.222rem handload velocity/trajectory questions

Mount Sweetness

Mount Sweetness

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I have my Sako Vixen sighted in with 50gr Prvi factory ammo.

I just fired off some max or slightly over max handloads to see what kind of groups they give and I am noticing that all my handloads shoot 2 to 3 inches lower than the Prvi factory ammo.

They all shoot straight and group very well, but the handloads shoot much lower at 100 yards...?

40gr Nosler Baltips about 3in low, 22gr H4198
50gr Nosler Baltips and 50gr Hornady SPSX about 2in to 2.5in low, 21gr H4198

In the past I had always assumed that the load that shoots higher at 100 yards is going faster (7x57, 30-30, .22-250).

Is the factory Prvi ammo going faster or are my handloads faster but have just not started to rise yet? Is the Prvi slow and rising earlier? (Chrono is not an option)

Thank you for your help
 
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Is the factory Prvi ammo going faster or are my handloads faster but have just not started to rise yet? Is the Prvi slow and rising earlier?
Click to expand...

I hate to break this to you, but unless the barrel is pointed upward, bullets begin to fall due to gravity , as soon as they leave the barrel. Whether bullets strike higher or lower at 100 yards, is dependent on the harmonics of the barrel, as well as velocity. As such, you can't be sure whether the handloads have more velocity or less velocity.
 
Privi?

I find it odd that you would site in a rifle with factory ammo when you do reload?
I have shot some factory ammo in a number of different rifles before I was into reloading, but I never kept any of my rifles shooting factory ammo after that. FS
 
The only way that you will know which load is faster is with a chronograph. You cannot guess by the point of impact and any change in that. Especially if you are using different bullet weights!
 
Stubby has it right, and this is nothing new at all. One of the most common counter-intuitive surprises is that 220 gr loads from the 30-06 often impact higher at 100 yd than 180 gr loads with the same sight setting.

Ted
 
Thanks, it is just that while working up a load I find that the starting loads shoot lower than my max loads, and as I work up they seem to climb, maybe coincidence. Thanks for clearing this up.

Fassteel, thanks for your tips, if factory ammo shoots incredibly accurate and is dirt cheap....I give it a fair chance, more time to hunt.

Sorry if I wasted time with my nonsense
 
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