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Old May 16, 2011, 04:13 PM   #19
FrankenMauser
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Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,403
I was just going to use a Private Message.... but hooligan doesn't accept them. So, here's an update on the re-testing of the load I posted:

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.270 Win
140 gr Nosler Partition
New Win Brass
WLR Primer
3.280" OAL
55.0 gr RL-19 (This is a MAX load, in the Nosler manual. Work up from 51.0 gr.)
Clover-leaf groups. (see below)

.270 Win
Same components
Same Specs
52.9 gr Ramshot Hunter (Low pressure, just over a published starting load.)
One ragged hole. (see below)
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Initial testing of this load was done between 37 and 41 degrees F.
The second round of testing was done at 67-69 degrees F.
The brass was now once-fired and FL sized for the second round of testing.

The load with Hunter powder gave me 3" to 5" groups, at the higher ambient temperature; rather than groups of "one ragged hole". With running groups*, the Hunter load was consistently horrible (5-7").

Yet, the load with RL-19 matched the previous round of testing (consistently just under 1" @ 100 yards) in slow fire, with variable winds. With running groups*, I was able to tighten that to 0.512". RL-19 definitely appears to be the better powder choice, regardless of initial performance in the rifle.


*Since this is a hunting load, I need to know what it will do in a rapid fire situation - say, some one makes a bad shot, and the SHTF. My "running groups" are fired as fast as I can single-load the rifle (to prevent bullet deformation in the magazine), and acquire the target. For example:
-A 0.982" group was slow-fired over 8 to 10 minutes.
-The 0.512" group was fired in less than 20 seconds.

It can be very enlightening to see a "great" load go to crap, when rapid-fired.
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