Hornady 168gr Match BTHP Heat Test Results

[peeplwtchr]

Hi All-

I've got a great below 95 degree .308 load worked up with the following:
SMK 168gr HPBT
39.5 GR IMR 8208
2.202 OGIVE
2.80 OAL
BR2 primers
Trim 2.005
Savage Elite Precision rifle
If I shoot well, 1/3 MOA

I tried the same load with different bullets to see what would happen. The ogives on these are all over the place, so I just used 2.8 OAL. It was 110 degrees when I shot them, and the rounds were on a shaded cement bench for an hour.

I shot them clockwise (Berger first), and was trying to cool the barrel every 3 shots for 5 min, with a matress pump and a plastic hose, which didn't do much I think. These are 5 shot groups, except the SMK, which was 3. Wind was 3 MPH from the right. The Hornady seems to be great in heat. Interesting how I got 2 holes. I was shooting pretty good that day, so I guess I could conclude that the Hornady BC and shape like heat? Dunno, just thought I'd share. Good factory ammo is usually 1-2 MOA in 110+.

I get 1/3 to 3/4 MOA in extreme heat with the Hornady 75gr in my ARs as well.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I wouldn’t read too much into 3-shot groups. Random variation and external factors (wind, updrafts) that you can’t tell other than the load can group.

The Hornady’s may have an advantage due to heat resistant tips resulting in better B.C. resulting is shorter flight time, hence Less outside disturbance…
Several 10shot groups would give more reliable data…

 

[Random 8]

I think Hornady match bullets are very under-rated. They shoot as well in several of my rifles as more expensive options. To qualify this statement, I'm not shooting bench rest or PRC rigs, rather service rifles, but EIC points and CMP gold pins look the same whether my bullet box is green, yellow, or red. 10s are 10s.

 

[JFrank]

I think you’ll find that sunlight doesn’t affect bullet flight and slight BC differences in bullets isn’t really detectable in group shape as tested .Outside temperature affects powder charge.
While each of those samples of bullets have different shape ogives and design, for example the Hornday are a VLD with 13 ogive rad (just grabbing a number out of the air) and the smk are a tangent ogive, each have their ideal seating depth and optimum powder charge. If one charge/powder brand shoots well under all bullets then it is just luck,
Run a 3 shot per charge ladder of each bullet side by side and you’ll get a better idea where each bullet will tune in.

 

[irishlad]

I think Hornady match bullets are very under-rated. They shoot as well in several of my rifles as more expensive options. To qualify this statement, I'm not shooting bench rest or PRC rigs, rather service rifles, but EIC points and CMP gold pins look the same whether my bullet box is green, yellow, or red. 10s are 10s.

I do too! I really like em for my 6.5 Creedmoor and AR10.

 

[Walkalong]

SMK 168gr HPBT
39.5 GR IMR 8208
2.202 OGIVE
2.80 OAL
BR2 primers
Trim 2.005

What speed?

 

[peeplwtchr]

What speed?

No chrono yet. Literally one minute ago I was sitting here looking at my bench, wondering why I don't have one yet. Next rabbit hole.

 

[Varminterror]

A lot to unpack here, but I can’t say I see anything I would call sufficiently differentiated to be making any conclusions, and I CAN say this was really, really bad experimental method. Kinda feels like we just made jambalaya here…

Loads are rarely drop-in-transferable from one bullet to the next. 5 shot groups like this - with an arbitrarily chosen charge weight - aren’t statistically relevant for differentiating performance (in other words, these results are random chance within the noise of the population, and repeating the same test may yield completely opposite apparent results).