55g V 62g V 69g

BioPace

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So my rifle (Savage 10 PC .223 1 in 10) groups lazy hand loads (Lee powder measure, no trickle) in 55g in 1.25 MOA groups all day, 69g HPBT trickled hand loads at sub MOA (best .8" at 100m), but literally shotguns 62g fmjbt all over the place. Not under 2 MOA. Three powders(Varget, H4895, 4064) multiple loadings from 21g through 24.5g.
What's going on? Is it just the powder (all of those powders have made MOA groups at some point with 55g)?
Surely I should be able to make a plinking round (MOAish) out of 62g in a 1 in 10?
 
What's your elevation and the temp/humidity? According to our good friend Mr. B. Litz you may have some trouble getting the L.C. 62 gr FMJBT to stabilize in anything but perfect conditions in a 1 in 9 tube. Assuming the 62 gr you're shooting have a similar profile.
 
What's your elevation and the temp/humidity? According to our good friend Mr. B. Litz you may have some trouble getting the L.C. 62 gr FMJBT to stabilize in anything but perfect conditions in a 1 in 9 tube. Assuming the 62 gr you're shooting have a similar profile.
Well he's a guy who knows what he's talking about. It seems weird to me that my best group has been with a 69g. Maybe it was just blind luck and will never be repeated with that loading.
I'll try some match-y 55g.

Thanks for the info.

Suputin - anything I could do about this seating issue - check for run out (which I've heard of but haven't done)?
 
It seems weird to me that my best group has been with a 69g.

It seems a bit strange, but 69 gr SMK's work great, and Litz's data shows they should be stable in your barrel regardless of the conditions. 75 gr Hdy HPBT and 77 gr SMK are good for most conditions (75 and 77 appear to be almost identical), my experience with the 75 gr Match Hornady's is that they work in any temp I've cared to shoot in. They may be a little wobbly in the extreme cold though.

If you're shooting under 300 m try the 55 gr V-Max. They are the most consistent bullet for the dollar I've used.
 
What 62 grain bullets are you using? I've used Speer and unknown surplus bullets with penetrators - both of which performed horribly in the accuracy department. I was left to believe the Speer bullets suffered from poor weight concentricity as did the surplus bullets.
 
What 62 grain bullets are you using? I've used Speer and unknown surplus bullets with penetrators - both of which performed horribly in the accuracy department. I was left to believe the Speer bullets suffered from poor weight concentricity as did the surplus bullets.

Prvi 62g fmjbt wc.

I'd be happy if I could load them into MOAish ammo and would just use them for plinking but even the 55g campros are grouping reasonably. I'm not looking for 1/2 MOA.
 
So my rifle (Savage 10 PC .223 1 in 10) groups lazy hand loads (Lee powder measure, no trickle) in 55g in 1.25 MOA groups all day, 69g HPBT trickled hand loads at sub MOA (best .8" at 100m), but literally shotguns 62g fmjbt all over the place. Not under 2 MOA. Three powders(Varget, H4895, 4064) multiple loadings from 21g through 24.5g.
What's going on? Is it just the powder (all of those powders have made MOA groups at some point with 55g)?
Surely I should be able to make a plinking round (MOAish) out of 62g in a 1 in 10?

The problem is your barrel twist / bullet weight combo you can not push it fast enough to stabalize the heaver bullet, Stay with the lighter 55g
 
I don't know the conditions that everyone shoots, but my shooting buddy and myself shoot savage 24 inch barrel 1-9 in .223.


With the H4895 and 75gr projectiles we have complete ladder loads with two consistent groups ( one on each side of the wave) under half inch/100 yards, and one of them regularly less than 1/3 inch (one hole). We shoot 50 grains with common groups of 1/2 inch, and we are still playing with more 50s and 55s.


The twist of 1-9 can group really well for all of 50gr, 55gr, and 75gr bullets if you take the time to load and test them well. I don't know what other people do or how well they can actually shoot but I'm satisfied that the 24 inch savage barrel shoots quite fine with all of the above loads.
 
The problem is your barrel twist / bullet weight combo you can not push it fast enough to stabalize the heaver bullet, Stay with the lighter 55g

I'm stabilizing 69g like a laser beam. Just wondering why I can't stabilize a lighter cheaper bullet. Seems the answer is up above. Interesting that Fiddler is getting good results with even heavier bullets!
 
The twist is not the issue, it is sh!tty rounds that are wobbling on their way to the target.

The speers and the mystery surplus FMJ I was using were anywhere between just over 2 to 6 moa at 100m. Out of a gun that can print sub-moa; so it wasn't the rifle.

Good for use as blasting ammo for a carbine or SBR close in and that's about it.
 
I generally agree with most of what you say, but I'd give it 50/50 as to poorly made projectiles or twist rate unsuitable for the projectile. My vote goes with ditching the 62 gr pills altogether as even if you get a good lot they are going to be marginally stable at sea level out of a 20" barrel with a 1 in 9 twist, short of perfect conditions. I could never get Hornady 68 gr HPBT's to shoot out of any 1 in 9 twist rifles I've had with 24"-26" barrels in optimal conditions, never mind winter. The comparison is valid as LC 62 gr FMJBT's and the 68 gr Hdy have pretty much identical stability factors. You guys in Alberta have elevation on your side, I'd need a stupid hot humid day to expect anything close to good out of them.
 
Well I'm out of 62g so I guess I won't be buying anymore! No more banging my head against the wall/target.

Thanks for your help guys, some new ideas introduced to me beyond the twist rate and its effect.
 
I don't know the conditions that everyone shoots, but my shooting buddy and myself shoot savage 24 inch barrel 1-9 in .223.


With the H4895 and 75gr projectiles we have complete ladder loads with two consistent groups ( one on each side of the wave) under half inch/100 yards, and one of them regularly less than 1/3 inch (one hole). We shoot 50 grains with common groups of 1/2 inch, and we are still playing with more 50s and 55s.


The twist of 1-9 can group really well for all of 50gr, 55gr, and 75gr bullets if you take the time to load and test them well. I don't know what other people do or how well they can actually shoot but I'm satisfied that the 24 inch savage barrel shoots quite fine with all of the above loads.
Savage 10FP 24 inch 1:9
Sierra 77 Matchking over Varget out to 800 yards. They say it shouldn't work, but it does. My buddy and I had 2 rifles and the results were the same in both.
 
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