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Range Report Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

lordt313

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
May 27, 2007
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Louisville. KY
I was shooting yesterday at the range at 200yds, I began with shooting my 175SMK handloads and everything was good, then I tried some of my 178AMAX loads and they were hitting 4 inches right on the target!!! I corrected my windage to get on target and then everything was fine, I went from 200 out to 400 and my windage was still spot on after I made the initial correction, this tells me that it isn't the scope, or me.

My question is really why would I see the much deviation from a 175 SMK to a 178 AMAX using the same powder charge? These were shot from a 26" barrel with 1 in 12 twist if that helps.

Thanks
Taylor
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

That can be normal, depending on the barrel. I've seen changes like that before. It's just an issue to record.
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

My 180VLD 100 meter zero is .3 mils to the left of my 175VLD zero, with the same powder charge (and a slight - 25fps - reduction in velocity).
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

thanks guys, I have only been relaoding for 4 months so I have not experienced this before, glad to hear theres nothing wrong.

-Taylor
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Hot barrel? Scope could have had a one time brain fart, a small imperfection in the bore got smooted out.... just make a note on it and see if it happens again. If it does, then something is not right somewhere.
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Thats not odd at all to have that much change. I've seen that much at 100 yards.
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Normal. I shoot Barnes TSX. Bored one day I tried Hornady SST same everything else. Same bullet weight even. At hundred yards the SST shot 9" high and 3" left. Different bullet diffent bearing suface, Oglieve (or what ever that word is)
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Believe the bullet.
laugh.gif
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Different Bullets shoot different places. Differerent Powders shoot different places.

I have been working up loads for my 223 Varmint rifle with 55 gr Bullets. I was trying same amount of powder and would get different size groups wit different brands of Bullets.

For example I was shooting a Bulk Hornady Bullet in 55 Gr and get 3 in groups at 200 yards. I then switched to a 55 Gr Sierra Blitz King and would get Thumbnail size groups. Both with same weight of powder.

Different weights of Powder will cause your groups to start walking all over the Target until you find the right weight of powder also.
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lordt313</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was shooting yesterday at the range at 200yds, I began with shooting my 175SMK handloads and everything was good, then I tried some of my 178AMAX loads and they were hitting 4 inches right on the target!!! I corrected my windage to get on target and then everything was fine, I went from 200 out to 400 and my windage was still spot on after I made the initial correction, this tells me that it isn't the scope, or me.

My question is really why would I see the much deviation from a 175 SMK to a 178 AMAX using the same powder charge? These were shot from a 26" barrel with 1 in 12 twist if that helps.

Thanks
Taylor </div></div>

I'll bet you the group shifted to the right and a little lower.

For similar weight bullets, I believe the jacket composition may make a difference in the POI. Since your rifle is probably a right hand twist the engraving of the bullet into the lands may be occuring differently and I find that bullets shift either left and up or right and down. What is important is that you record the zero for each bullet that you will use. You do not have a problem and good for you to see that.
 
Re: Interesting event happened yesterday, advice?

Had the same thing happen with an M1A. Switched between 168gr SMK's, and 168gr Nosler CT hunting bullets, and had a 3" lateral shift at 100 yards
shocked.gif
!! Thought that I had something wierd, until I talked to a friend who has the same rifle, and he had the same issue with the same bullets. No changes in powder, primer, case, just a differently constructed bullet.
Log your info, and as long as it groups good, use it.