Getting the thread back on track, I took my SIG Cross out to the range today for the initial sight-in and ammo down-select. I bore-sighted the rifle with the first shot landing 2" from zeroed with Hornady 120 gr AMAX Match. This load produced 5-round groups in the 2 MOA range at 100m. Up next was 125 gr Winchester "USA Ready" economy "Match" ammo. This load produced results roughly the same as the 120 gr Hornady at approximately 2 MOA. 140 gr Federal Gold Medal Match ammo produced groups in the 1.5 MOA range, which I also found to be surprisingly disappointing. FGMM has always been my "go to" ammo when all else fails, however with my particular SIG Cross it produces mediocre results. The best results came with two different loads of Hornady Match ammo, both using an ELD ballistic-tipped bullet. The 140 gr ELD Match produced the first group below 1 MOA, which was typical of the 4 x 5-shot groups fired with that load, The other heavier Hornady load with a 147 gr ELD balistic-tip projectile produced the other sub-MOA groups shown. Again, these results were typical of the 4 x groups fired using that particular load. The early results attained with the Hornady140 and 147 gr ELD Match loads were very promising and deserving of further investigation with other brands using similarly-weighted projectiles.
All things considered, I am quite pleased with the accuracy demonstrated thus far by the 18" 6.5 CM SIG Cross barrel. The results are consistent with the Cross rifle's overall high level of manufacturing precision and fit/finish, resulting in a package that will easily hold its own on the PRS circuit as well as in the field hunting. As expected, all loads were approx 150 ft/sec slower at the muzzle than suggested by the factory box. This loss of 100m worth of velocity is due to the short(er) 18" tube rather than the typical 24" barrel found on most 6.5CM offerings. I can happily live with the slightly slower Muzzle Velocity of the SIG Cross now that I have my Kestrel DOPE to compensate for any practicable distance.
Hornady 140-gr ELD Match (1" target squares):
Hornady 147-gr ELD Match (1" target squares):
All things considered, I am quite pleased with the accuracy demonstrated thus far by the 18" 6.5 CM SIG Cross barrel. The results are consistent with the Cross rifle's overall high level of manufacturing precision and fit/finish, resulting in a package that will easily hold its own on the PRS circuit as well as in the field hunting. As expected, all loads were approx 150 ft/sec slower at the muzzle than suggested by the factory box. This loss of 100m worth of velocity is due to the short(er) 18" tube rather than the typical 24" barrel found on most 6.5CM offerings. I can happily live with the slightly slower Muzzle Velocity of the SIG Cross now that I have my Kestrel DOPE to compensate for any practicable distance.
Hornady 140-gr ELD Match (1" target squares):
Hornady 147-gr ELD Match (1" target squares):
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