When do you decide a bullet is just a non-starter?

[ILoveBigRacks]

Starting working up a load for my .270 Wby using some 150 gr. Gold Partitions I had on the bench and have been wanting to try out. These are the first 150 gr. bullets I've tried through my rifle so wasn't sure what to expect. Loaded up 20 rounds, 4 rounds each working my way up in .5 gr increments like I usually do when trying out something different.

Anyways, first 4 shots were all over the place at 100 yds. Basically, about 7 inches seperated them at various points. Next .5 gr up, same thing. Next .5 gr up, about 1" closer together but still an unacceptable 6" spread over 4 shots. As an example, my 130 gr TSX loads I used last year were down to MOA so i know the rifle (and myself) are capable of better. I didn't bother shooting the rest of the loaded 150's as I didn't see the point. When do you decide a bullet just isn't meant for your rifle? I'm tempted to keep fiddling with it trying different oal's, powders, etc... but just don't have that kind of time right now as I want a load ready for my hunting trip in a week and a half.

I had loaded up 4 140 gr Accubonds as well this trip just to try them out at a set charge and if I had good results I was planning on loading more and doing further development. They faired quite a bit better than the 150's so think I'll spend my efforts on these for now and deal with the others later.

Just curious, do you have a cut-off or are you the type to be determined to find a load that works? These aren't cheap bullets I'm shooting and I'm wondering if maybe they just aren't meant for my rifle. Shooting a custom build - Rem 700 stainless action, Gaillard 26" stainless bbl 1-10. The 1-10 should stabilize the 150 gr fine should it not?

 

[stubblejumper]

Normally,I would say that if you have tried a particular bullet with only one powder,you haven't given that bullet much of a chance.However 6" groups would have me reluctant to spend more time with that bullet.

 

[Ganderite]

If I had good results with the rifle with other bullets, i would be real curious to figure out the problem..

Is the velocity in the right range?

Did you shoot a control load, to make sure the rifle/scope is still wrking?

I ask becuase that kind of group sounds more like a rifle or scope problem than a bullet issue.

If it is a load issue, I would try 2 grains less powder and would try the hotter loads, if pressure/velocity looked right.

Are the primers magnum?

 

[Boomer]

In my experience an accurate rifle will shoot any reasonable load reasonably well. A 7" group is a sign that something is amiss, and that will certainly not be resolved by small changes in the powder charge. Though bullet stability is a function of bullet length rather than weight, if this was an issue your bullet holes would be elongated. Reasonably good accuracy can be achieved at 100 yards even when bullets print slightly elongated holes when the stability of the bullet is marginal and results in noticeable yaw, so I doubt if stability is your problem. You could check the barrel yourself to be sure that it is in fact a 1:10 twist and that you didn't inadvertently get a 1:12 or even slower twist.

I would then begin by checking all the screws on the rifle; the action screws, the scope rings and bases. If that all is fine it would check the barrel channel both when the barrel is cold and after it heats up to see if there is any binding of the forearm against the barrel. Check the tang area of the stock for a crack, and the bedding area of the stock as well. If everything checks out, try the load again with another scope.

Just as a thought, my Gaillard barrel tapered differently than did a factory barrel of equal weight. If this is the case with your barrel, and the barrel channel in the stock was not sufficiently relieved, that would prove to be an issue. That might even be more of an issue with heavy bullets than with light, and from your post you did not seem to be overwhelmed with the accuracy of your lighter bullet loads. The few Gaillard barrels I've shot have been remarkably accurate; the point being that this rifle should not be shooting 7" groups with any combination.

 

[chappy]

are the nozler gold the moly coated ones. if so i have had problems getting them to shoot too. try a ordinary partition and see what happens.

 

[Dogleg]

I talked with Ted Gaillard about working up loads awhile back and will offer this. On a varmint rifle if the first two shots of a load were 3/4" apart he personally wouldn't waste a third shot, just scrap that load and move on.
If your rifle shoots 7 inch groups with a particular bullet, give up on it. You can't polish a turd.