What a Difference a Grain Makes

[Flatbush Harry]

I went to the range every day for the last 4 days and will go again today, in all likelihood. On Monday, I was looking to square away my Winny M70 EW in .30-06 for a possible upcoming hunt.

Just to warm up, I had brought a few of my standard M1 Garand match loads (47.0 gr of IMR4895 under a 168gr Sierra MatckKing with CCI BR2 primer) to see how the rifle would handle them and also get some sense of its 100-yard zero with a 168gr bullet. I was more than a little disappointed with my first 6 shots:



I happened to have a few remaining cartridges from a test session I had with my Savage 116 last year, so next I tried 5 shots with a slightly different load. The only difference in this load was 1.0 gr more of powder (total of 48.0gr), specifically IMR4895, which is my standard powder for my M1s:



This second group measured 0.6" ctc. Now I'll be working with several 168gr hunting bullets to find the best loads but I think, for a hunting rifle with no modifications but a scope, this Winny isn't too bad. I find the improvement from one grain of powder interesting and will be truing loads 1/2 gr heavier and lighter than this one to see if there's any difference.

FH

 

[fatcat4620]

So you had a bad group cold barrel? Then a better group warm barrel? On your first target were those flyers the first or last shots?

 

[Flatbush Harry]

First shot was the dead center hit...I was encouraged. Then they started to scatter. Also the second group was from a cooled-off barrel about 15 minutes later.

Your question and point are well-taken, however.

FH

 

[fatcat4620]

If you can hit bullseye with a cold rifle at 100 yards don't discount that load yet. I would give It another try.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Try some 4350...either H or IMR, I prefer H myself.

And Nosler 168 grain Ballistic Tips, or Berger hunting bullets if you're not opposed to the idea...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[BullfrogKen]

I always found that my rifles shot better once the barrel got fouled from shooting a few rounds.