Accurate load falls apart after 100

[Grizz1148]

How many rounds have you put down the pipe?

Around 225

 

[26Reload]

My 26nosler doesn't shoot .5" at 100...but fps as and SD are really good....so out further it shoots really good....
Very consistent....only shooting 140ab at 3200fps....not screamers...but consistent.....
I like the idea of reducing power a touch and trying it all again....nosler said 3400 with 129lrab....but those little bullets do amuch better job in my 65284.....

Maybe try one of the limbsaver barrel deresonators before anything else....be a good test to determine not only the long range but keeping the 100 numbers low also....

 

[Grizz1148]

My 26nosler doesn't shoot .5" at 100...but fps as and SD are really good....so out further it shoots really good....
Very consistent....only shooting 140ab at 3200fps....not screamers...but consistent.....
I like the idea of reducing power a touch and trying it all again....nosler said 3400 with 129lrab....but those little bullets do amuch better job in my 65284.....

Maybe try one of the limbsaver barrel deresonators before anything else....be a good test to determine not only the long range but keeping the 100 numbers low also....

I'm only at 3250 now. It didn't like em faster.

 

[Danny Butler]

Just because your bullet is stabilized at 100 yards don't mean the same at distance.... if you are shooting distance, work your load up at 300 yards.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

Scope/parallax issue?

So early this morning I actually changed the rail (Murphy titanium) new rings (seekins) and a new scope (Vortex Gen 2 PST) and I'm at the range right now. Service is really spotty here I just sighted it in and will shoot for groups soon. I also made up a brand new batch of bullets and quadruple checked every step. Today is a little better too overcast and calm. I appreciate everyone's advice and I will get back after today's session for an update. Thanks

 

[Grizz1148]

Just because your bullet is stabilized at 100 yards don't mean the same at distance.... if you are shooting distance, work your load up at 300 yards.

I guess it's possible but after many guns and thousands of rounds I've never seen a 1/2 moa gun at 100 open to 4inches at 250. ‍

 

[Bro Dave]

Follow your hunches, which are good. Speed-vs-twist-vs-bullet wt.-vs- seating depth. Something is causing the bullet to destabilize at distance. Its not shooter induced.

 

[Rhovee]

It's easy to get multiple loads to shoot 1/2 moa at 300. And same for 100. It can really fall apart further down range. Not going from 100-300. But 600 and more omen of 1/2 moa loads will hold up better. My smallest 100 yard load was 8"'at 1k. Tuned to shoot 3" at 1k and brought it back to 100 and it was 3/8. I have never seen a group open un dramatically from 100-300. Sometimes you get a fluke small group and don't check repeatability. Load 50 rounds and go long, and you had a fluke small group.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

After a lot of changes I got a group at 100 as shown below. I've changed the rail, rings and scope to eliminate anything to with a scope issue and today is actually overcast and not bright and sunny like yesterday. After a member mentioned it could be a mirage or parallax issue I now realize it was super humid and I could actually see the heat wave at 200 yds, today is a way better day super crisp and clear. I will now step it out to 250 yds as that's the longest distance I have to work with. I've also made more bullets last night and will try to shoot left over from yesterday and today's fresh batch. I've also talked to a friend to help me shoot to eliminate shooter error.

 

[Grizz1148]

It's easy to get multiple loads to shoot 1/2 moa at 300. And same for 100. It can really fall apart further down range. Not going from 100-300. But 600 and more omen of 1/2 moa loads will hold up better. My smallest 100 yard load was 8"'at 1k. Tuned to shoot 3" at 1k and brought it back to 100 and it was 3/8. I have never seen a group open un dramatically from 100-300. Sometimes you get a fluke small group and don't check repeatability. Load 50 rounds and go long, and you had a fluke small group.

As stated before, known and repeated under 1/2 moa at 100. This was the first chance I had to take it further. Hoping to repeat 250 today

 

[Dell]

not a novice. ran into something I haven't seen before. Long story short..fired 3 diff bullets today out of the same cases, same primer, same powder just testing and playing. 26 Nosler 140 smks, 135 atips, 143 eldxs, smks and atips under 1/2 moa at 100 eldxs just over 1/2 moa. Took the smks and eldxs out to 250 and they both opened up to 4". As a control for wind we shot groups at 250 with a 243 and 6.5x47 that shot well. Anybody seen this before? Couldn't test the atips as I didn't load enough but the smks have consistently shot 1/2 or better at 100. I'm going to try them again but I'm curious if anyone else has come across this. Thanks

I've seen your Issue many times. The half MOA Rifle at 100 won't shoot worth a crap past 300 and shoots 8" groups or worse at 500-600 yards. Get the chrono out and check the extreme spread and standard deviation of your loads in 5-7 shot strings. Personally, My goal is to have my extreme spread in single digits. I work to get it there with as meticulous a reloading technique as I can muster and a lot of trial and error including bullet seating depth etc. I just went thru this last week with a new load for my .260 (140 Berger Elite Hunter) and a newly rebarreled .308. After ladder testing both calibers I got the 6.5 down to an ES of 6 and the .308 to 8 and I was super happy with my flat spot velocities for both calibers on the ladder. Just shot those loads for groups yesterday and both were within my half MOA criteria at 100. 5 shot groups. I'm a happy camper. Next week it's 200-1000 testing with both rifles. I know from past experience they will be fine at longer yardages. I found the bullet seating depth and neck tension both rifles like. Can't wait to stretch em out now.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

Here are the groups at 250... the stack is with fresh bullets and the horizontal is yesterdays bullets. It's way better than yesterday and the variance is shooter error. Could be a number of things... rail, rings, scope setup or mirage. I will try to go over piece by piece through process of elimination. Funny story is I almost gave up on this rifle before shooting Hornady ELDX and Retumbo. It's a bit heavy at 8 lbs bare and shot 1.5" groups. I was gonna take the action and build a proof carbon barrel in 7mm SAUM or 7mm Max in a McMillan edge stock, this action limits me to about a 3.5" COAL. Now I get smaller groups at 2.5x the distance... thank you to LRH and everyone for posting your stories and giving me advice.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

Below is my friends grouping at 250 with my rifle. Wide group is yesterday's bullets and the string is with fresh bullets. Variance is from shooter error. Yes I know my friend and I could use a lot more practice shooting.... but that's a whole different story.

 

[Swiftkill]

Wouldn't ypou guys think if it was a stability issue the bullet would start keyholing?
Can you shoot this at 4 or 500 yards and see if it starts keyholing???