I know it's shoot one, mark one. I know it's best done at med to long range. However, what I've got available is 300 yard range frequented by numerous other shooters. I'm looking for an effective way ahead.
I'm developing a load for my Tikka T3x in 7mm RM. I've got some old projos (AMax, SST, Matrix) that I'm using to hone my skills as a reloader as much as anything else...because, honestly, short of loading for quality/consistency, the Hornady factory ELD-X or SST is capable of doing what I need this rifle to do. One day, this rifle will be a 7 SAUM and I will absolutely have to reload for it if I want to shoot it, but not yet.
I'm posting my second attempt here - where I was able to mark each "group" of shots. This was 162 grain SST over RL23 from 64.3 grains to 67 grains in .3 grain jumps. The first was equally uninformative over H4831sc. There does seem to be a velocity node for right around book max and just shy with the H4831sc. My MSv3 hinders my ability to shoot my T3x considerably, so I'm between ladder on target or ladder on chrono, but not both together. I attribute that primarily to the movement of the MSv3 under recoil...and my inability to re-index it consistently by hand.
That's about a 1.30 MOA group of ~4 inches. The last 4 shots are unmarked. I didn't check the weather and we had a nice storm come in while I was on the range, don't know that it matters. My theory is this is a recoil issue. My 7mm RM and .30-06 at 100 yards show a tendency for bullet POI to move downwards as powder charge increases. Thus the high POI, but low velocity shots @ 100 yards come down into the high velocity shots at 300 yards. That said, looking at he starting loads over the chrono, I don't care if they print .000001 MOA groups...I'm not shooting a 7mm RM to run it at 2700 fps.
I've got some stuff I've loaded to continue trying to suss this out...but, figured there must be a better way to use my available resources. I figure I can run ladders over the chrono or I can attempt some OCW group type thing...or some variant of both.
I'm developing a load for my Tikka T3x in 7mm RM. I've got some old projos (AMax, SST, Matrix) that I'm using to hone my skills as a reloader as much as anything else...because, honestly, short of loading for quality/consistency, the Hornady factory ELD-X or SST is capable of doing what I need this rifle to do. One day, this rifle will be a 7 SAUM and I will absolutely have to reload for it if I want to shoot it, but not yet.
I'm posting my second attempt here - where I was able to mark each "group" of shots. This was 162 grain SST over RL23 from 64.3 grains to 67 grains in .3 grain jumps. The first was equally uninformative over H4831sc. There does seem to be a velocity node for right around book max and just shy with the H4831sc. My MSv3 hinders my ability to shoot my T3x considerably, so I'm between ladder on target or ladder on chrono, but not both together. I attribute that primarily to the movement of the MSv3 under recoil...and my inability to re-index it consistently by hand.
That's about a 1.30 MOA group of ~4 inches. The last 4 shots are unmarked. I didn't check the weather and we had a nice storm come in while I was on the range, don't know that it matters. My theory is this is a recoil issue. My 7mm RM and .30-06 at 100 yards show a tendency for bullet POI to move downwards as powder charge increases. Thus the high POI, but low velocity shots @ 100 yards come down into the high velocity shots at 300 yards. That said, looking at he starting loads over the chrono, I don't care if they print .000001 MOA groups...I'm not shooting a 7mm RM to run it at 2700 fps.
I've got some stuff I've loaded to continue trying to suss this out...but, figured there must be a better way to use my available resources. I figure I can run ladders over the chrono or I can attempt some OCW group type thing...or some variant of both.
