Rim-x Build in progress, which ammo brands (wax) play well together

[A5scott]

I have a Rim-x action and a 22" Green Mountain barrel coming, and I was wondering which ammo brands have the same or similar enough lube that they can be shot without any major cleaning in between. I've read snippets about this, so I was just checking.

I have a brick of Center-X, and might try Lapua super LR, SK rifle match and RWS, if those three are fine to shoot together.

Does anyone wipe the lube off before shooting?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[scotty2hotty]

I have a Rim-x action and a 22" Green Mountain barrel coming, and I was wondering which ammo brands have the same or similar enough lube that they can be shot without any major cleaning in between. I've read snippets about this, so I was just checking.

I have a brick of Center-X, and might try Lapua super LR, SK rifle match and RWS, if those three are fine to shoot together.

Does anyone wipe the lube off before shooting?

Thanks,
Scott

Yes shoot them all , dont wipe off lube

 

[DownhillFromHere]

According to the AZ Lapua test center, all Lapua and SK labels use the same lube except Polar Biathlon Xtreme. Therefore, one should be able to switch among them without lube-induced POI shift.

That was the case with the original ACE barrel on my Vudoo. In a little monthly club match I shoot, I would use SK Standard+ for close targets (50 yards) and switch to Center-X for 100+ yards. Testing showed no POI shift switching back&forth.

That's not quite the case for the Vudoo's new Bartlein barrel or the Shilen on my RimX. While POI shift is minor to nonexistent, I'm not as confident with these barrels as I am with the Vudoo/ACE. We aren't talking much potential shift here - like maybe confidence in engaging a 1/4" KYL at 50 yards first shots after switching labels.

RWS lube feels similar but not quite as slick as Lapua/SK. I would expect some POI shift switching between RWS and Lapua/SK, but test for yourself.

And you certainly don't want to wipe off the lube.

 

[justin amateur]

With lead being a lubricant, along with tallow, beeswax and paraffin,
I'm wondering just how much difference there is in the coefficient of friction
when forcing a lead bullet through the polished bore of a rifle barrel?
I question the belief that variations in brand lubrication affect results
as much as the actual difference in cartridge behavior from box to box.
Change brands, why expect similar behavior when the mv average will change,
as well as bullet shapes, weights and cartridge assembly/dimensions?

The difference in cartridge quality is more important than the difference in lubricant, right?

Why point at lubrication as the culprit for poi change when shifting from brand to brand?

Totally different components, assembly lines, powder/primer amounts
and the lubrication is the factor pointed at for the trajectory shifts?

Doesn't sound right, does it?

I don't think there is that much variation in friction due to lubrication,
so much as is normal differences box to box and rimfire assembly lines.


Just thinking out loud here...

 

[Milo 2.5]

If it was me, I would start out by wasting a box of SK having fun, then test Lapua-SK, firing at least 10 shots of each sample before the test.
If your RWS is R50, it has a lube of it's own, unlike Lapua or Eley, I'd waste 25 rds, then test.
Make the test fair for all samples.

 

[ma smith]

I was under the impression that main thing is don't mix brand families: eley with lapua and either of those with CCI etc. Shooting the sub-brands withing those families is typically fine. From there, it also only really matters if you are doing "critical work", such as establishing a zero before a match. It would be something to think about if you are donig tons of A/B testing and don't have extra boxes of each brand of ammo.

 

[A5scott]

With lead being a lubricant, along with tallow, beeswax and paraffin,
I'm wondering just how much difference there is in the coefficient of friction
when forcing a lead bullet through the polished bore of a rifle barrel?
I question the belief that variations in brand lubrication affect results
as much as the actual difference in cartridge behavior from box to box.
Change brands, why expect similar behavior when the mv average will change,
as well as bullet shapes, weights and cartridge assembly/dimensions?

The difference in cartridge quality is more important than the difference in lubricant, right?

Why point at lubrication as the culprit for poi change when shifting from brand to brand?

Totally different components, assembly lines, powder/primer amounts
and the lubrication is the factor pointed at for the trajectory shifts?

Doesn't sound right, does it?

I don't think there is that much variation in friction due to lubrication,
so much as is normal differences box to box and rimfire assembly lines.


Just thinking out loud here...

What you’re saying makes sense. I’ve had rimfire firearms before and never thought about what ammo I was shooting.
Now that I’m having a nice rifle built, I was checking about what ammo to run, and remembered something about not mixing different lube types whiteout cleaning, but now I see it makes sense to send some foulers down the barrel before testing accuracy with the next brand of ammo.
I’ll probably start with some cheaper SK stuff.
Thank you for all the responses.

Scott

 

[Mxridr]

I have a rimx with 23” Green mountain chambered by Manzella precision that shoots lapua long range very well. I did not really test anything else because I have 6 bricks. Sd of 6-7. Good luck with build.

 

[A5scott]

I have a rimx with 23” Green mountain chambered by Manzella precision that shoots lapua long range very well. I did not really test anything else because I have 6 bricks. Sd of 6-7. Good luck with build.

Thank you... Manzella Precision is chambering mine as well.

I imagine most quality ammo will shoot fairly well, but it seems like some work is needed to find the lot that really optimizes it... does that seem about right?

Scott

 

[Mxridr]

Most of the lapua long range lots shot very consistent for my prs needs.

 

[justin amateur]

From my results at 100 and 200 yards, y'er hunting the lots with the fewest cartridge defects,
the tightest/consistent muzzle velocities and the average muzzle velocity that best fits y'er barrel/rifle harmonics.
Brand doesn't seem to matter if those 3 points are covered.

 

[chevy_man]

With lead being a lubricant, along with tallow, beeswax and paraffin,
I'm wondering just how much difference there is in the coefficient of friction
when forcing a lead bullet through the polished bore of a rifle barrel?
I question the belief that variations in brand lubrication affect results
as much as the actual difference in cartridge behavior from box to box.
Change brands, why expect similar behavior when the mv average will change,
as well as bullet shapes, weights and cartridge assembly/dimensions?

The difference in cartridge quality is more important than the difference in lubricant, right?

Why point at lubrication as the culprit for poi change when shifting from brand to brand?

Totally different components, assembly lines, powder/primer amounts
and the lubrication is the factor pointed at for the trajectory shifts?

Doesn't sound right, does it?

I don't think there is that much variation in friction due to lubrication,
so much as is normal differences box to box and rimfire assembly lines.


Just thinking out loud here...

Just because you can't quantify it, doesn't mean it's not a thing.


The best groups I've ever shot have been switching between Eley and SK group testing. It was even repeatable. Shoot 10 eley, the next 10 sk would be a single hole. The next 40 sk would open up to .75 moa consistently across 4 groups. Accuracy would stay steady after the first 10.

Switching from SK to Eley would have the opposite effect. First 10-15 would be a collection of fliers. Then it would settle in and maintain 1 moa.

 

[justin amateur]

Try this....

Shoot for score, not groups.
ARA or USBR 50 yard benchrest targets.
See if swapping back and forth between brands improves y'er score.
If changing lube improves results, then the score should be better.

It didn't work for me.

Think it'll work for you?