Frustrating day at the range...Neep Help

[tunacan]

I just got back from the range today and I am highly frustrated.

I am shooting a 6.5x284 with Berger VLD 140 target bullets and 50.5 grains of H4831

My groups at 100 are great..The gun shoots in the .2s and .3s and an on a few occasions has shot in the .0s

I shot today and 100 and printed some great groups. I moved over to the 200 yard range and thats were the frustration began.

My groups opened up to 1-2"..The were strung from the top right to the bottom left and they were strung on a diagnal.

This happened on 3 consectutive 5 shot groups.

I have confidence that the rifle and all of the components are sound.

I had the Bergers jammed just a little. Would seating depth have anything to do with the unsatisfactory groups? If so why would if group so well at 100 and not at 200?

Please give me some suggestions..

Here is a picture of a 6 shot group at 100. The one that fell out of the group was due to a flinch so I fired another just to make sure. The group posted is an average group for the rifle

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Frustrating day at the range...Neep Help

The VLD's are great bullets but are seating depth sensitive. Take your best shooting load and make up three shot groups. Starting jammed in the lands by +.025" then load three shot groups at +.015", +.010", +.005" and .000" (just touching) Just adjust your seating stem by .005" for each set.

What you'll be doing is tuning the load by seating depth, do this at 300 yards by shooting three shot groups at different POA for each loaded set. This is the final step I use in my rifles and it works. My 6 Dasher started at 1.5" groups at 300 and ended at .5" groups when I found the depth it wanted. Seating depth changes as little as .005" can and will make a difference.

Do this test early or late in order to avoid the wind.

 

[tunacan]

Re: Frustrating day at the range...Neep Help

But why would they group so well @ 100?