Post by picklehead on Oct 29, 2019 19:03:54 GMT -5
I haven't got jiggy with this baby yet and only two bullets have been used. US869 is the only powder it has ate also. 90 grains was where I started with the 120 SMK and let it be. The 120 done 1/2 inch at 150 yards, with two shots from cold bore / 5 minute rest between shots. Loaded two with the same 90 grain charge but used the 123 ELD-M bullet. Same FPS and 7/16 inch two shot group. The 123 ELD hit lower and left, compared to the 120 that was dead center of dot. The 123 did seem to raise the pressure just a shade and that could be seen by more flatting of the primers, when comparing them. Belt and web stayed the same and just telling what I see and far from the real potential that it could produce in FPS.
So far, I see this rifle being a 1/2" shooter and that isn't bad at all. Next bullet will be the 130 Berger OTM AR Tactical or the 127 LRX by Barnes. Will use the same 90 grain charge and doing this for a reason. Since the barrel burner is doing better than I would have ever imagined,, Im keeping firings limited at two each and just narrowing things down fast as I can,,, for finding the most accurate bullet it likes. If the 130 or 127 cuts holes at 150 yards, I will load five to make sure it wasn't luck. I have been using the very same four pieces of brass, to eliminate any crazy fliers and annealed them after the second firing. Some may say,, this isn't the correct way and that might be true. Keep in mind that it is also foolish to shoot something like this 400 times and find out that the barrel is 3/4 gone,,, after finding the perfect load. Beside that, I want to try N560 in it and will do it the very same way. If 560 gives me 1/2 inch or less at 150 yards,, that will be what I settle on and don't care if the FPS falls off by 40 or so.
To early into this cartridge/rifle to even think about putting my two cents worth in. All I can say is,, The sucker came out of the box with a desire to prove me wrong and read many topics about the 800 to 2500 buck Vanguards and Mark fives,, Barely doing MOA or 2.5 inches at 100 yards. Many of the RC rifles that I read about, barely done 1/2 inch at 100 yards. RC means range certified and many people paid the extra for nothing but a half butt, hand lapped barrel and claimed to be fired to prove it would do sub moa. Might come with a target like some of the older rifles did but not sure. Probably comes with a computer generated print of a target and purely guessing about that.
Anyway, here is todays test with the 123 ELD-M.
So far, I see this rifle being a 1/2" shooter and that isn't bad at all. Next bullet will be the 130 Berger OTM AR Tactical or the 127 LRX by Barnes. Will use the same 90 grain charge and doing this for a reason. Since the barrel burner is doing better than I would have ever imagined,, Im keeping firings limited at two each and just narrowing things down fast as I can,,, for finding the most accurate bullet it likes. If the 130 or 127 cuts holes at 150 yards, I will load five to make sure it wasn't luck. I have been using the very same four pieces of brass, to eliminate any crazy fliers and annealed them after the second firing. Some may say,, this isn't the correct way and that might be true. Keep in mind that it is also foolish to shoot something like this 400 times and find out that the barrel is 3/4 gone,,, after finding the perfect load. Beside that, I want to try N560 in it and will do it the very same way. If 560 gives me 1/2 inch or less at 150 yards,, that will be what I settle on and don't care if the FPS falls off by 40 or so.
To early into this cartridge/rifle to even think about putting my two cents worth in. All I can say is,, The sucker came out of the box with a desire to prove me wrong and read many topics about the 800 to 2500 buck Vanguards and Mark fives,, Barely doing MOA or 2.5 inches at 100 yards. Many of the RC rifles that I read about, barely done 1/2 inch at 100 yards. RC means range certified and many people paid the extra for nothing but a half butt, hand lapped barrel and claimed to be fired to prove it would do sub moa. Might come with a target like some of the older rifles did but not sure. Probably comes with a computer generated print of a target and purely guessing about that.
Anyway, here is todays test with the 123 ELD-M.