Long Range Rifle/Scope/PRS question(s)

I loaded up for the Match that got postponed until Dec 14th so I had some time on my hands. I have been wanting to load up 32.3 Grs RL-15 as well as go from the Wilson .266 bushing to the Wilson .265 bushing. I sized ten cases with the .265 bushing and a .239 pin gauge would pass the neck and a .240 would not. That spoke well for Wilson quality control because the cases sized with the .266 bushing would accept the .240 pin gauge but not the .241. It did not necessarily increase neck tension feel while seating as much as it made it more consistent. No more "hmm, that felt lighter" ones.

I loaded those slightly tighter in the neck cases with 32.3 Grs of RL-15 vs 32.0, as well as seating them out .005 longer. Yea, I know, I changed three things.

The velocities I got today backed up why I had issues shooting high at Blakely. I had guessed at a velocity to put in the ballistics program for cooler weather as I had not shot the Dasher in anything but 90 plus temps. I had shot the 6 Creed in the Seekins at 74 & 95 degrees for 2900 & 2985 FPS.

I had to bump the temp up to 94 in the App to get the Mils right in mid 70's weather, and later tweaked my cool weather velocity up. Today verified that I was shooting faster than I guessed in the cooler weather at the match when I blanked the stage shooting high. Barrel seems to have sped up a little as well.

I had an average of 2905 for ten shots at 94 degrees in August for Load # 4 that I shot at the two matches.


Load # 4 today.
68 Degrees 74% RH Cool heavy air with very light wind.

First five shot group.
HI=2911
LO=2898
Avg=2901
ES=13
SD=5

Second five shot group.
HI=2936
LO=2911
Avg=2919
ES=25
SD=10

Load # 5 today. (.005 longer, .3 Grs more powder, .001 tigher bushing)
68 Degrees 74% RH

First five shot group.
HI=2936
LO=2923
Avg=2931
ES=13
SD=5

Second five shot group.
HI=2943
LO=2930
Avg=2934
ES=13
SD=5

I shot back to back groups with Load # 4 & Load # 5 and chroned them. Then I shot two more groups back to back with Loads # 4 & # 5. I shot the last group (Load # 5) with a guy yapping in my ear wanting to go downrange and post targets. I had told him let me shoot five more shots and he could have it, but instead of going away he yapped and yapped an yapped in my ear while I hurriedly sent five down range to get him to shut up.

Groups for Load # four were .494 & .480. Groups for Load # 5 were .430 & .382. Load # 5 groups were more rounded as well.

So Load # 5 edged out Load # 4 in group size and the ES, SD, & Avg stayed more consistent. This is a small sample and doesn't prove a lot, but it looks good for the slightly tighter neck tension and a hair more powder. Seems to have settled the numbers down a little. I'll try a repeat performance soon.

The primers looked great, just like they did at mid 90's temps, no firing pin flow, flat in the middle but very well rounded on the edges. Look great to me.

..........................................................................................................................Top right Avg for Load # 5 should be 2934

Do you by chance know the ID of your sized necks?

Amazon, I bought the midrange ones. Good enough for my purposes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UCQO4HM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I always just went by feel seating bullets in my Bench gun, but since I have the pin gauges now I checked the necks with them both fired and sized.

https://www.newmantools.com/meyer/pluggage_ABC.htm

https://www.meyergage.com/abcs-of-gages/differences-between-z-zz-classes-of-gages/

https://www.gagesite.com/documents/Gage Makers Tolerance Chart PQI.PDF

When you get the really good ones you need to know the temperature and the heat from your hand can change them. Too close for me.

Pin Gauges come in handy for checking revolver throats etc. Easier than using inside micrometers or small hole gauge sets.

Notice the little tool to check the micrometer is marked .20004 at 20 Degrees Celsius.

The machinists here could likely point us to a better deal or better quality pin gauges. @MachIVshooter in particular.

taliv said:

Interesting

Click to expand...

Indeed, although stick powders have always ruled at long distance.

I wonder where it falls on the burn rate chart.

From the Teslong Bore Scope I just hooked up to my Android phone.

It has 10 shots down the bore since I cleaned it after fire forming 100 rounds. I was able to find a couple of spots with tiny green dots. (Real tiny)

Turns out there is a crude focus, I need to play with it.

I am not trying to get it squeaky clean.