Range session and a question

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J_McLeod

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After loading most of yesterday I went to the range this morning to shoot it all. It's amazing how fast 4 hours of work goes downrange. I finally found good loads for my 147gr MBC and 124gr Rainier HP. Both are very accurate with 231.

I found out again that not all bullets are equal. My XD functioned flawlessly with 4.8gr 231 and Magtech 115 gr FMJ, but did not function at all with the same load with a different bullet.

I had a batch of the same FMJ with 6.7 gr of HS-6, WSP Primer at 1.130. Those functioned flawlessly, but were the least accurate ammo I've shot through my XD. I didn't take any pictures, but I was shooting 2-4" groups with my Rainier and MBC, while with this load only about half of them hit the 8" shoot N C target. Any ideas what I did wrong with this one? Maybe magnum primers instead?
 
I had a batch of the same FMJ with 6.7 gr of HS-6, WSP Primer at 1.130

HS-6 is a much slower powder than 231. POI would be a higher hit that would be substantially higher at longer ranges.

Did you shoot to the exact same POA for all the shots with HS-6. If so, how was the "group" size. If you looked at the hits and tried to correct, all bets are off.
 
I was aiming for the center of the target every time. Since only half hit the shoot N C, I can't really tell where the rest went. It looks like a lot impacted below the target. There were several holes there.
 
6.7 HS-6 under a 115gr FMJ is the minimum load and 1188 fps @1.125 in the manual I have handy, so your loads should be okay.
Your 4.8 231 load with 115gr shows it at max load and 1095 fps.

No insult is intended, but HS-6 is often used to get the speed up for heavier bullets--the slower burn rate giving a "longer push".. I don't know how the recoil would be under the light 115gr bullet. Could that be a factor? Was most of the group spread North-South or was it scattered?
 
The recoil was not bad. Felt like less than many factory load, and definitely less than what I put in the Rainiers. I hadn't really thought about HS-6 being used for the heavier bullets. I just had the 115gr and the HS-6 on hand so I put them together. The group was mostly north-south as far as I can tell.

I use Hodgdon's data as my prime source, and they list 4.8 of 231 being .1 over the starting load. I did a work up with it a few months ago. 4.8 isn't much in my pistol, primers and cases look normal and the isn't going very far.
 
I load two XDM's with HS6, one in 9mm and the other a .40 cal. and both are crazy accurate regardless of the bullet I use. I also have a special place in my heart for lOngshot with both of those carrtidges.
I'm guessing, but when your refering to not being accurate with HS6 are you saying it's all ove the place, or is it just shooting high? Accuracy, especially with in an AL handgun is very subjective and even more so when you go from a mild shooting load using a faster burning powder, and then, step up to a slow burning powder that is shooting at, or very close too full potential velocities. Increased recoil, and the over all higher performance of a slower burning powder can cause us to be unintentionally reactive, thus causing the illusion of having an accuracy problem with the load.
 
It wasn't all over the place. It appeared to be shooting between point of aim and to 6 inches low at 5 yards. I didn't load or shoot very many of them. It could have been my reaction to the load. I'll just have to load more to find out.
 
It appeared to be shooting between point of aim and to 6 inches low at 5 yards.

JMHO: It's not the powder. At 25 yds a few inches high-- probably. At 5yds, 6" low---no way. I can't see you shoot, but it sounds like you're anticipating the recoil instead of riding it up and back.

Slip a snap cap in one of two mags, and shuffle the mags behind your back while thinking of gorgeous women. Shoot normally at a 'deliberate' paced rate.
 
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