RESULTS OF 1st Firing
Okay. Here are the groups I shot this morning. The temp was 75*F, 5 mph wind left to right. All shot were at 100 yards off sand bags, and all where shot over the Chrony.
I would like to say to anyone who is reloading, or is new to reloading. Look at these groups. The loads were the exact same except for the primers. They were loaded at the same sitting. The only thing different eccept for the CCI 250 loading were the primers used.
I have loaded a lot, but never took the time to actually test how the primer actually can affect accuracy, and these pictures show that they make one heck of a difference. As you will see.
I let the barrel cool all the way down between shots. Took me a good 5 hours to shoot these groups. Whew.
I shot another 5 shot string of the WIN LR Primer loadings, and the velocities were consistent. The group opened up some, but I shot the string with only letting the barrel cool for 30 seconds or so. The wife called, and said, "HELP ME! The kids are driving me up the wall. I can't get my work done." So naturally I was frazzled, and trying to get home.
I think the Winchester primers with 49.0 grains loaded to 3.260 (still fit in my magazine) would make a good hunting load.
Velocities which will be in the below post are consistent with the book. I am shooting from a 22" barrel vs. the books 24". Load velocity from the book is listed @ 3030 fps with a 24" barrel. So if you take about 70 fps/inch you get the velocities I show from my Chrony.
The CCI 250 load was lowered to 48.0 grains instead of 49.0 grains for safety reasons, but the velocity from the 48.0 grains of IMR 4350 were 100 fps lower.
None of the loads were hard to extract. Primers after firing look excellent. I actually feel I could bump up a grain, and not have issues, but if I get MOA out of my light weight, pencil barrel at an average of 2850 fps using a 115 grain CT BT from the 22" barrel. I would be tickled pink. I have already seen what the factory load with this bullet can do to a deer @ 300 yards. I have some of the factory Win Supreme left. I think I will Chrony those next trip to the range. I know that the .25-06 should be getting 3000 fps easy, but again I am shooting a 22" barrel. Which brings up the question from another thread. Velocity or accuracy for hunting loads. Well. I repeat what I said on that thread. I think you have to find a happy medium. Reliability along with accuracy with a velocity that will allow your projectile to function properly. It could play to my advantage using a BT with a slightly slower velocity for those up close shots. Only time will tell.
I don't think I will try a different powder until I am out of IMR 4350. The recoil was nothing. You could shoot this load all day long. Not that the .25-06 is a heavy recoiling rifle, but it was less than my 30-30 with 170 grain bullets, but the report of the .25-06 is something of an experience that is for sure. The people next to me swore I was shooting a 300 Win Mag.
Well now to the end. What do you all think? I called the low right on the Win LR group. Held my breath to long, and jerked the trigger. It was also the first in the group.
In order:
CCI200, WIN LR, CCI250(48 grains), FED Match LR