28 Nosler Loads

[elkhunter1104]

I am trying to find the best load for my Ridgeline 28 Nosler. I have completed barrel break in by the book. So far between 162 ELDX, 168 VLD and 175 ABLR I have had the best luck with the 162's (I have only used H1000 with all three). I would prefer the 168's due to showing better kinetic energy at a further distance. I am looking for what may work have worked better for someone else or maybe some insight to what I should try to get the 168's or 175's to group better. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I have the same gun. Mine shoots the 180 eldm great. I have used retumbo and imr8133. Both work great. My velocity has been 3120 with 8133 and 3169 with retumbo. Loads are fairly hot but work great. I only switched from retumbo to 8133 cause I can't ever just leave a good thing alone. I always have to keep messing with stuff. Lol. These loads killed a bull each. One at 1104 yards and one at 1245 yards.

And for barrel life, I know I have 5-600 rounds down the tube and have very minimal fire cracking in the throat. It has not even reached the lands. When I shoot, I shoot one shot and give it a few min before I shoot again. I don't shoot back to back shots. I know this takes time but I'm enjoying what I'm doing so who cares. The only time I have shot back to back was shooting at the bulls and that was just to get another round in him. I clean the gun after 20-30 rounds.

So when you hear all the talk about..... "don't spend to much time finding a load cause your bbl will be toast", take it with a grain of salt. Just treat it like you want it to last and have fun finding your load. I would bet the ones that aren't lasting are probably being shot back to back shots all day long. Just my assumption. Mine will last 1500+ at the rate I'm going.

 

[Toolhand]

88.3 grains RL33 .010 off with 195's shoots 1/2" on average in my 28 it's a 1in8 twist barrel.

 

[Sand Man]

88.3 grains RL33 .010 off with 195's shoots 1/2" on average in my 28 it's a 1in8 twist barrel.

Curious what fps? @ 87.5 grains of RL33 and 3175fps with the 195s I started getting a sticky bolt and stopped. I'm touching the lands though.

 

[Toolhand]

Averages 3240. I have a 30" broughton barrel built by lane precision for the 195s so I probably have more freebore.

 

[jshepherd61]

I am trying to find the best load for my Ridgeline 28 Nosler. I have completed barrel break in by the book. So far between 162 ELDX, 168 VLD and 175 ABLR I have had the best luck with the 162's (I have only used H1000 with all three). I would prefer the 168's due to showing better kinetic energy at a further distance. I am looking for what may work have worked better for someone else or maybe some insight to what I should try to get the 168's or 175's to group better. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I use the Nosler 168gr ABLR in both my 28 Nosler and 7mm STW using Retumbo for both have taken four Elk in the past five years the closest was 1,028 yds. Extremely accurate round. I've found all of the ELD Bullets to be very foweling in my 26, 28 Nosler, my 7STW, and 30-378 if you try to get the same velocity as the ABLR. Just my findings!

 

[Calvin45]

I use the Nosler 168gr ABLR in both my 28 Nosler and 7mm STW using Retumbo for both have taken four Elk in the past five years the closest was 1,028 yds. Extremely accurate round. I've found all of the ELD Bullets to be very foweling in my 26, 28 Nosler, my 7STW, and 30-378 if you try to get the same velocity as the ABLR. Just my findings!

That's very interesting to me, as I'm planning to use eld m in my 300 win mag. I notice all of your cartridges are very fast ones...do you think the eld (208, 225 both under 3000 fps) would be fouling in slower rounds? I'm treating mine with hbn along with the barrel and running imr enduron powders with the copper eraser. Hopefully that should make it a non issue completely. Have you tried hbn and enduron powders with elds in your speed demons? I do have a box of 210 ablr in case my gun doesn't like the hornadys

 

[tooth doc]

I am trying to find the best load for my Ridgeline 28 Nosler. I have completed barrel break in by the book. So far between 162 ELDX, 168 VLD and 175 ABLR I have had the best luck with the 162's (I have only used H1000 with all three). I would prefer the 168's due to showing better kinetic energy at a further distance. I am looking for what may work have worked better for someone else or maybe some insight to what I should try to get the 168's or 175's to group better. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Try berger 180 or 190's

 

[JJMoody]

Lots of great Bullets out there. My 28 shoots the 168 and180 Bergers lights out! The prospect of a close shot had me a bit concerned, so I decided to give the hammer hunters a try. Talked to Steve and opted for the 142s. Developed a legit 1/2 moa load in like 16 shots. Using H1000 I'm at a 3500 FPS muzzle velocity. Rl 26 went over 3600 but was too tough to keep readily stocked. With a 300 yard zero, I don't even have to think about range compensation til after 400. In the Idaho Panhandle, shots can be 3 yards or 1200. I'm very comfortable with this load out to 1000 (min velocity for expansion) under great conditions. Much past 700, I'm more confident with the 180 bergers

 

[SteveBurton]

I have the same gun. Mine shoots the 180 eldm great. I have used retumbo and imr8133. Both work great. My velocity has been 3120 with 8133 and 3169 with retumbo. Loads are fairly hot but work great. I only switched from retumbo to 8133 cause I can't ever just leave a good thing alone. I always have to keep messing with stuff. Lol. These loads killed a bull each. One at 1104 yards and one at 1245 yards.

And for barrel life, I know I have 5-600 rounds down the tube and have very minimal fire cracking in the throat. It has not even reached the lands. When I shoot, I shoot one shot and give it a few min before I shoot again. I don't shoot back to back shots. I know this takes time but I'm enjoying what I'm doing so who cares. The only time I have shot back to back was shooting at the bulls and that was just to get another round in him. I clean the gun after 20-30 rounds.

So when you hear all the talk about..... "don't spend to much time finding a load cause your bbl will be toast", take it with a grain of salt. Just treat it like you want it to last and have fun finding your load. I would bet the ones that aren't lasting are probably being shot back to back shots all day long. Just my assumption. Mine will last 1500+ at the rate I'm going.

When working on a load for the 8133, did you use the data for Retumbo and start from there? I see the burn rates are very close.

 

[Toydy]

I have a 28 inch proof, 8.24 twist on a Sako trg-s action, XLR evolution chasis 28 Nosler coming in around a week so am very interested in this thread.
A guy who has one here says that 2218 (might be 50 bmg over in the states) is the best powder he has used, quickload also says it's best for velocity as well. Mine is going to be throated for the 175 ablr to be just touching the lands with boat tail taper start at the neck/ shoulder junction, from what I can see I should be able to nearly fill the case up with powder.
Knowing my luck the best planning will come unglued though

 

[BoatTail]

JVandy,
I'm on my third 28 Nosler and love the round. I started back when there was no load data. And while I love h1000 would not use it in the 28 Nosler. I found it to be the most accurate powder with the lowest standard deviation of all the powders I used. But found you can't get the full potential out of the 28 Nosler with h1000 and 175 to 180 grain bullets. The issue is you reach the pressure limits too soon before you can take advantage of the Velocity this case can provide. The other thought is the 28 Nosler is best designed to shoot 175 grain or larger bullets. Yes you can shoot the 168 grain bullets but what's the big advantage over a 7 Mag. The bigger bullets just simply give better ballistics. I've used 180 grain Berger vld with sub half minute MOA, the 175 grn Nosler ABLRs and got the tightest three shot groups under three eighths of an inch but I got flyers once in awhile. I now shoot the the Hornady 175 eld-x with a sub half-inch MOA. After trying load development with h1000, I used retumbo, IMR 8133, and reloader 33. I currently use reloader 33 near the top of the recommended load. I would give you my load but it's pretty much near the top of the Nosler reloading manual with the overall cartridge length adjusted to my extended throat. I think the key adjusting your cartridge length to your rifle chamber, taking the max load out of a good reloading manual, backing down three to five grains and came back up and 1/2 grain increments until pressure and velocity was where I thought there was a good balance. With a 26in proof research carbon fiber Barrel with a n8.24 twist, RL88 and Hornady 175 ELD x s I'm getting 3184 fps. Be careful using other people's load recommendations or you may get sticky bolts that require the wooden block to tap on the bolt handle to get the case out, or get a punctured primer so the leaking gas bends your firing pin. Not that I've ever done any of those things. Good luck with you're load development.

 

[iowacity]

I'm using 195gr EOLs with Retumbo getting great results

 

[Danny1788]

And for barrel life, I know I have 5-600 rounds down the tube and have very minimal fire cracking in the throat. It has not even reached the lands. When I shoot, I shoot one shot and give it a few min before I shoot again. I don't shoot back to back shots. I know this takes time but I'm enjoying what I'm doing so who cares. The only time I have shot back to back was shooting at the bulls and that was just to get another round in him. I clean the gun after 20-30 rounds.

So when you hear all the talk about..... "don't spend to much time finding a load cause your bbl will be toast", take it with a grain of salt. Just treat it like you want it to last and have fun finding your load. I would bet the ones that aren't lasting are probably being shot back to back shots all day long. Just my assumption. Mine will last 1500+ at the rate I'm going.

And you know this how? Have you bore scoped it? Have you remeasured your COAL since firing 500-600 rounds? im going to put money on it that you have throat erosion and just don't know it. It will not go 1500+ rounds with accuracy..... 800-1000 rounds is what most people have been getting(this is first hand experience from reputable smiths that I know) This is what most 7STW will have for barrel life, and the 28Nosler is almost identical in case capacity..

 

[L.Sherm]

You WILL NOT GET 1500 RDS out of a 28 Nosler, MAYBE half that if your easy on it.