300 Norma Improved. Load testing, info, and builds

[rpierce]

Here's a 300 norma improved that shipped out to a customer in Iowa. It has the following.

Kelbly Atlas timed to a Triggertech Special
Manners EH1 in swamp camo w Elite Cheek Piece
Proof Research carbon sendero contour
Titanium Self Timing 5 Port "Muscle" brake in 3/4x24 threads
APA bottom metal and 3 round Accurate Mag
Modular Evolution Bipod
Spuhr Mount
Zero Compromise 527jj

300 Norma Improved and 300 PRC rifles are on the shelf ready to ship.

www.piercisionrifles.com

 

[rpierce]

Heres a 300 norma improved I shipped out to Cary Bolt. It has the following:
Kelbly Atlas timed to a Triggertech diamond
Manners eh1 in swamp camo w the Elite cheek piece
Proof Research carbon sendero 26" 9.0 tw
Titanium Self timing 5 port "Muscle" brake w 3/4x24 threads
Hawkins BDL Hinged floor plate
Nightforce 5.5-22 NXS bedded into a set of NF rings

300 Norma Improved and 300 PRC rifles are on the shelf ready to ship. Call to grab one.

www.piercisionrifles.com

 

[rpierce]

Well I threw the new tuner from Aaron Hipp on to my 30" barreled 300 norma improved. It screws right over the existing muzzle threads and then you screw your suppressor or brake back over the threads. I Did a ladder test at 580 yds w N570 and 230 gr bergers. 88.3 gr of N570 looked to be in the middle of the node. Loaded 3 rounds up and it shot 1.7" at 580 which was .279 moa. Figured that was good enough and started twisting the tuner. I would adjust the windage half moa after every setting so they wouldn't all stack up on each other. After some tweaking I found the tuner setting. The first two shots were pretty much touching at 580 yds. I didn't let the barrel cool and grabbed the last round in the box and sent it down range as fast as I could. Ended up measuring .989"/.162 moa at 580 yds. Had .608"/.100 moa vertical. 230 gr berger at 3095 fps. Not a hot load in the 30" barrel. Definitely happy with this setup. The big TBAC SR 338 suppressor is awesome. Only problem is the norma improved heats it up really quick LOL.

Ill do some fine tuning on the tuner to see how wide the window is. But this definitely made load development easier. Load up a bunch of rounds at the same seating depth and tweak the tuner.
The range setup is perfect for load testing as its only 50 yds from the shop. The timber blocks the wind almost to the target when it comes from the west. Winds were almost non existent this morning and zero mirage. the kestral got up to 2mph winds. most of the time the fan didnt even move. The dot in my 10-50x kahles sits perfectly inside the tiny 1/2" square at 580 yds. I can guarantee my crosshairs are perfect everytime I pull the trigger. I put the astro turf up there so the bipod can dig into something.
Modular evolution with spikes keeps it on target. I can watch the bullet go down to the target even at 50x.

I have some rifles instock ready to ship. Im doing a package deal also where optics are mounted etc and knocking $500 off. This special won't last long. NF NX8 4-32, Kahles, Zero compromise optics are available for the package deal.

 

[DJ Fergus]

Well I threw the new tuner from Aaron Hipp on to my 30" barreled 300 norma improved. It screws right over the existing muzzle threads and then you screw your suppressor or brake back over the threads. I Did a ladder test at 580 yds w N570 and 230 gr bergers. 88.3 gr of N570 looked to be in the middle of the node. Loaded 3 rounds up and it shot 1.7" at 580 which was .279 moa. Figured that was good enough and started twisting the tuner. I would adjust the windage half moa after every setting so they wouldn't all stack up on each other. After some tweaking I found the tuner setting. The first two shots were pretty much touching at 580 yds. I didn't let the barrel cool and grabbed the last round in the box and sent it down range as fast as I could. Ended up measuring .989"/.162 moa at 580 yds. Had .608"/.100 moa vertical. 230 gr berger at 3095 fps. Not a hot load in the 30" barrel. Definitely happy with this setup. The big TBAC SR 338 suppressor is awesome. Only problem is the norma improved heats it up really quick LOL.

Ill do some fine tuning on the tuner to see how wide the window is. But this definitely made load development easier. Load up a bunch of rounds at the same seating depth and tweak the tuner.
The range setup is perfect for load testing as its only 50 yds from the shop. The timber blocks the wind almost to the target when it comes from the west. Winds were almost non existent this morning and zero mirage. the kestral got up to 2mph winds. most of the time the fan didnt even move. The dot in my 10-50x kahles sits perfectly inside the tiny 1/2" square at 580 yds. I can guarantee my crosshairs are perfect everytime I pull the trigger. I put the astro turf up there so the bipod can dig into something.
Modular evolution with spikes keeps it on target. I can watch the bullet go down to the target even at 50x.

I have some rifles instock ready to ship. Im doing a package deal also where optics are mounted etc and knocking $500 off. This special won't last long. NF NX8 4-32, Kahles, Zero compromise optics are available for the package deal.
View attachment 201204View attachment 201205View attachment 201206

Were you shooting the 230 otm or 230 hybrid target?

 

[rpierce]

Were you shooting the 230 otm or 230 hybrid target?

Target Hybrid

 

[rpierce]

Haven't had time to post the pile of builds that have gone out in the last few months but Ill start off with this one.

This is the last of the instock 300 Norma Improved rifles that are on the shelf ready for a new home. I have a smoking package deal going on right now so if your interested get ahold of me. $500 off the package deal. That includes rifle, optics, dies, brass etc. I include a dummy round set to the lands, load info, custom bore guide, and cleaning info for these rifles.

Rifle has the following:
Kelbly Atlas Timed to Triggertech Special.NO COCK ON CLOSE
Manners EH1. 3oz Lightweight cheek piece is an option
Proof Research 1.250 shank 9.0 tw 26" finish
Titanium Self timing 5 Port "Muscle" brake in 3/4x24 threads
Hawkins BDL bottom metal w Wyatts Centerfeed box

A bunch of optics are on the shelf ready to be thrown on it.
NF NX8 in FFP with SFP coming late next week.
Kahles
Swaro
ZCO

 

[308 holes]

Heres a 300 Norma Improved I just shipped out to Bob Nichols. It has the following:

Kelbly Atlas timed to a Triggertech Diamond
Manners eh1 painted by Custom Gun Coatings
Proof Research sendero contour
Self Timing 5 Port "Muscle" Brake
Hawkins BDL Bottom metal
Wyatts CFE 12 box
Nightforce ATACR bedded into a set of Hawkins 6 screw rings

Rifles are on the shelf.
View attachment 187710View attachment 187711View attachment 187712View attachment 187713View attachment 187714View attachment 187715View attachment 187716View attachment 187717

The bolts on the right side for me

 

[rpierce]

Well I decided to try some reloader 50 with my 30" barrel heavy rig. This offers way better case fill than n570. I ended up using a 6" drop tube since without it pretty much a starting load had slight powder crunch. I had the 230 berger at 3150 fps with only a slight bolt click. 3190 fps was a noticeable click. The best node was at a mild 3085 fps which was 8 gr more powder than my n570 load for the same speed. With a 9 shot string over the labradar the ES was 11 and the SD was 3.6 fps. Held under 1.5" vertical at 580 yds also. Gonna try it out in my lightweight carbon barrel setup.

 

[highdrum]

Well I decided to try some reloader 50 with my 30" barrel heavy rig. This offers way better case fill than n570. I ended up using a 6" drop tube since without it pretty much a starting load had slight powder crunch. I had the 230 berger at 3150 fps with only a slight bolt click. 3190 fps was a noticeable click. The best node was at a mild 3085 fps which was 8 gr more powder than my n570 load for the same speed. With a 9 shot string over the labradar the ES was 11 and the SD was 3.6 fps. Held under 1.5" vertical at 580 yds also. Gonna try it out in my lightweight carbon barrel setup.

View attachment 209974View attachment 209975View attachment 209976

I'm interested to see where the 26" barrel ends up for speeds. Wouldn't RL33 be about as good in case fill and better for speeds than RL50?

 

[rpierce]

Im guessing in my 26" barrel that powder charge would be around 3030 fps. The 30" barrel hasn't offered much more velocity than my 26" barrels. The 88.3 gr of n570 in my 30" barrel is 3095 fps and in my 26" barrel its 3035 fps. I realize theyre two different barrels also. Reloader 50 offers more case fill than reloader 33. Would be the same or slightly more speed. The case fill and speed is according to bergers info they put out. Retumbo, US869, H50BMG, and Reloader 50 all offered 100%+ case fill. N570 and Reloader 33 were 94 and 96%

 

[rpierce]

Well I tried some H50bmg powder and 230 bergers in my heavy test rifle. Did a ladder test and found two different nodes that were a grain wide and held under 2" vertical at 580 for that spread. Very wide powder nodes and stupid accurate. Heres the two groups from the upper node I shot at 580 yds tonight in a 10mph wind with 98.2 gr of h50bmg. The one group had .394"/.064moa vertical. The second group had .523"/.086moa vertical. The 6 shots at 580 had a ES of 10 fps and average velocity of 3045 fps in the 30" test barrel. With my elk hunt coming up I decided to throw that load in my carbon barrel to try out. Sent 3 rounds into .100"@100 and had a ES of 3 fps and SD of 1.6 fps Gonna do a small ladder test to make sure im in the middle of the node and then see how wide my seating depth window is. But Im definitely in the general vicinity of where it wants to be shot LOL. Ill stretch it out in a day or two. As a side note you will have to use a drop tube if your going to use Reloader 50 or H50bmg. Theres definite powder crunch with both. I had loaded some rounds up and let them set for a few days to see if the powder would push the bullet back out a hair. Didn't even move a half thou so Im good to go there.

 

[Quicksilver338]

Always on the up, I like it! Any chance you'd try the same with 215's anytime soon? Running N570 now but with as nice as that powder treated you it could be worth it to switch and give up a little velocity...or just something different to do

 

[rpierce]

It might be a bit before I try the 215s. I have several thousand of the 230's at the moment,

 

[Quicksilver338]

Haha yeah that may take awhile. Running the 215's this season and may try the 230's next year.