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Bob, thanks! Appreciate it. I must have a guilty conscience.
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Campfire Regular
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I have the exact twin to that rifle except of course, my bolt is on the correct side. I have been using 120 BT and R-15 but going to give the 130 AB a run. I am going to try some R23 with the 130's. Mine is scoped with a Swarovski 4X12X50 with a ballistic turret. Actually pretty light and trim for a 50 MM scope (14 oz.) My son is a gunsmith that works for Melvin at NULA so I do have some insight as to how these rifles are built. The stocks start up as a roll of kevlar and carbon fiber...all hand lay up. A lot hands on and Melvin puts each one together and test it before they leave the shop.
Lefty C Try some Reloder 17 in that while you are trying new powders, mine sure likes it.
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It's not every day you see rifle that can go 6.5 lbs with a 10 x SS mounted!
Forbes is the Grailmaker in lightweight rifles.
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
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Yeah, Melvin makes some nice rifles.
I'd like to have one in 6.5 CM #2 contour barrel. Or, something like that.
The 6.5CM with a no.2 would be "perfect" to me. I like the 260, but 6.5 CM brass is everywhere around here, the 260 not so much. And I'd say, designed from the floor up, the CM is how I'd build a 6.5. I agree with everything you said here. Damn...I may be giving Melvin a call.
Chris
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I've owned lots of rifles in my time, but the only ULA was one of the first 50 cal muzzleloaders that Mel used himself for a while. I'll have to add one to my trimmed-down arsenal....not into the big calibers and magnums any more.
Last edited by Biebs; 05/05/16.
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I tried H4831SC today. It did not perform as good as the H4350 in both accuracy and speed. H4350 0.95" and 2910 fps H4831 1.2" and 2855 fps. I will say that I was not on my A game today. A 10 shot group with the technique required shooting a 5lb rifle can be nerve wracking and I was not satisfied with half the shots when the trigger broke. I think the the group size could easily shrink on a good day. Talk about a compressed load. 48.5 grains of H4831SC. Absolutely no pressure signs, but I know it has to be close.
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I neglected to tell you that I did use a drop tube when loading that charge...
John
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
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I used a drop tube and poured slowly.
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Campfire Ranger
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That's cool lefty, I'd love to tour that place! It's in what used to be his garage. You can do a complete walk around in about 3 minutes. Then you would go sit on a stool by a bench and BS rifles with Melvin the rest of the time. However, most of the time you would be interrupted by his old style pocket phone ringing and him answering questions talking with pervious and future customers.
Last edited by battue; 05/08/16.
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
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Interesting CT. I stopped at 125 gr's of bullet weight with H4831sc. Seemed best with the 120's - 125's.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I'm using it with 123's and 48 grains and it's a winner there.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
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Have you noticed any runout issues following from seating bullets with heavy powder compression?
BTW, 1 MOA +/- for ten shots is better than most can manage from a sporter, let alone a five pound one, internet blather notwithstanding.
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I measure runout on every round. The 260 Lapua brass is pretty good, but not as good as the 308 that I shoot a lot of. With the 308 nearly every round is less than .001. With the 260 most range from .001 to .002 with some nearly .003, but none in excess of .003. I didn't notice compression effecting it any. What I did find is that with a micrometer seater you've got to dial nearly twice the required value when heavily compressing. With no other changes, the seater had to be turned down .010" with the compressed load in order to get the same seating depth.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I measure runout on every round. The 260 Lapua brass is pretty good, but not as good as the 308 that I shoot a lot of. With the 308 nearly every round is less than .001. With the 260 most range from .001 to .002 with some nearly .003, but none in excess of .003. I didn't notice compression effecting it any. What I did find is that with a micrometer seater you've got to dial nearly twice the required value when heavily compressing. With no other changes, the seater had to be turned down .010" with the compressed load in order to get the same seating depth. That's one of the reasons I try to stay away from much powder compression. Heavily compressed loads can create problems when seating bullets. Our Competition Seating Die is not a powder compression die. The excessive force required to seat a bullet on a compressed load can damage the die and may cause seating depth variations.
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Agree! Not a big fan of compression either. Sticking with the H4350 in this case for sure.
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Nice rifle. Had me one just like it that did not shoot nearly as well. .
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Since you suckered me out of that cream puff, would you consider an hour or so of shooting and loading advice next time I drive through your town on the way to FL? The insult to injury here is that the proceeds from the sale of this rifle probably found their way into my kitchen remodel. Would have felt better, and more macho, if had used proceeds to immediately buy something like a Colt Python or a used 4wheeler:).
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Stop by anytime. Look forward to it!
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Campfire Outfitter
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That's cool lefty, I'd love to tour that place! It's in what used to be his garage. You can do a complete walk around in about 3 minutes. Then you would go sit on a stool by a bench and BS rifles with Melvin the rest of the time. However, most of the time you would be interrupted by his old style pocket phone ringing and him answering questions talking with pervious and future customers. I swung wide on my way down to Tennessee for the 2012 Pig Hunt and visited Melvin. We did just as you said; the 3 minute tour of the shop then pulled up a stool. His phone only rang a couple times as it was near quitting time! The shop isn't as big as I envisioned but IIRC he paints in the basement? I wish I'd have snapped a picture or two but didn't. He was very cordial and I was honored to meet the Man.
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