Nosler 95 BTs - going to try
#1
Thinking of trying some 95 gr Nosler BT's in my 20", using 2520.  I like Lever the best but am saving it for the 103 Eldx's, and at 95 grs the 2520 should be able to do ok for me.
I did a comparator length measure for them, and in this barrel they touch lands at 2.222, so I'll probably seat them at 2.200 to start.
Since Nosler doesn't have any data, think it would be ok to work up using the Hornady 95 data?
Will be shooting over my magnetospeed.
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#2
I don't see many other options. Max speed for gas from 18" bbl = 2600, seems a bit low.
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#3
It'll be higher. Sst's for me get up to 2810-ish.
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#4
I've worked with the Nosler BT's in my 18 inch barrel, with a couple of different powders. I am able to get the MV up into the high 2700's, but I'm not able to find the accuracy node like I did with the SST's. If you have any luck finding an MOA load with the BT's, please share the information.
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#5
Mike what powders?
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#6
I don't use the Hornady 105's but use the Nosler, a sleeker bullet with a higher BC. I am putting them on top of 29.4 to 29.7 grains of Leverevolution, they are very accurate and I am seeing FPS in the high 2600 to low 2700. That powder weight seem to be the node for this bullet with SD's in the single digits. Last time out the SD averaged eight, shooting 150 rounds of them. My new powder measure must be doing it's job, I loaded 250 of them and all but about three of them were right on the number. But it has a trickle feature that you can drop as little as .01 grains , the number always came in on the low side on those.
If you can not see the tyranny of having a gun ban enforced by men with guns... Then you fail to understand why the second amendment was written in the first place.
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#7
That range is what I look for in a 20” for weights like 103-105...
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#8
I think because it is rifle gas +2 I am getting higher velocity. My son has a 20" barrel and the two guns run pretty close to each other using the same ammo.
If you can not see the tyranny of having a gun ban enforced by men with guns... Then you fail to understand why the second amendment was written in the first place.
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#9
(10-11-2020, 12:41 PM)grayfox Wrote: Mike what powders?
Thus far, I've tried RL15, LeveRevolution, and CFE223.
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#10
I tried 2 ladders yesterday, one for the 95 Nosler BT/AA2520;
one for the Sierra 90 Tgk/Varget.

95NBT - my OAL comparator gauge says max OAL is 2.222, I'll use 2.200".
I used the 95 Sst data as my load advice, starting low.
27.5, 2589
28, 2625
28.5, 2662
29.0, 2729
29.5, 2743

90 Tgk, max OAL is 2.338", I'll use more like 2.260 or so, this will be a mag-length limited round but there will be plenty of powder room. I used the 87 Vmax data, starting low.
28.0, 2654
28.5, 2697
29.0, 2761
29.5, 2797
29.8, 2858

Following on these results, I will be loading the 95 Nosler's with Lever, looking for a MV node.
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#11
Looks like your ran close to Hornady data with AA2520 and the 95s. Did you get anything resembling accuracy? I picked up a pound yesterday to try with the Sierra 100 BTs.
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#12
I did not get to that step yet... but I think it would be somewhere in the 29.5-30.1 range, or ~2750-2800, for the top node.
2520, looking now at its performance in both the 103 Eldx and the 95 here, seems to behave well (fairly linear) and yes, aligned with Hornady (although my 20" barrel gets 80-120 ft/s better). I would rate it my 2d choice after Lever, just b/c it is a tad slower. Otherwise seems to do well.
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#13
Good to hear. I'm actually looking for something in the mid range that will come near my zero for 95 gr TMKs with Varget. Should probably get me out to 700 or 800 for practice with bullets at half the price (18¢ at Midway) and powder that isn't only obtainable, but even a five spot cheaper per pound!
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#14
With the Lever today I had 29.5-30.1 loads, the 29.9 was 2776 SD-5.6 but the group was pretty open (~1.5); the 30.1 group was 2798 SD-19 but was tight... one weird round, previous eject must have twirled and stayed at the top of the mag b/c the next one fed cock-eyed, didn't go into battery... dinged the case sidewall something Fierce and scraped the brass/bullet. Anyway I went to put it aside but loaded it (by mistake) anyway... bingo! 2804 ft/s!! fire-formed right back into shape. I'm still going to pull that case anyway.
If the one wacky MV (2770) was some kind of measurement fluke then my 2800 is a lot tighter than SD 19... the group (all were 4-round groups) went 0.86" b/c of one flyer, the other 3 were on top of each other...
I'm going to try these loads again.
There is also a lower node around 2737... which means I still have a 200-225 yd cartridge if I wanted to stay there. 2737 was about 0.9" for 4.

Nice thing for me with the 95 nosler's is they have a better BC than the Sst, and I have a few boxes... they seem to run about the same load/MV as the SSt's but I haven't graphed them yet.
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#15
Finally got a chance to get to the range today. For my 95 Nosler BTs, I'm settling on Lever at 29.9 grs, 2776 ft/s. one horizontal flyer but the other three were under 1", ~1.25 with that 4th one. But the vertical dispersion was next to nothing.
Also the 103 Eldx, 29.3 grs Lever, 2681, are staying tight for me, shot some more.
No calipers yet on either bunch but I know they are sub-1" capable, with the shaky guy at the trigger, under 1.25".
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#16
(11-06-2020, 11:02 PM)grayfox Wrote: Finally got a chance to get to the range today.  For my 95 Nosler BTs, I'm settling on Lever at 29.9 grs, 2776 ft/s.  one horizontal flyer but the other three were under 1", ~1.25 with that 4th one.  But the vertical dispersion was next to nothing.
Also the 103 Eldx, 29.3 grs Lever, 2681, are staying tight for me, shot some more.
No calipers yet on either bunch but I know they are sub-1" capable, with the shaky guy at the trigger, under 1.25".
Nice work up man! I'm still threatening to get into reloading so in the meantime I save ALL my brass cases (6.5 PRC, 6.5 G, 6ARC and 5.56...) Wink
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#17
Trip to the range this afternoon. I did a small shoot-off for the 95 Nosler BT's and Lever, 29.8, 29.9, 30.0, shooting for groups. The 29.9 of Lever won out, I have the target and will try to post it later, but 29.9, 2776 ft/s, 2.200 for the 95 NBT's seems to be the choice.
Still working on my technique but The 29.9 is a definite group the other 2 are more like 1.25-1.5" scatter.
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