• The Shot You’ll Never Forget Giveaway - Enter To Win A Barrel From Rifle Barrel Blanks!

    Tell us about the best or most memorable shot you’ve ever taken. Contest ends June 13th and remember: subscribe for a better chance of winning!

    Join contest Subscribe

New load development: 7WSM 160 Accubond

Cascade Precision

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 23, 2008
875
25
48
Klamath Falls, OR
Started my load development on my hunting rifle. Remington 700, 24" Shilen Select Match SS barrel, #5 contour, PTG bolt, McMillian adjustable HTG stock, Wyatt extended box mag, BDL, Timney 510 set to 2.5 pounds, Vortex Viper PST 4-16 MIL/MIL. Loading to max magazine length for feeding purposes.
20140820_110407.jpg

Shot the following target:
20140823_114330.jpg


What concerned me is the two wide groups were right in the MIDDLE of my powder charges. The bottom right group had a pretty wide velocity spread, but the top left had much more consistency (2935-2946 fps).

My initial thought is to pounce on the top left load. I am not seeing any real increase in velocity across the loads, low end average cannot reliably be figured as there was 80 fps between high and low. I am not certain that the wide variance was not due to my chronograph. I am hoping that someone a bit more knowledgeable than me can point me in the right direction. I have no signs of pressure. Primers are flattened a bit, but no extractor or ejector markings.

Closer looks:
Top Left:
20140823_111009.jpg


Bottom Right:
20140823_111014.jpg