303 no1 frusteration.. A Group #47

Got the Speer Hott Cors to load up in 180gr RN an the shape is.... diferent. is this the reasoning behind their claimed accuracy improvements perhaps
 
Mine runs a .314 diameter bore.
Mucking around with some 150 grain cup and core bullets for a 30-30 and a 308 I tried paper patching and got the diameter up to .314. I was able to get a 2" group at 200 yards with it a couple of years ago. I haven't gotten around to doing a second round because life and work keeps getting in the way.
I would like to run a heavier bullet in my number 1 .303, but it seems to prefer the 150's.
Mostly I muck around with cast boolits and try and get decent groups, but so far my best group that I can recall has been that bunch of paper patched .308 bullets.
 
Played with mine for a long time too. Made a big difference to fashion a stop so I didn’t get that ridiculous after-travel of the trigger. It was quite a few years ago now but I got it down to just over 1”. The stop I made was to drill n tap the rear of the trigger guard and install a machine screw with a lock nut and that ended up being the single biggest difference as far as group size.
Not that it matters but I think mine had 5 rifling not the usual 6.
 
hoytcanon said:
I'm not talking about hunting, I am talking about load developement and getting your rifle and load tuned to the place where one shot is all you need.

If you are "guessing and hoping" where that one shot will hit, then you will more than likely need two or three
Click to expand...

This guy has it correct, I believe. Load development / sighting is an exercise to be able to predict, with high confidence, where the next round will land - that one shot you will take hunting. Using only one or two shots as "data" is very low degree of confidence (statistically speaking).

Once you have "statistically" high confidence, then sight in for "real". Read cool story on Internet - might even be true - writer claimed to be a US Marine shooter coached by Hathcock. Meet at range with clean rifle. Coach set up a target at to-be-determined-by-shooter range. Shooter got one shot (with cold, clean barrel) and had to tell Coach where he had hit before looking (call the shot). That was it for the day. Apparently, in their business, only cared about that one clean, cold barrel shot. Was what rifle was sighted for, eventually, if shooter could hold and release and call his shot. But need really high statistical confidence in the predictability of rifle and load to do that.
 
Last edited:
hey do you guys think its possible for a group to tighten substantially at one fine point in charge, before going .5 gr more an it blowing back out?

i had reasonable accuracy with 41grains 2208 and the 180gr speer.......... typical two close an one off a bit..
i shot 42gr and 42.5 grain today, one suprised the #### out of me........ the next dissapointed the heck out of me.


whats ya thoughts? apart from the obvious, load up 42 an go hunt lol.
42
AlNwGQX.jpg
1

42.5
RydlyDx.jpg


ignore 41.5, i fired two of these but there was operater error . may re load 41-41.5-42.
 
Well - You may have thrown a shot with the 42.5 group, making the results inconclusive. I understand the reloading costs are relatively high in NZ, however, I would suggest you repeat the 42 group, and possibly the 42.5 group. Are you letting the barrel cool between shots?
 
cosmic said:
Well - You may have thrown a shot with the 42.5 group, making the results inconclusive. I understand the reloading costs are relatively high in NZ, however, I would suggest you repeat the 42 group, and possibly the 42.5 group. Are you letting the barrel cool between shots?
Click to expand...

yep barrel is never warm, plenty interval between shots!

yeah very possible, an yeah it is a bit pricey here (currently in Oz) but im a tight ass on a good day lol... i will load up an go again with this 41-42 range in focus. i will do .5s an re test .
 
Last edited:
Hey , i was listening to Ron Spomer talking about a Ruger 1 20 gauge slugger and he was sayin how he just wants that 1 shot cold bore accuracy , waited ages between shots and reiterated the fact he didnt want a group accuracy as much as consistant 1st cold bore shot...

so i thought yeah, thats Me.. and this Ruger-

Today i shot 200m for a Tester, with the 174 PPSN........... 2 inches low - as expected with a 100m zero -+.
shot from 250, an noted the drop. cant remember off top of head*
shot 300m and noted the drop of around 30 inches and bullet drop coinciding with the reticle fattening up- perfect!!

the 30-06 an 180gr was pretty much 5 inches Lesser drop at same ranges.. but the duplex in the zeiss terra doesn work for it ... backline holds an duplex reticle fat bits.. etc.

Im am sorry for over thinkng so much but i have worked out that i just really enjoy discussing an talking about guns... will make an apology post bout that soon.

so between the 174 PPSN load anthe 180gr SPEER hotcors, im Content and actually LOVE my ruger with a new outlook on it all-

Thanks Ron!
haha
WL
 
Potashminer said:
This guy has it correct, I believe. Load development / sighting is an exercise to be able to predict, with high confidence, where the next round will land - that one shot you will take hunting. Using only one or two shots as "data" is very low degree of confidence (statistically speaking).

Once you have "statistically" high confidence, then sight in for "real". Read cool story on Internet - might even be true - writer claimed to be a US Marine shooter coached by Hathcock. Meet at range with clean rifle. Coach set up a target at to-be-determined-by-shooter range. Shooter got one shot (with cold, clean barrel) and had to tell Coach where he had hit before looking (call the shot). That was it for the day. Apparently, in their business, only cared about that one clean, cold barrel shot. Was what rifle was sighted for, eventually, if shooter could hold and release and call his shot. But need really high statistical confidence in the predictability of rifle and load to do that.
Click to expand...

A similar test is to shoot one shot on a target, and keep the same target for the next time out. One more shot, and keep the target for the next trip. The result after five or ten trips to the range, shooting one shot on the same target each time is very conclusive, at least on my hunting outfits it is.

Even more so doing the same thing by not shooting from the bench, but prone, sitting, and offhand.

Ted
 
My experience with the Federal 150s is the same as David’s.

David Henry said:
My Ruger No 1 in 303 British seems to be content with Federal blue box 150 grain bullets, as a matter of fact that's all I have had the chance to run through it. 5 shot groups of 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" at 100 yards, and I managed to draw a bull moose tag this fall so will hopefully be able to report on their performance. D.H.
Click to expand...
 
I got similar results with mine, but it really bugged me because the first two would always be very close, with the flyer putting the group at around 2 inches.
 
albertaal said:
My experience with the Federal 150s is the same as David’s.
Click to expand...

interesting!

perhaps it would be worthy to try a box of these out to just see , if its rifle or loads, an if rifle, how bad lol.

2 inches would do me contently, so anything better at 100 is just awesome.

infact i am heding out a private land hut in middle of forest land for the night, i am taking the 7mm 08 but i am only hunting for a Sambar hind to taxidermy , so it would be pretty cool to knock it with the 303.. distances shouldnt be over 200 in the forest .. ok you have talked me into it.
 
For your hunting rifles your first shot is all you really need to be confident about. Spomer is right for his hunting style. For deer or moose i have rarely used more than 2 shots with the second usually a follow up shot. It's all about knowing your rifle and your abilities to hit game animals. No need to apologize for talking about guns, that is what the forum is about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom