Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 3 or 5 round groups.........Which one and why???

3 will tell me what's going on with the rifle's relative happiness and anything "weird" is easily diagnosed. Round trio's are soothin' for hasty evaluations of integrity. Then it's time to say "[bleep] the 100yd line" and get REAL with the platform.

I'd much rather rattle 500 or more rounds through a rifle in a day,as a barometer of evaluation...than shoot a couple here and a couple there,or a series of [bleep] meaningless 100yd pokes...or open/close a lid on a case as a barometer of "evaluation".

It is a rather inordinate circumstance,that a Victim is engaged at EXACTLY the 100yd line,so I drive a rifle in accords to Reality. Reality being,the platform that tracks/repeats well with large round counts and long strings,will certainly do veddy veddy nice things at alotta different distances,of which the 100yd line is certainly one. I'd MUCH rather bang schit at a distance and build confidence in the platform via that approach,as opposed to punching a bushel of 100yd paper in an endless mind numbing stack of nothingness.

Built a new load for a rifle yesterday(C-Note),as I found a couple/few thousand 68BTHP's which I'd forgotten about and figured I may as well burn up some powder that's shy of being a favorite(H'4895).

So with formed cases,sized in the accords of positive headspace,I stuffed 400's in their ass,kissed the 68 squarely and on the 2nd shot from a welllllllllll seasoned bore,found the pressure curve I wanted to operate at. I loaded 400 of 'em for kicks,then went to shoot 100yd paper as an initial confirmation and as a means of getting chronograph readings,so as to arrange come-ups. Speed was 3120fps outta the 18" spout and the only (3) pokes I shot at 100yds cloverleafed. ES was 7fps for the trio,which was ballpark as per expectations. They were .5MOA lower than what a zero for that boolit,at that speed would need to arrange a 250yd POA/POI intersection. The turret were bumped them (2) "clicks",zero'd and I raced away from the 100yd line(less any more shots there),to go confirm the newly genned come-ups,a little higher on the hill. First confirmation poke was at 750yds and it was money,which was a lonnnggggggg ways from "surprising". Rattled another 46rds through it(50 total),at varying distances,proving both the dope and the scope were in harmonious conjunction and slipping wind in various values/angles(as I could shoot 270 degrees in total direction). I would much rather wrench on an erector every poke,for the warm/fuzzy,rather stack a buncha schit which do not matter at hip-shooting distances as a "quantifier" of integrity.

Came home,loaded those cases back up and put the rifle away until next R&R and then I'll flog on it right proper,trying to make sumptin' puke...though it won't. Stainless trued/squared 700,bushed 'pin,McMillan Classic,Rock 1-8",DD's,slumming a MK4 3.5-10x M1 on it,as I loaned out it's 6x MQ Fixed [bleep] to a pard,yada,yada,yada,the usual.

I'd rather stack boolits at 700yds+,than paper at 100. The easiest way for me to KNOW what a rifle does at a distance,is to simply shoot the [bleep] thing at THAT distance. Hint. 'Course if you ain't careful,you just might could learn something about the wind too. Re-hint.

Just sayin'.

Though lotsa folks go wayyyyyyyyyy outta their road,to avoid such simplistic KNOWN quantities...but it is funny!(grin)










(Addendum: for 'Bag)

I'm runnin' around like a rat on acid,packing schit and putting gear away from 2wks of mayhem,in order to be wheels up here directly. Had 37 rifles in a pile in the garage,from this 2wks of R&R and I didn't think I'd really got goin' crazy yet.(grin)

Anywhoo...I know that rifle rather well,as I do the others I have so chambered(total of 13),so am at ease in cursory glances makin' long term determinations. So the pressure curve stop on the 2nd poke,was a function of numerous thangs,all melded together and extrapolated in kind.

I know it's headspace to be snuggerish,as compared to the fleet and it's throating 'bout dead square middle of the road,which allows me to leverage several thangs. If I do not get to greedy on it pressure wise,I can plug & play it's fodder in other rifles,with the sole mandate perhaps being a COAL shortening. That keeps windows of opportunity open,should someone wanna play and not be tooled in accordance with sound rifle,sound glass and sound ammo. I can hand off the works to 'em and if they can't connect dots,it's simply because they suck.(grin)

Now back to them (2) pokes of pressure proper. I'm looking at several thangs,all of which transpire at the casehead. Primers and brass flow are tattle tales that the ceiling is too tall,so I shy away from same. Not as some "safety" measure,but as a means of keeping a good lot of formed cases,living long lives. It is cheap insurance of a buncha good thangs,for a long time. Them are very fair trades,in my estimation,so it's how I roll.

'4895 gives nice load densities,but doesn't meter nearly as nice as '335. I know increased load density in concert with uniform neck tension,will do nothing but nice thangs to ES/SD and strive to connect them dots routinely. So as a comfy melding of load density,to pressure,I was happy to stop where I did and then only after mass production,did I shoot 100yd paper and chronograph same. I know lonnnngggggggg before I shoot the first poke,that a boolit of repute,in a barrel of repute,kissing a throat of repute,is gonna consistently reward me with bugholes. Have never seen it go ANY other way. That because the trigger,bedding,glass,mounts,etc...had long ago been scratched offa da' list. Hint.

So were I chasing fodder SOLELY for this particular rifle,I'd of mebbe bumped things a smidge,but could really give a [bleep] less about another 20fps...especially in a wickedly wonderful handling 18" spout. That being said,I of course load 75A-Max/'335 in strict accords to this rifle's mandates...but am willing to share '4895 fueled 68BTHP's amongst the fleet.(grin)

Now had I went to this relative realm of pressure in say a longer chamber/throated rifle,wearing a large bore...this rifle quite likely would have made more pressure than I'd wan to see in it,with that charge weight and COAL. KNOWING cause/effect is a great series of advantages,that you can stack in your favor from the onset,if a guy don't mind payin' a little attention to details. I've always been happy to read sign and act in accordance.

Never was into Fluff or [bleep] around and am rather adept at cutting right to THE [bleep] chase.

I've seen me do it.

laffin'!

"found the pressure curve I wanted to operate at"

How do you determine this? Lack of "soot" on the neck? Just wondering because you mention you verify speeds after finding pressure.

Thanks.

EDIT: Thanks for the intel!

In a nutshell, there is no substitute for rounds down range, and the further the better. 100 yards removes variables (conditions) and I like to be darn sure the rifle is capable there first. I will be the first to admit that sometimes I get too caught up in it. Long steel is SOOOO much more gratifying and educational.

10/4

I'd rather stack critters.......... at any distance!!!!!!!!!!



















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How sweet it is..........

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but what the hey,

different strokes for different folks!

Best,

GWB

In my very first post, you'll read that this was an accuracy "baseline" control group test, by which all further load development of any kind will be compared to/checked against. Because GMM is widely held as a known "consistent" standard by which to judge others.

for "strictly hunting", which is all i usually do, once i get the rifle properly zeroed, i usually shoot 2 rounds the next day to see where the rifle is putting these bullets out of a cold barrel. i live on a farm and can shoot in my yard anytime, so popping off a round or 2 is a no brainer. if i lived in town and had to go to a range, i'd probably shoot 3 shots, adjust scope and let barrel cool well, then maybe 3 more. all i am interested in is where that first shot hits from a cold barrel. ymmv.