New OCW test with MR 2000 and Hornady 178 BTHP, what do you think?

[diego-ted]

Rifle is a Savage F/TR stock 30" tube.



NOTE: Disregard the bulleye hit at 45, not of this load. Also the 44 gr shot POA was the #4 at the top of the target.

Thx Ted

 

[dustinoif3]

Its obvious 46.5 and 48 are in the node. Very nice group and you can easily see your scatter nodes. Is 48 max? Any pressure signs? I would be tempted to see what 47.7 and 48.3 did. IE group in the same poi as 48. I'm guessing your close to compressing powder there? I'm running 48 of cfe behind 168's which is comparable as far as ball powder size.

 

[dustinoif3]

Oh and I'd also check 46.2 and 46.8 to ensure 46.5 is money

 

[pell1203]

I'm going to try an OCW with the same bullet using Varget sometime during the coming week with my .308.

Based on my comprehension of how the results from the test should be interpreted, and bear in mind this is my first time to the rodeo on this, it appears to me that there may be a couple of scatter nodes as well as two possible OCWs as explained below:

44 - 45.5: Scatter zone
45.5 - 46.5: Converging shots, possible OCW around 46.2 or 46.3
46.5 - 47.5: After 46.5, shots open up some through 47 and then appear to begin to settle back in by 47.5. Is this a possible secondary scatter zone?
47.5 - 48: Looks like it may be beginning of a second possible OCW approaching 48 (need something above 48 to confirm).

Just my rookie observations based on my understanding of what I've read on Dan Newberry's web site. I would like to hear what others have to say.

 

[Dan Newberry]

It looks like you're getting some good advice from folks.

I think the scatter node at 47 grains leads to the next OCW at 47.7 grains. I'd work on 47.7 if pressure permits. This load has got to be screamin' out of that 30 inch barrel.

That said, the smaller scatter group at the lower end of the scale, and smaller nodes in general, may suggest your best performance will come from a load in that area. The velocity gain by moving on up to the 47 grain arena might not be that significant, from what I've seen of this powder so far; it drives hard early on, and plateaus... but your 30 inch barrel might change that; I'd be interested in seeing your velocity numbers when you check them.

OCW's usually end up being 3 percent apart. If there's an OCW at 47.7 it should follow that the next lower one would be at about 46.3 grains, and there is in fact promise in that area.

Scatter nodes are about 3 percent apart also. A scatter node at 47 grains would suggest another one, going lower on the powder continuum, at around 45.6 grains. And that looks plausible as well, from reviewing your target.

Dan

 

[JGorski]

With the rifle(Classic stock) on the bottom it likes 47.3grs. My SPSS with a 12 twist, well, it doesnt like 178HPBTs any longer. This is what the SPSS does with them, yeah I know, weird, huh?

 

[JGorski]

Typical group with the 10 twist Classic stocked 700.

 

[dustinoif3]

J. Is that the game connect the dots? Hahahaha. How ya been? That pic makes me wanna try 178's out of my sps for the hell of it

 

[JGorski]

Doing pretty good, just shooting my 6 Creed as of late, yeah, my SPSS did not like that lot # of 178s, previous lot was fine, my 10 twist Classic stock sporter shoots the new lot just fine, though. What you been up to?

 

[dustinoif3]

Mmmm 6 creed. I want one. Man I haven't been doing much. Played around at 500 the other week. Rifle shot well. Took me a little to get it doped in. It was the first time taking my hand loads out that far so I was running off the dope from factory bh 168's. my buddy shoots using mil dots and it made me wanna learn that system. So that's what the last two weeks have been geared toward. The more I read the more confused I get though. I did stumble across Todd hodnett's method. Seems simple and effective. Oh I found some hornady dies. Settled for the non bushing fl die set because the bushing set is still non existent. Good quality but that die is really working my brass. Squashes the hell out of the neck then stretches it back out. It also puts .005 tension on the bullet where as the lee only put .003 on it. I only loaded 5 so ill shoot and see. I'm going to keep looking for a bushing die though.

 

[haroldwilson]

I shot this powder through my Savage F/TR w/ 30" barrel today. I was using 185 gr projectiles and 47 gr of powder. I shot it at 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 yds today. I don't have a chrono, but the drops at all of those distances track JBM at 2815 fps.

I also found an accuracy node down lower, 44.4 grains. It mirrors JBM closely at 2640 FPS. It shot better groups at 100 and 200 yds than the 47 gr. However, the 47 gr was better at 600 yds. I am going to check it again at distance and maybe play with length to see if accuracy improves. I would like to have this to fall back on if the 47 turns out to be too much in the hot summer.

 

[JGorski]

I found .002" neck tension works best in my 308s. With lapua brass using a 336 bushing the bullet almost drops in by itself, so the 334 is what I use, 4.7" group at 600yd BR competition last year suits me just fine, had like a 3" vertical.