Testing the 135gr Apex-Outdoors Afterburners

[Petey308]

Figured I might as well do the 130gr Barnes as well. Just for comparison sake, since it's already been mentioned. Here it is:

130gr Barnes 308w

•H335 shows max 47.7gr at 3060fps and 94.4% fill

•Benchmark is max 45.9gr at 3000fps and 100.6% fill

•H4895 is max 48.0gr at 3083fps and 103.6% fill

•Varget is max 49.1gr at 3041fps and 109.6% fill

•BL-C(2) is max 51.4gr at 3033fps and 101.7% fill

•CFE223 is max 53.9gr at 3109fps and 106.8% fill

•aa2460 is max 48.5gr at 3033fps and 97.3% fill

•aa2200 is 47.5gr at 3018fps and 101% fill

•aa2495 is 47.3gr at 3082fps and 104.4% fill

•aa2520 is max 49.9gr at 3079fps and 102.2% fill

•TAC is 50.4gr at 3023fps and 100.9% fill

•X-terminator is 48.7gr at 3013fps and 98.5% fill

•IMR 8208 XBR is max 47.2gr at 3043fps and 101.9% fill

•IMR 3031 is max 46.8gr at 3112fps and 108.1% fill

•Win 748 is max 49.5gr at 3105fps and 99.3% fill

•N140 is max 48.5gr at 3027fps and 106.8% fill

•N130 is max 43.4gr at 2960fps and 100.2% fill

•N540 is max 50gr at 3052fps and 106.8% fill

•N530 is max 46.5gr at 3059fps and 99.9% fill

•AR Comp is max 46.1gr at 3069fps and 102.9% fill

•RL-15 is max 49.8gr at 3093fps and 107.5% fill

•RL15-5 is max 50.3gr at 3108fps and 113.4% fill

•IMR 4064 is max 48.3gr at 3033fps and 110.4% fill

Most are above 3000fps, unsurprisingly, but at least that matches up closer to others' experience with that bullet. So based on their data, and all this, it's all the more reason to realistically expect to get around 3000fps safely with the 135gr Afterburner. I wish I had the time to actually get done loaded and to the range, but this will have to do for a while until I can actually do that.

 

[can1010]

so if you use 1800 fps and 1000lbs as your minimums for expansion and energy the Afterburners have +/- 100 yd advantage and 3-4" less drift than the others.
now to validate BC and some drops at range but if that holds that makes a 308 a legitimate 600 yd round, not bad for a 135gr bullet

 

[Petey308]

so if you use 1800 fps and 1000lbs as your minimums for expansion and energy the Afterburners have +/- 100 yd advantage and 3-4" less drift than the others.
now to validate BC and some drops at range but if that holds that makes a 308 a legitimate 600 yd round, not bad for a 135gr bullet

Yes, with that threshold/minimum, I'd put the 135gr Afterburner at 575 yards, the 124gr HH at 475 yards, and the 137gr HH also at 475 yards.

To see that clearly, here are the charts at 25 yard increments.

So all three at 475 yards and with the about 4mph full value wind that was used in these charts, the Apex beats the 124gr HH by 1.6" of drift, and the 137gr HH by 2.1" of drift. With a 10mph full value wind, at 475 yards, the Afterburner bears the 124gr HH by 4.1" and the 137gr HH by 5.4" of drift.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Yes, with that threshold/minimum, I'd put the 135gr Afterburner at 575 yards, the 124gr HH at 475 yards, and the 137gr HH also at 475 yards.

To see that clearly, here are the charts at 25 yard increments.

So all three at 475 yards and with the about 4mph full value wind that was used in these charts, the Apex beats the 124gr HH by 1.6" of drift, and the 137gr HH by 2.1" of drift. With a 10mph full value wind, at 475 yards, the Afterburner bears the 124gr HH by 4.1" and the 137gr HH by 5.4" of drift.

View attachment 392082View attachment 392083View attachment 392084

THANKS for all the very detailed work.

 

[Petey308]

THANKS for all the very detailed work.

My pleasure!

 

[mcdil]

A load you may want to look at as a point of reference is your 308 Win with the 150gr TTSX, something many are familiar with. The results will be enlightening. From a terminal performance perspective, the 135gr Afterburner will have more trauma and penetrate deeper than the TTSX. So, even due to the lighter weight, it is not giving anything up there and is in fact superior, especially at the lower impact velocities. As far as the aerodynamics of the TTSX, I've radared that at a G7 of .202 for your records/inputs.

This particular comparison falls in line with the design philosophy of the entire Afterburner line really displaying our "no weakness", "no compromises", flagship offering. It amplifies your 308 Win in EVERY performance category.

 

[Petey308]

"A load you may want to look at as a point of reference is your 308 Win with the 150gr TTSX, something many are familiar with. The results will be enlightening. From a terminal performance perspective, the 135gr Afterburner will have more trauma and penetrate deeper than the TTSX. So, even due to the lighter weight, it is not giving anything up there and is in fact superior, especially at the lower impact velocities. As far as the aerodynamics of the TTSX, I've radared that at a G7 of .202 for your records/inputs.

This particular comparison falls in line with the design philosophy of the entire Afterburner line really displaying our "no weakness", "no compromises", flagship offering. It amplifies your 308 Win in EVERY performance category."


Good idea. While I'm out of town for work this week, I'll take the time to took at those numbers too. In the meantime, here's the ballistic chart info based on published load data, giving each respective Barnes the benefit of the doubt and set at the top published MV:

The 135gr Afterburner definitely beats both on those charts, even with the 130gr TTSX 363fps faster at the muzzle.

I will also say, in my experience, the Barnes really starts to produce narrow wounding impacting below around 2200fps, so I wouldn't want to use either below that threshold. So that puts the 130gr (at my elevation) at a max of around 425 yards and the 150gr at a max of 375 yards. And if we go with the previously discussed threshold of 1800fps/1000ft-lbs of energy with the 135gr Afterburner, that puts it at a max of around 575 yards.

The 130gr TTSX has 1.1" more wind drift (comparing at 425 yards) than the Afterburner.

The 150gr TTSX has 3.2" more wind drift (comparing at 375 yards) than the Afterburner.

 

[TheSouthpaw]

I'll be watching this. Primarily interested in the terminal performance and BC validation.

 

[Petey308]

Finally got some time to prep brass and load up the calibration rounds for QuickLoad. I'm planning on getting these shot this Friday. That should tell me about where my OBT node is with this configuration and with IMR 8208 XBR so I can load up the next batch of rounds and confirm. After that, it'll be time to zero and wait for deer season

 

[bamban]

Thanks for all your work.

I have good loads with 137, 124, 166 HH for my 28 inch 30-06. Today I just received my box of 135 Apex to test in the 30-06 the next couple of weeks.

Looking forward to hear about your test on 308 Win. I have AR10s in 10T and 13T, along with a couple of M1A hunters that I will load for, plan to piggyback off your work.

 

[mcdil]

Looking forward to your results. Just don't be too surprised if your pressure/velocity doesn't appear anywhere close to your predicted results. Just like the old days, read the signs and adjust accordingly. I'm betting pretty hard coin, if you can stuff enough powder in the case, you'll be much higher on velocity than expected. Either way, stay safe.

 

[Petey308]

Looking forward to your results. Just don't be too surprised if your pressure/velocity doesn't appear anywhere close to your predicted results. Just like the old days, read the signs and adjust accordingly. I'm betting pretty hard coin, if you can stuff enough powder in the case, you'll be much higher on velocity than expected. Either way, stay safe.

I'd be surprised if the actual pressure/MV was close to current estimates lol. I'm sure after the calibration, I'll find out I'll be able to get much different max velocity/pressure. We shall see. I'm definitely starting out on the safe side first.

 

[Petey308]

Thanks for all your work.

I have good loads with 137, 124, 166 HH for my 28 inch 30-06. Today I just received my box of 135 Apex to test in the 30-06 the next couple of weeks.

Looking forward to hear about your test on 308 Win. I have AR10s in 10T and 13T, along with a couple of M1A hunters that I will load, plan to piggy back off your work.

I have an AR-10 as well but with only an 18" barrel, I'm not sure what kind of max range I could get with even the 135gr.

 

[mcdil]

I had to go back to some of my old notes, but as a point of reference for an 18" barreled 308 Win, we had an ammo company work up a compressed load of TAC at 44gr with the 153gr prototype and took it to 2800 fps. It was the fastest that gun had ever pushed a 150 class bullet out. There was a node at 2750 fps and 43gr that he really liked though, and that's where he settled.

So, that's our heavier 153gr with only an 18" barrel. Hence my belief in the 135gr out of your 24" barrel really hauling the mail.