Andrew Cowling
Well-Known Member
High all. This is not exactly long range but this does apply.
Had a bit of fun with my spare parts 6.5x55 swede sporter. It loves the 139 lapau scenars with 3 shots at 100 meters running at .250". Got some 143 gr eld-x's to try loved them too but the first group was a worry at 5 shot at nearly 2 iches at 100 meter.
Hmmm not good. Fired a second 5 shot group with 4 shots touching at .500" and of cause I pulled the 5th shot to make it a .655" group. Strange, why the drastically different group size? All of the loads are exactly the same, rifle is still sound, no loose or moving bits.
Hmmmm. Ok so cleaned the barrel and let it sit till after lunch. Fired another 5 shot group from a clean cold bore with all other paramiters the same. Well, 4 shots in .500" again and blew the 5th out to a .890" group (blasted 5th rounds get me haha). Strange.
Confirmation of shot placement after zeroing the scope to point of aim at 100m, 200m .5 mrad dead centre hit, 300m 1 mrad dead centre hit. Well that works, but why the terrable first 5 shot group? Then a massive face palm and says to myself 'you idiot'.
The reason hit me and became obvious. When loading the eld-x the first five had the tip crushed by the seater (see photo) before I realised it was happening. I spun it up in my lathe and changed the angle and widened it to contact the projectile further down. This stopped further damage.
So, if the high bc projectiles are damaged by the seater then they will shoot like crap. If you see this happening, stop, replace the seater or modify it. Lesson learned, but hell, it was fun doing it.
1st target with clean cold bore and damaged tips.
2nd target.
3rd target from a clean cold bore.
damaged tip.
closer look at the damaged tip.
Had a bit of fun with my spare parts 6.5x55 swede sporter. It loves the 139 lapau scenars with 3 shots at 100 meters running at .250". Got some 143 gr eld-x's to try loved them too but the first group was a worry at 5 shot at nearly 2 iches at 100 meter.
Hmmm not good. Fired a second 5 shot group with 4 shots touching at .500" and of cause I pulled the 5th shot to make it a .655" group. Strange, why the drastically different group size? All of the loads are exactly the same, rifle is still sound, no loose or moving bits.
Hmmmm. Ok so cleaned the barrel and let it sit till after lunch. Fired another 5 shot group from a clean cold bore with all other paramiters the same. Well, 4 shots in .500" again and blew the 5th out to a .890" group (blasted 5th rounds get me haha). Strange.
Confirmation of shot placement after zeroing the scope to point of aim at 100m, 200m .5 mrad dead centre hit, 300m 1 mrad dead centre hit. Well that works, but why the terrable first 5 shot group? Then a massive face palm and says to myself 'you idiot'.
The reason hit me and became obvious. When loading the eld-x the first five had the tip crushed by the seater (see photo) before I realised it was happening. I spun it up in my lathe and changed the angle and widened it to contact the projectile further down. This stopped further damage.
So, if the high bc projectiles are damaged by the seater then they will shoot like crap. If you see this happening, stop, replace the seater or modify it. Lesson learned, but hell, it was fun doing it.
1st target with clean cold bore and damaged tips. 2nd target. 3rd target from a clean cold bore. damaged tip. closer look at the damaged tip.
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