kmw1954
Member
Thursday I was able to perform my very first load chrono test shoots and was remarkably disappointed. I had 2 different bullets with 4 different powders with a total of 19 different loadings. All of loading I have shot numerous times before and getting the best results with those combinations.
The powders were Benchmark, BL-C2, TAC and Varget. When I started this test I had to change brass because I did not have any of the type I had previously been using ready to load. So instead I swapped out the brass for some LC 14 that I had set aside. It was all processed the same way at the same time into one uniform lot. Or so I thought.
The Chronograph being used is a Magneto Speed Sporter that my boss was gracious enough to loan me. So when I started the chrono testing I had 2 rounds left of a load that had become my standard, 62gr Hornady over 23.7gr TAC using either GFL or PMC brass.
I shot those two rounds first to heat up the barrel and still got a reading which was 2255 and 2258. I was impressed.
When I moved on to the testing the the first load shot was a 62gr Hornady over 23.6gr TAC with the LC brass... Numbers fell; 2731, 2730, 2740. Almost 120FPS Didn't really think anything of it. Next load in sequence same bullet over 23.7gr TAC. (which again has become my most stable load) Numbers; 2737, 2777, 2702.. last of this was TAC @ 23.8 and numbers; 2785, 2746, 2731...
Totally disappointed and discouraged.
As I continued all following loads proved out the same with the exception of one. Two loads with very good numbers and then one that was either extremely high or extremely low. The one nice load was Varget load with a 69gr RMR bullet that had an ES of 6...
Now I had only loaded 3 of each of these to shoot over the chrono so I didn't have any extra to shoot for groups. So again just absolutely discouraged.
My friend and mentor thinks this is a brass issue with the LC and suggest I load a few over again with the PMC brass that I have been using and retest.
The powders were Benchmark, BL-C2, TAC and Varget. When I started this test I had to change brass because I did not have any of the type I had previously been using ready to load. So instead I swapped out the brass for some LC 14 that I had set aside. It was all processed the same way at the same time into one uniform lot. Or so I thought.
The Chronograph being used is a Magneto Speed Sporter that my boss was gracious enough to loan me. So when I started the chrono testing I had 2 rounds left of a load that had become my standard, 62gr Hornady over 23.7gr TAC using either GFL or PMC brass.
I shot those two rounds first to heat up the barrel and still got a reading which was 2255 and 2258. I was impressed.
When I moved on to the testing the the first load shot was a 62gr Hornady over 23.6gr TAC with the LC brass... Numbers fell; 2731, 2730, 2740. Almost 120FPS Didn't really think anything of it. Next load in sequence same bullet over 23.7gr TAC. (which again has become my most stable load) Numbers; 2737, 2777, 2702.. last of this was TAC @ 23.8 and numbers; 2785, 2746, 2731...
Totally disappointed and discouraged.
As I continued all following loads proved out the same with the exception of one. Two loads with very good numbers and then one that was either extremely high or extremely low. The one nice load was Varget load with a 69gr RMR bullet that had an ES of 6...
Now I had only loaded 3 of each of these to shoot over the chrono so I didn't have any extra to shoot for groups. So again just absolutely discouraged.
My friend and mentor thinks this is a brass issue with the LC and suggest I load a few over again with the PMC brass that I have been using and retest.