So, there I was, on the perpetual quest for The Load. My Rifffle is a Ruger Precision Rifle with a Proof Research M24 Profile profit 24" barrel with an APA Little Bastard on the end.
I had recently, like yesterday, found BLC(2) powder works pretty well for the Nosler 130 RDF in my rifle. Check this crap out! Summary: 1x fired Prime brass, Fed 210M primers, Nosler 130 RDF weight-sorted (VERY IMPORTANT), seated .060" off the lands. I'm definitely not a benchrest shooter. I am a "minute of plate" shooter. So my personal requirements are .5 MOA or better, sub 10-ish SD, and ES 30-ish and below.
I digress... back on track to The Load...
The nice people at Proof advised me they have had great results with the Hornady 140 ELDm and 147 ELDm bullets in their RPR 1:8 twist barrels. Armed with that info, I selected the Hornady 147 ELDm. Everything is seated .025" off the lands because I've read people do well at .030" and .020". So, I split the difference. Primers are Federal 210M. All brass is Prime, 2x fired, annealed last week or so.
I already worked out a RL17 and H4350 load:
Here that is on paper:
Because we're in America and we have choices, I decided to do a "ladder" test or whatever people are flaming each other about in assorted threads. My "ladder" was going to be RL 16, 17, and 23.
So, to the results:
Key: "Bolt Lift" and "Extract" mean sticky bolt lift and extraction. "Primer" means a catering of the primer. "SAA" means "same as above"
RL 16. I'm going to try 41.3 (consistency over absolute velocity). Seating the bullets in the casings, there was "crunch" sounds starting at about 42. After seating, there was some room in the cases all the way up to 43 where there was pretty much no powder movement when I shook the case around. I'd say it was very close to a compressed load.
RL 17 (gonna stick with my 41g Load)
RL 23 (disregard "RL 22" I made a mistake while I was looking at Sierra's 150 SMK Data for RL22 for a general idea of where to start)
Interesting note on RL23, 42.1-42.5 I had sticky bolt and sticky extraction. From 42.7 and on all "pressure" signs went away. I'm going to try 43 and 43.6.
I had recently, like yesterday, found BLC(2) powder works pretty well for the Nosler 130 RDF in my rifle. Check this crap out! Summary: 1x fired Prime brass, Fed 210M primers, Nosler 130 RDF weight-sorted (VERY IMPORTANT), seated .060" off the lands. I'm definitely not a benchrest shooter. I am a "minute of plate" shooter. So my personal requirements are .5 MOA or better, sub 10-ish SD, and ES 30-ish and below.
I digress... back on track to The Load...
The nice people at Proof advised me they have had great results with the Hornady 140 ELDm and 147 ELDm bullets in their RPR 1:8 twist barrels. Armed with that info, I selected the Hornady 147 ELDm. Everything is seated .025" off the lands because I've read people do well at .030" and .020". So, I split the difference. Primers are Federal 210M. All brass is Prime, 2x fired, annealed last week or so.
I already worked out a RL17 and H4350 load:
Here that is on paper:
Because we're in America and we have choices, I decided to do a "ladder" test or whatever people are flaming each other about in assorted threads. My "ladder" was going to be RL 16, 17, and 23.
So, to the results:
Key: "Bolt Lift" and "Extract" mean sticky bolt lift and extraction. "Primer" means a catering of the primer. "SAA" means "same as above"
RL 16. I'm going to try 41.3 (consistency over absolute velocity). Seating the bullets in the casings, there was "crunch" sounds starting at about 42. After seating, there was some room in the cases all the way up to 43 where there was pretty much no powder movement when I shook the case around. I'd say it was very close to a compressed load.
RL 17 (gonna stick with my 41g Load)
RL 23 (disregard "RL 22" I made a mistake while I was looking at Sierra's 150 SMK Data for RL22 for a general idea of where to start)
Interesting note on RL23, 42.1-42.5 I had sticky bolt and sticky extraction. From 42.7 and on all "pressure" signs went away. I'm going to try 43 and 43.6.
