What do I do next?

[Fret]

Went to the range last week and did a test with Varget and 77 grain Bergers in my AR 15 in 0.3 grain intervals. 5 shot groups at 100 yards. 21.9 grains seemed to be the best:

So I tested 0.1 grain increments from 21.7 to 22.1 grains. This is what I got today. My shooting skills are pretty low so the fliers on three of the groups are probably due to me but not sure. Weird thing is that it usually is the first shot of the group. So do I just repeat this again or??

 

[quest450]

I like 21.9, 22.0 22.1 I'd try to repeat that again to confirm

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I'd look for two or three charge weights that have a minimal variance in vertical offset, IE they hit the same amount low, then tune seating depth for accuracy.

If you're not seeing pressure signs, you may want to re shoot the varget loads in the 22.0 to 22.5 range and see if it still groups on the same vertical offset. That's where I would have worked based off your first target.

 

[47guy]

22 and done.

 

[tnc]

22.0 and done. That’s great with an AR

 

[Fret]

OK. I'll retry the 21.9 to 22.5 range again. It's hard to play with seating depths when the COAL varies so much with each bullet. With the bullet seater set at the same reading, I'd find the COAL can vary anywhere from 2.254 to 2.264. I'd have to readjust the seating die to shorten the long ones so they can fit in the mag. The tips of these open tip bullets vary quite a bit.

Thanks!

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

OK. I'll retry the 21.9 to 22.5 range again. It's hard to play with seating depths when the COAL varies so much with each bullet. With the bullet seater set at the same reading, I'd find the COAL can vary anywhere from 2.254 to 2.264. I'd have to readjust the seating die to shorten the long ones so they can fit in the mag. The tips of these open tip bullets vary quite a bit.

That's another use for the comparator - they make inserts that are bullet sized, so that you can measure from the case head a spot on the bullet ogive instead of overall length. This base to ogive measurement will be much more consistent (it ignores meplat differences), and is a much better measure of how far the bullet 'jumps' to the lands of your rifle.

 

[47guy]

OK. I'll retry the 21.9 to 22.5 range again. It's hard to play with seating depths when the COAL varies so much with each bullet. With the bullet seater set at the same reading, I'd find the COAL can vary anywhere from 2.254 to 2.264. I'd have to readjust the seating die to shorten the long ones so they can fit in the mag. The tips of these open tip bullets vary quite a bit.

Thanks!

like rex said use a comparator to measure you OAL but as far as chasing loads just shoot the 22g varget load...look at every group with the varget...every one is great for a gas gun and there are no big point of impact changes which means any of the loads are good...id shoot 22.2 and 22.3 just to see if the groups open up or the point of impact changes if not id shoot the 22g or 22.1g load if the 22.1g opens up or POI changes then id drop down to the 21.9 load and be done.

when doing load development your not looking so much at groups sizes but more at POI changes and the POI changes i see are more than likely you not the gun or load and are small enough that i wouldnt worry about it.

 

[Fret]

Thank you very much for the great advice. I have a bullet comparator and I'll use it but being restricted by what fits in the mag kind of sucks. Should I just trim the tips of the bullets that don't fit in the mag or would that screw things up?

 

[sixtyfournmor]

Thank you very much for the great advice. I have a bullet comparator and I'll use it but being restricted by what fits in the mag kind of sucks. Should I just trim the tips of the bullets that don't fit in the mag or would that screw things up?

No way. You have plenty of groups to work with there. Find a nice shooting load that's easy on brass, with no extra steps like trimming bullets. Just shorten up OAL a bit, it'll shoot with several loads. Pick one and use it awhile.
You don't want any rounds that close to max mag length ever.

 

[47guy]

Thank you very much for the great advice. I have a bullet comparator and I'll use it but being restricted by what fits in the mag kind of sucks. Should I just trim the tips of the bullets that don't fit in the mag or would that screw things up?

so were you single feeding the rounds you shot in the pics you posted?

 

[Fret]

so were you single feeding the rounds you shot in the pics you posted?

No, I measured each one and made sure they would all fit in the magazine. If one was too long, I just adjusted the seating die a bit shorter and put it through the die again so it would fit.

 

[47guy]

So seat your bullets about the same as you did but use the comparator to get measurements with and go from there.

If you measured tip to base(COAL)with the loads in the pics then that gun,bullets,loads are not really seat sensitive

 

[Fret]

OK. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Fret]

Went to the range today and shot my best 5 shot group at 100 yards so far with my AR 15. 77 grain Berger OTM with 21.7 grains of VV N140. Todd (Elfster) was nice enough to plot if for me with his On Target program. Thanks Todd!