Chuck R.
Member
So after 60+ rounds of screwing around during practice and barrel break in I'm finally doing some load development for my little .260Rem for this hunting season. The details on the rifle are here:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/rem-m7-custom-done-finally.902492/#post-12228636
As I said in the initial thread, this was my idea of "the prefect eastern KS whitetail rifle for blinds and stands". Goal was for a 7LB "all up" 300 yd capable rifle. I busted the weight by 8 ounces. During barrel break in it did very well with cheap PPU 120, so I loaded a bunch and have been practicing with it out to 460yds. I don't normally get serious about load development until I've got 50-75 rds down the tube anyway and I hit that yesterday morning. Break-in group with 120PPU:
So I started this morning with H4350 and Nosler BTs all groups were 4 rds, because I normally do 5 initial loads for testing using the OCW method and 5x4 equals a nice even 20 rds. Everything I tested held at under 1MOA, except for a flyer on Group 2. The 2.5-8x36 scope isn't exactly benchrest material, but that's not what I put the rifle together for. There was a little 5-6MPH varying 3:00 wind.
1st group, a little too slow for my purpose, 2870:
3rd and 4th Tests:
the gun (again):
Going to go with the 4th load which clocked at 2940, it duplicated my MV with the OEM barrel with slightly less powder. 5th load group was just around .85MOA and at 2963 FPS. The new 3 groove barrel appears to be about 25-30 FPS faster than the OEM barrel, whether that's the 3 grooves or the normal "it's just faster" is beyond me. Running the numbers it gives me an MPBR of about 290 yds on a 6" kill zone, so I lose about 20yds from my 8.5lb 24" barreled .270.
For about 85% of my hunting 75-200yds the little M7 will work.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/rem-m7-custom-done-finally.902492/#post-12228636
As I said in the initial thread, this was my idea of "the prefect eastern KS whitetail rifle for blinds and stands". Goal was for a 7LB "all up" 300 yd capable rifle. I busted the weight by 8 ounces. During barrel break in it did very well with cheap PPU 120, so I loaded a bunch and have been practicing with it out to 460yds. I don't normally get serious about load development until I've got 50-75 rds down the tube anyway and I hit that yesterday morning. Break-in group with 120PPU:
So I started this morning with H4350 and Nosler BTs all groups were 4 rds, because I normally do 5 initial loads for testing using the OCW method and 5x4 equals a nice even 20 rds. Everything I tested held at under 1MOA, except for a flyer on Group 2. The 2.5-8x36 scope isn't exactly benchrest material, but that's not what I put the rifle together for. There was a little 5-6MPH varying 3:00 wind.
1st group, a little too slow for my purpose, 2870:
3rd and 4th Tests:
the gun (again):
Going to go with the 4th load which clocked at 2940, it duplicated my MV with the OEM barrel with slightly less powder. 5th load group was just around .85MOA and at 2963 FPS. The new 3 groove barrel appears to be about 25-30 FPS faster than the OEM barrel, whether that's the 3 grooves or the normal "it's just faster" is beyond me. Running the numbers it gives me an MPBR of about 290 yds on a 6" kill zone, so I lose about 20yds from my 8.5lb 24" barreled .270.
For about 85% of my hunting 75-200yds the little M7 will work.