any HK SL-8 owners

Nathan, I almost filled my diaper when I put the first 55 grainers through my brand new SL8. Off the bags at 100 yards it was doing about 2". To spend the kind of money I did for accuracy like that...? I almost had a kiniption.

I did a web search and visited some HK pros through the internet. They pretty much agree that with the 1:7 twist, the SL8 will favour heavy bullets.

I was greatly relieved the other night when my handloads brought the groups down to about 3/4" of an inch with a few lucky groups around 1/2".

I suppose that to get the most for this gun I must become a serious reloader. Dammit, I need a chronograph now. And a spotting scope. And a 300 dollar gun case. And a bipod...

If any of you guys know what the winning numbers are for 649 today, please let me know....
 
Glen, the chrono is a nice to have spotting scope same deal (you just walk more) the next improvement to make the most difference is the trigger. This is something best left to a really good gunsmith. I reduced the groups of my AR180B by half just by using a Rock River drop in. Reloading has polished the plastic fantastic to about 1". This is the best I can do with a sows ear. You will do better.

Brian
 
Brian, once you get them doing 1" or better, you are finished IMO. Then it is time to get off the bench and start shooting off your hind feet like the pros.

Have you tried the Nosler ballistic tips in your black gun Brian? My Mauser loves them and I have a buddy that moly coats them. He is a gun guru and basically worked up the load for me years ago and I have been shooting it in that rifle ever since. He has since moved and now I am on my own and I absolutely hate shooting off the bench.

:(
 
Glenfilthie said:
Dammit, I need a chronograph now. And a spotting scope. And a 300 dollar gun case. And a bipod...
Click to expand...
Reliable quoted me $280ish for the bipod-- I think the bags will be more than ample at this stage.

I'll try picking up some heavier loads and see what happens; I don't think I have the space in my tiny apartment for reloading equipment though...
 
I have been criticized for reloading .223 Nathan because ammo is so cheap many shooters don't bother. I don't know if I have seen any factory loadings for the heavy bullets so I don't know what is available.

You gotta get into reloading though, it is cheap entertainment and you don't need lots of space. You can buy all the junk for reloading used, presses and dies very seldom wear out...I am on a bottom of the line Lee press that I bought back in my apartment days 20 years ago. I first mounted it on a stereo stand that I grabbed out of a dumpster and I must have made thousands of rounds on the stupid thing. I just stuck to the recipies in the manuals and had a ball. Reloading can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.

I may get a bipod too but all I am going to do is put in a $3.00 swivel stud and then use one of the $100.00 Harris bipods or similar jobbies.
 
I have only used the Hornady stuff because it is cheaper and available from Higginsons. Your SL-8 is more of a precision gun than mine so I would expect better accuracy from the HK

Brian
 
So I spent a good couple hours at the range today sighting in the SL8 with my 3x9 Bushnell scope. I talked to the guys at Reliable and they definitely endorsed the idea of handloading-- I had a bit of sticker shock to learn that getting into a *new* setup would cost about $600 tax incl. But then I saw the cost of heavy loads...

Picked up some 62gr and ran through the rest of my 55gr. When all was said and done, I was shooting groups under 1/2" at 100m and had a couple 2 shot groups under 1/4" at 100m as well... I can't say I was ever able to get results like that out of my AR-- mind you, one thing I have noticed and maybe you guys have noticed it to is that I'm exerting more discipline when I shoot; setup, breathing, trigger pull, etc. Not that my AR was a piece of junk or anything, but I very much treated it much more like an assault rifle/bullet hose than a precision rifle...

Double the price of anything and I guess that's what happens :)
 
That sounds like a lot to get you reloading, especially for an autoloader in 5.56. Its not like you're going to need an arbour press and micrometer dies. You should be aware that its way easier to spend more than you need to on reloading than it is on guns.
 
Good for you Nathan. I had no luck with the 62 grainers myself. Does anybody make a factory 75 gr. load? If so, you gotta try that too!

Were I you, I would check out the bargain bins and maybe even the classifieds here. The fellas here should be able to keep you under 3 bills easy if you buy second hand. The gun shows are good too.

I got my .223 dies by dumpster diving in the bargain bins for $15.00. Brand new they are over $40.00.

The nice thing about the SL8 is that it doesn't beat up it's brass the way some of the other HK's do.
 
Ye gods. My trigger is BRUTAL. A rifle like this should have a 'national match' trigger option like the AR guys have.
 
For those who don't hand load. Does any one have any recommendations for an accurate factory ammo for the SL8?
I put a Bushnell 3200 Elite 10x40 tactical scope on and using .55 grain Winchester, I was all over the target @ 100yards.
 
I hear the Yanks like Black Hills ammo....never tried it myself and I don't know if you can get it up here in Canukistan...
 
Acrash, what is your experience with the lighter bullets? I am hearing some owners are having great success with them...and I haven't had any at all with them.
 
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