

This is what I believe to be the true barrel break in....

As for the zero, just depends on how far you want to go and how much elevation you need to make the trip. I have no problem using the upper part of a reticle for SR zero... a distance I suspect you will spend little time at.

Elevation gets eaten up pretty quick once you go past 1200yds.... assume you want to reach out to a mile and further? Run the drop chart and see what you need, where you are zeroed now and how that all works out.

I bet you will be very happy..... 2000yds is not very far for a Lapua

Jerry
 
Just ran the numbers Jerry and it looks like I can use the reticle down to 100 yards with a 1000 yard zero when scope is set at 10X , be nice when coyotes show themselves.

I also see Kenton industries is making turrets now.

Yes, my intention is to stretch it way out ,I have a 2' x 2' and 1' x 1' plate of AR400 for some fun.Now need to find 20 football fields lined up.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Just ran the numbers Jerry and it looks like I can use the reticle down to 100 yards with a 1000 yard zero when scope is set at 10X , be nice when coyotes show themselves.

I also see Kenton industries is making turrets now.

Yes, my intention is to stretch it way out ,I have a 2' x 2' and 1' x 1' plate of AR400 for some fun.Now need to find 20 football fields lined up.
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In SK, isn't that a small farm :)

Jerry

PS, I wouldn't bother with a BDC knob... you are going to get confused after the 2nd or 5th revolution....
 
Pretty much just a garden. The trouble is finding a area where you can see that far from prone and is safe. Flat ground works against you. Find the perfect spot and someone will have a house in the way or a road will cut it in half. Hillside to hillside in ranch land works, but ranch land always seems to be dotted with cattle. Crown land tends to be covered with trees. The perfect spot in farmland is likely covered with crops part of the year. It's actually harder to find a long range spot than one would think at first. More than few long range rifles get sold because the guy discovered he had no place to stretch it out.
 
Dogleg said:
Pretty much just a garden. The trouble is finding a area where you can see that far from prone and is safe. Flat ground works against you. Find the perfect spot and someone will have a house in the way or a road will cut it in half. Hillside to hillside in ranch land works, but ranch land always seems to be dotted with cattle. Crown land tends to be covered with trees. The perfect spot in farmland is likely covered with crops part of the year. It's actually harder to find a long range spot than one would think at first. More than few long range rifles get sold because the guy discovered he had no place to stretch it out.
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Good points... I did remember seeing someone make an elevated platform to shoot from. That got him out of the grass and able to view the target at distance. Not sure if shooting from a bed of a truck is kosher in SK.

Jerry
 
During hunting season or target sessions? Actually both happen around here quite often. lol

As Dogleg stated it is tough, I have access to some a joining quarter sections to play on when available but yes, flat is not such a benefit.A 25 ft rise on either end of the range would be a huge plus.

Now I just need a few of you fellows to teach me how to shoot past bow range! :redface:

P.S. been racking my brain, think I just figured out a spot where to check out.Think I have a mission this weekend.

Mystic Precision said:
Good points... I did remember seeing someone make an elevated platform to shoot from. That got him out of the grass and able to view the target at distance. Not sure if shooting from a bed of a truck is kosher in SK.

Jerry
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It is a bit of a drive but I got lots of quality LR shooting opportunities around me.

Jerry
 
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