Sometimes you learn more from mistakes

[atepointer]

I had been trying to work up a good long range load in .260 Remington with Barnes 145 match burners and Reloader 23. I never found what I wanted. 2 moa garbage is all I could muster. Very disappointed.

I changed bullets and powder. 140 ELD match and H4350. I loaded my first batch for powder testing at mag length. I never considered checking to see how close to the lands I was, because I never had a bullet hit the lands at mag length. When I chambered the first round I felt a slight resistance, but nothing alarming. I started shooting. 24 of 26 test loads went into .5 moa or less. The two that were out I suspect were contributed by mirage from the suppressor. When I shot those again they went back in the group. Half way through I ejected a loaded round. I saw marks on the bullet. I discovered I was into the lands. Now what?

I have the best and most constent results I have ever obtained with that rifle. Be ultra conservative and seat deeper or go with it and carry a ramrod incase I stick a bullet? FYI over the courses of the powder test I never hit pressure.

If it makes you feel any better my buddy and I couldn't give the 145's away fast enough the groups looked like a pre-season shotgun turkey load sight in target. 4350 and StaBall....we punted after that as it was during wuflu lockdown boredom and we weren't in the mood to be donating primers with the supply issues unfolding. From touching to big jump they shot like a bag of turds. 1:8 twist for me and a 1 7.xx gain twist on buddy's Bartlein. Awful waste of powder:/