Advice needed please....

[jam1e]

Hello again folks.
Thanks for the replies.
I've just noticed something different about my Sierra Blitzking bullets in my reloads, compared to my Remington 32 grain Accutip-v and Hornady Superformance 24 grain NTX factory round bullet heads.
There is no gap at all between the polymer tip and the copper jacket on either the Remington or Hornady bullet heads on my factory rounds. Yet there is a noticable gap on all the Sierra Blitzking rounds.
Is this usual, or have i got a bad batch? If it's normal, is the gap the likely cause of the heads being the less accurate??

[jam1e]

Thought i'd give you folks an update. And also abit of info if anyone else out there is starting out like me

Yesterday i managed to get out and try a few home loads.
The weather was cold, with a slight breeze.
I was lay on a ground sheet in a cold muddy field. Not the most comfortable of positions!
I set-up my Chrono but it was showing a fault code so i couldn't get any readings. A right pi***r as i wanted to see how accurate my loads were.
I obviously had a clean barrel to start with but decided to put 4 rounds through it before i started. I used factory Hornady .24gn NTX Superformance.
Interestingly, the 4 rounds only achieved a group of 1.42" (cold) Yet previously, In similar conditions i achieved .806".
My frazzled memory may be wrong but i think the barrel was dirty and warm when i achieved the .806".....
Much to my chagrin i had a few "flyers", which really affected a couple of what would have been quite tight groups! (For me anyhow!)
The list below is in chronological order, and the barrel was only left to cool for as long as it took for me to reload the magazine. Granted thats not the best idea, but it was very uncomfortable and cold!

CZ 527 American in .204 Ruger calibre

5 rounds at a distance of 100 yards.
Sierra .32 Blitzking bullets
Hornady Brass
Magtech Primers
Chronograph not working.
O.A.L - 2.236 (Some rounds slighlty shorter)
Weather was cold with a slight breeze.

IMR 8208 XBR Powder
27.5 grains - 1.25” group
28 grains - .429” group.
28.5 grains - .440” group. With 1 flyer = .787”
29 grains - .606”
HOGDONS BL © 2 Powder
28.5 grains - .930” group
29 grains - 1.19” group
29.5 grains - .70” group.
30 grains - .408” group. With 1 flyer = .829”

I'm quite chuffed with the results. Although i know i need to be looking at numerous groups of the same load to get a real consistant idea of that loads performance. I'm just glad i've gone down from 2"!

[inKYfromSD]

Jam1e, good to see you're making progress. It's been my experience that a .5 grain difference is a lot for the .204. I've seen pretty significant group changes in .3 grains or less. Good luck in your search for THE load! Keep us posted on your progress.

[sharps45-120]

Hi jam1e I shoot groups of three to save time and ammo. I start with a mid range load and work up .1 or 1/10 of a grain at a time. I hand weigh each load on a very accurate beam scale,. I have a RCBS Electronic unit but they claim +- 1/10 of a grain accuracy variation and they are correct, NOT accurate enough for me. Thus far Berger 35grHP's are the most accurate for me. My rifle does not group as well with 32gr's.. I have some 39 Sierra Blitz Kings to try as well as some Nosler 34grHP's. I probably won't do much with them until I exhaust the very accurate Bergers. Also don't forget to load your bullets out but short enough to clear the magazine. Smoke a bullet in a round and see how far out to the lands for O.A.L. (unless you have a tool for measuring that already). Try IMR8208XBR powder, it is not supposed to be affected by temperature or altitude changes, per article I read, it works great for me.!! Any way - Have a Blast shooting and working up loads.

[HoundofSC]

it involves a bit more then just finding the right speed for the bullet. Different powders can burn faster or slower than others.

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html

and that will play into your barrel harmonics

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/barrel.htm


sometimes it takes some time to find the right combination. My .204 loves Reloader 10x, never could get any decent groups with TAC or Varget. That does not mean your gun will like RL10X or hate TAC and Varget. Try playing with a few different powders and even switch brands of primers. My Remington 260 likes Winchester primers over CCI's and I have no idea why, it just does. I shoot the same load of teh same powder behind the same bullet with CCI's and Winchesters and the results will vary by a half a MOA.

Do ladder workups in .2 or .3 grain increments using starting loads for stick powder and then fine tune. Ball and flake powders tend to be a bit more finicky and a tenths difference one way or the other can make a larger difference in velocity than with stick so ladder workups with a powder such as TAC almost need to be done a tenth at a time. The only time I do .5 grain changes is at the low end when I am checking for over pressure.

here is part of one of my load workups

22.0 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3637 FPS SD 65 FPS .6 group
22.5 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3721 FPS SD 18FPS 2 inch group with one a inch to the right and another 2 inches low
22.7 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3735 FPS SD 22 FPS .5 group
23.0 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3754 FPS SD 34 FPS .5 group 4 were in .2 range with one flyer
23.2 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3757 FPS SD 88 FPS .8 group
23.4 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3764 FPS SD 94 FPS .9 group
23.6 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3774 FPS SD22 FPS .7 group
23.8 RL10X 2.00 OAL 3842 FPS SD85 FPS 1.0 group
24.0 RL10x 2.00 OAL 3875 FPS SD 22 FPS .3 group
24.2 RL10z 2.00 OAL 3878 FPS SD 22 FPS .8 FPS

next time at the range I will concentrate on that node between 22.7 and go up to 23.1 in .1 increments using 2 groups of 5 at each load. That is just the way I do it, not saying it is the only way

you might also try Dan Newberry's OCW method of finding a good charge. A lot of competitive shooters that shoot for scores rather than groups love it

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/