1st Range Day with SAUM

[Rflshootr]

That is a great idea

I have all kinds of great ideas. But,
if you build the bench facing south on the trailer, and position it in the right spot, you could throw a shooting mat down and shoot prone as well if you wanted.......but once you have a good sturdy bench, I doubt you'll want to shoot prone for load development. Check Harbor Freight for "trailer leveling jacks".

 

[GLTaylor]

Trailer leveling jacks are a good idea. More than just leveling the trailer, they also make it rigid and steady. We used to shoot off of a covered trailer prairie dogging. The wind blowing caused the whole trailer to move and wiggle your crosshairs! Pretty challenging at long range and small targets

 

[GW Hunter]

Always love me a good Macallan... And shooting handloads in a new rifle...

 

[Airedale56]

Lethal Chica,
Thanks for sharing your 6.5 SAUM experience.

I took my Blaser R8 with a 24" barrel, TBAC brake/Ultra-7 suppressor and ZCo 420 to the range a couple of weeks ago for the first time as well.

I was shooting factory Prime 6.5 SAUM / 142 SMK HPBT.
20 rounds fired in five round strings resulted in 2905/2904/2878 and 2888 FPS=2893 FPS average.
The last five were 5/5 hits on steel at 506 yards.

I was thinking it was pretty slow compared to my 26" DT SRS-A1 which averages 5 rounds at 2840 FPS with Hornady 140 ELD Match in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I was thinking it should have been about 100 FPS faster than it clocked, like closer to 3000 FPS.
For the difference in case capacity, I was expecting more than a 50-60 FPS increase over my 6.5 CM.

Your 6.5 SAUM speed data however is pretty close to mine.

It looks like I've got to do some hand loading to do to boost velocity or be satisfied with increased case life at the speeds I've got.

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Lethal Chica,
Thanks for sharing your 6.5 SAUM experience.

I took my Blaser R8 with a 24" barrel, TBAC brake/Ultra-7 suppressor and ZCo 420 to the range a couple of weeks ago for the first time as well.

I was shooting factory Prime 6.5 SAUM / 142 SMK HPBT.
20 rounds fired in five round strings resulted in 2905/2904/2878 and 2888 FPS=2893 FPS average.
The last five were 5/5 hits on steel at 506 yards.

I was thinking it was pretty slow compared to my 26" DT SRS-A1 which averages 5 rounds at 2840 FPS with Hornady 140 ELD Match in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I was thinking it should have been about 1000 FPS faster than it clocked, like closer to 3000 FPS.
For the difference in case capacity, I was expecting more than a 50-60 FPS increase over my 6.5 CM.

Your 6.5 SAUM speed data however is pretty close to mine.

It looks like I've got to do some hand loading to do to boost velocity or be satisfied with increased case life at the speeds I've got.

This was a conservative load to break-in the barrel. I am going to work up in 0.2 increments of H1000. I have 59.0 to 61.0 grain loaded. Should be able to get higher before I hit pressure.. Stay tuned for Monday's shooting results.

 

[Okanogan]

Still working load development myself with the GAP 6.5 SAUM. I have made it up to 60.8 g H1000 with 140 EH with no pressure signs. Going up in 0.2 grain increments sounds pretty safe and it will be nice to get some additional rounds down your new barrel.

My group sizes for the 156 EH started opening up as I went up in velocity above 2950ish. I have a 2B contour and have seen other lighter barrel rifles start opening up group size as well past a sweet spot. Using RL26, I just started showing the slight signs of primer flattening at 59 grains with the 156 EH. I'm back down to just below 58 grains as it shoots better.

I won't worry too much about velocity as you are initially breaking in the barrel. Mine looks to have sped up somewhere between 50-75 fps when I passed the 150 round mark. The increase in speed has caused me to go back and decrease some promising looking charge weights slightly.

 

[Rflshootr]

So how did you do on Monday....inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Lethal_Chica]

So how did you do on Monday....inquiring minds want to know!

I got out again with the rifle. Worked up loads in .2 increments from 61.0 to 62.0 grains of H1000. No signs of pressure. I am hoping this weekend to load shoot some 5 shot groups at 61.4 and 61.6 and see what types of groups they will shoot.

One thing I realized is that I am having a hard time getting a good cheek weld (photos for reference) so I can be centered up behind the scope. I am having to bury my head over to the right with considerable force to get the sight picture through the scope. The raised cheek piece GAP added to this rifle is set too far left for me. I am going dremel out the kydex piece and slide the cheek piece over to the right so I get a better fit behind the scope.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Thanks for the update Victoria. I struggle with getting my eye comfortably behind the scope too. I've ended up tilting my head while resting my cheek, ( between the corner of my mouth and cheekbone ), so that the eye can get behind the eyepiece.

You might try removing the cheek piece just to see if there is some comfortable position while your holding your head up.

Are you using new brass at this time?

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Thanks for the update Victoria. I struggle with getting my eye comfortably behind the scope too. I've ended up tilting my head while resting my cheek, ( between the corner of my mouth and cheekbone ), so that the eye can get behind the eyepiece.

You might try removing the cheek piece just to see if there is some comfortable position while your holding your head up.

Are you using new brass at this time?

Yes, new brass - ADG brass. The height of the cheek piece if right. I fiddled with removing the inserts to adjust height and found the height to be right. I just need to move over more to the right.

 

[26Reload]

Sounds like you have a good concept of centering...
And the fired brass looks good...should last quite some time...
Keep On..Keeping On....

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Sounds like you have a good concept of centering...
And the fired brass looks good...should last quite some time...
Keep On..Keeping On....

Hope so.. I am enjoying the experience of reloading my own ammo.

 

[Joefrazell]

Just got some of that adg brass for one of my rifles. It seems great So far

 

[Rflshootr]

I'd take a closer look at those bottom 2 cases on the left. I don't know what the load was in those 2 pieces of brass, but it looks like they both have ejector marks next to the little triangle (round circles from brass flowing into the ejector cavity from too high a pressure).. One on the left side of the triangle and one on the right side of the triangle. If it is indeed injector marks, that load is too hot, regardless of what the primer looks like. Take a closer look at them and if it is indeed brass flow, that load is too hot. The top one even looks like it has a score mark through it where the brass was shaved off upon bolt opening. Be very cautious. And remember, as the weather gets hotter, pressures increase.
Also in my opinion, you are doing your load development bassackwards. You should always find your seating depth of the bullet first, then tune the rest of the way with the powder. Unless you've already done that.