CVA Cascade 6.5 PRC w/ 156 Berger Elite Hunter hand loads

fortify503

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Minuteman
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Apr 26, 2020
52
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Finally put a 4 round group through the CVA Cascade and got a picture of the group. Why not 5 round?... we all know why lol)
CVA Cascade 6.5 PRC
Leupold Gen.2 VX-5HD 3-15x illuminated firedot
Hornady Brass
Winchester WLR primers
57.1gn Vihtavuori N560
156gn Berger Elite Hunter
BTO=2.263"
2901 fps avg.

Failed to bring the target home before trashing it so all I have is a relative measurement for the group size.

Going into this I know I needed to re-zero because I just put this scope on this particular rifle. Use to have the Mark 4 Hd 4.5-18 on top with illuminated reticle but it felt too busy for hunting and didn't have the low end I wanted
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first group(very bottom): center POA, dialed up 6 clicks after, slipped zero with tool less speed set dial
second group(next group up): center POA, dialed down 1, slipped zero again with tool less speed set dial
windage confirmation before adjust shot: aiming top center of larger white diamond, dialed back up one click and slipped zero again. dialed 12 clicks right (double what I thought necessary, I like to "unload" erector system for my final adjustment (read as: make last correction leftward rather than load the system by making last correction rightward)
Windage correction shot: aiming top center o large white diamond, confirmed only need 6 clicks to adjust. adjusted 6 clicks and slipped tool less dial to zero
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1 shot left in magazine aiming dead center on top 1" diameter target :)
load 3 more rounds, fire directly into same 1" target :)
decide to not take that 5th shot, because... well, you know :D

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The other 3 shot group is from a while back with the same load that did have a direct measurement taken but failed to get a picture of the group...
So far I have roughly 350 rounds through this gun, proper break in and upped my cleaning regiment to follow some of the best competition shooters advice

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All in all, wanted to firmly position myself on learning how to reload for your barrel > buying expensive rifles and hoping factory ammo shoots well through it.
I have tons of buddies at work who purchase very expensive custom guns that can't get them to shoot well nearly in 4 times the amount of time put in and twice as much money on factory loads as I spend in "quality budget" class division and tune my loads for the rifle.

When anyone asks me what rifle they should buy I will highly suggest a sub $1000 gun and for them to reload before they go spending big money on the tac drivers. Barrels these days seem pretty few and far between to have major issue with grouping if the fundamentals are there to back it. Can't speak for all budget class rifles, but the CVA Cascade came recommended for dumb accurate at a $650 price point and I don't think that was hog wash at all.

What's your thoughts??
 
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