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Posted: 3/14/2010 1:44:16 PM EDT
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I'm new to reloading and I appreciate the wealth of information in this forum.
Before shooting my reloads today, I shot some factory XM193 and some factory Ultramax to establish a baseline. Both factory loads were right on in windage –– the XM was about 2.5 inches high and the Ultramax 2.0 inches high at 100 yards. Yes, I know that's a little high, but I was really just looking to establish a baseline. Now for my question –– I've been working up a .223 load using H335 and bulk Hornady 55g FMJ. I switched to my reloads and shot 10 shots each with 24.0, 25.0, and 25.5 of powder. All of the shots were 1.5 - 2.0 inches left of center?? Is this normal? I could understand that the bulk Hornady isn't the most accurate, but it was actually fairly consistent in grouping –– better than the factory Ultramax. The elevation was also fairly consistent –– about 1.5in high at the lower charge and just over 2 inches high at the higher charge. Why would all the shots be 2 inches left? Here is where it gets even stranger. I switched to some 60g V-max loads and they were dead center in windage –– 2 inches high –– by far the best group of the day. I chrono'd all the shots and everything looked consistent with what I expected and velocities were very consistent within groups. Any thoughts?? Sparky |
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Quoted:
No mystery. Every different load has the potential to produce different barrel harmonics and recoil vectors causing the points of impact to vary. +1. Sometimes our hand loads don't respond the way we expect. If they're more accurate than the factory loads, you're good to go. However, sometimes the wind shifts, so account for that, too, when it occurs. If you're not accustomed to watching the wind, the effect is larger than you might expect. |
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Thanks - I'll keep "experimenting" to find the best load for my rifle. Is the harmonic phenomenon based primarily on the weight of the bullet or the charge (velocity) or both. I'm not trying to duplicate the velocity of the xm193 load (read enough to not go down that path), but I would like to find a reload with 55g FMJ that has approximately the same impact point at 100yds as xm193.
Sparky |
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Quoted:
Totally normal for different loads to shoot to different places on the target. Devolop a good handload. Forget the xm193, shoot accurate handloaded ammo instead. Rezero your sights. Exactly right. Save the xm193 for when your out of state relatives show up and want to go shooting. |
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