Accuracy or Velocity (28 Nosler)

[HereDuckyDucky]

I have been working up a load for my 28 Nos (26") running 180 Berger Hybrids and Retumbo. Based on ladder tests, I picked out two nodes: one around 3090 and another around 3175. Early groups have the slower node grouping exceptionally well (3 shots touching at 200). The faster node is a little bigger (about .5-.6 MOA). Assuming these loads remain consistent, do you go with the extra speed or the extra accuracy? If speed, at what point are the groups too wide? This is a hunting rifle our to 500, but I also like banging steel out to 1,000.

RW

 

[HereDuckyDucky]

I should add, I have not done any seating depth adjustments, but these are loaded to the maximum COAL while still being able to extract live rounds. Any longer and I have to remove the bolt.

RW

 

[GLTaylor]

Accuracy always trumps speed, for me.
Take the load out farther and re-test. It's nor uncommon to have one load hold together better at distance.
Yours are so close It's almost a moot point.
Distance will aid your decision.

 

[Huntnful]

I prefer the lower end. Less potential future issues in different environments and more consistency over time normally.

 

[Allen Kitts]

It doesn't appear that it will make much difference in a hunting rifle to 500 yards based on the info you provided. Extra speed is always nice but accuracy is the key, IMO. My 300 PRC shoots 1/2 MOA at 200 shooting 199 Grain hammers @3100 FPS but opens to 1 MOA at 1000. Now to be quite honest that could be me, as I get older my eyes don't see the target as well, and not the rifle but if I can consistently hit the 1 MOA mark at 1000 with a hunting rifle I am pretty happy. Tight groups at close range are great but **** happens between 200 and 500 and especially 200 to 1000 that can make things go bonkers. I would certainly test it at the longer ranges to see what kind of groups you get with both loads and make your decision from that data. Good Luck.

 

[308win]

Agree with everything said above. If able, since you want to hunt to 500, test at 7 or 800 for the best feed back

 

[HSmithTX]

Accuracy, always, and forever. 85 fps would be stupendously easy to make up for by placing the bullet in exactly the right spot.

 

[HereDuckyDucky]

Testing at longer ranges makes sense. I'll put paper at 400 next trip and shoot a handful of sets of each to see how they look at 2x the distance. Thanks all!

RW

 

[Hawk in WY]

How many shots per group and what are the standard deviations?

If you know the standard deviation, multiple by three, add and subtract that to and from the group sizes, and if the ranges overlap, those two groups are probably the same within any reasonable confidence interval.

The kill zone of what you are shooting is also a factor. If it's 12 inches and the group sizes are repeatable, either will do to 1,200 yards.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Have you done OCW testing?
What is the average group size based on?
Accuracy HAS to be consistent over multiple sets of groups, not just ONE group of 3 shots, or based on ONE ladder test.

How does it group in a 10 shot group fired without regard to environmental influence?

Cheers.

 

[HereDuckyDucky]

What range would you suggest I do the 10-shot group?

RW

 

[Allen Kitts]

If you are planning to hunt to 500 I would shoot groups at 500 yards, if you can shoot farther than that then do so. The farther you can shoot your groups the better off you are. Not only will it tell you how your bullets are grouping but will tell you your point of impact based on how your scope is set up on your rifle. Your crosshairs could be slightly off level and cause a shift in POI at distance. We found this on one of my buddies rifles this past weekend. His gun grouped great at 200 and also grouped great at 600 but POI was four inches right of center. This lead us to look at his scope set up and his bubble level and make the necessary corrections to get the cross hairs plumb. Good luck.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Zero at 100 or 200, your choice. Make sure of your zero with sufficient shots, like 30, maybe. "Outliers" count.

Then shoot as far as you can consistently get first round hits 100% of the time within your target's kill zone from improvised shooting positions. 1,200 yards with a true minute of angle rifle and shooter and a 12 inch kill zone.

Spoiler alert: Almost no one can do that due to wind, elevation, temperature, and range finder error. Wind is the big one.

Shoot shorter distances until you are confident you can make first round hits 100% of the time in field conditions from improvised positions at unknown distances, ideally out of breath in the rain wearing a pack. That's your maximum effective range. Anything shorter will seem easy.

You will learn very quickly the difference between half MOA and quarter MOA is irrelevant.

Good luck.

 

[southpa]

Myself, there's no way I couldn't test seating depths on either node.....
Or at least the high node....
Never know .030 could be the difference from this even being a question you posted about.