12-30-2021, 01:42 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-30-2021, 01:50 AM by StoneHendge.)
I braved the winter weather (60 degrees and clouds) and had some quite encouraging results today.
For a baseline, barrel is a 16" Lilja and I've been doing 26.5 gr of Varget in base sized Starline converted Grendel brass with 105 gr RDFs at 2430. When I was sizing with a Hornady die, I used 26.8 gr for 2445.
AR Comp loads are 3x Starline base sized, BR-4, 105 gr Barnes Match Burner ata COAL of 2.26 / BTO 1.71 which is 0.03" off lands. This is the first time I've shot the MBs so I have no idea if they like a big jump like some lower BC bullets do (their 6.5 120s do like a big jump). Charges dropped on a CM 1500 using a faster technique than I would use for match ammo. SDs could be reduced through more care. Temp was 61 degrees. 3 shots per charge.
Charge /Velocity / SD / ES
24.0 2368 (1 only)
24.3. 2372. (1 only)
24.6. 2390 / 11/20
24.9. 2430/12/24
25.3. 2456/9/18
25.6. 2475/15/30 (2458, 2488, 2481)
25.9. 2518/16/30. (2510, 2507, 2537)
26.2. 2546/5/10
26.5. 2561/5/10
26.8. 2588 (1 only)
Nothing worse than MOA for accuracy and a sub 0.25 group at 25.6 and about 0.4 at 26.5. Something's giving me trouble posting a pic so I'll post separately. Note that they were through 10x on a Viper HSLR. Those aiming points are small compared to what they are like at 36x through my shiny new XRS3 on my CM or 21x through my shiny new DMR3 on my Grendel. I shot everything up to 25.6 today first, and then shot the rest after a string with my CM at 36x.
Ejector marks at 26.2 gr which were more pronounced at 26.5. This could always be timing with my MLGS. Primers looked fine but things were feeling a bit warm near the end. I decapped when I got home to check the pockets. I've been losing about 15% at 4x. I think the results were quite telling: 26.8 was shot, 2 each of 3 were shot from 25.9 through 26.5. All of them were fine from 24.9 through 25.6.
Mid 25s is where I'd poke around if I had more powder and I'd consider 25.6 my max. As always, YMMV, but I'm guessing AR Comp is probably a winner among stick powders.
It let me attach separately. The top left which says 24.3 is actually 25.6. That one's under 0.25" and the 26.5 is about 0.4"
For a baseline, barrel is a 16" Lilja and I've been doing 26.5 gr of Varget in base sized Starline converted Grendel brass with 105 gr RDFs at 2430. When I was sizing with a Hornady die, I used 26.8 gr for 2445.
AR Comp loads are 3x Starline base sized, BR-4, 105 gr Barnes Match Burner ata COAL of 2.26 / BTO 1.71 which is 0.03" off lands. This is the first time I've shot the MBs so I have no idea if they like a big jump like some lower BC bullets do (their 6.5 120s do like a big jump). Charges dropped on a CM 1500 using a faster technique than I would use for match ammo. SDs could be reduced through more care. Temp was 61 degrees. 3 shots per charge.
Charge /Velocity / SD / ES
24.0 2368 (1 only)
24.3. 2372. (1 only)
24.6. 2390 / 11/20
24.9. 2430/12/24
25.3. 2456/9/18
25.6. 2475/15/30 (2458, 2488, 2481)
25.9. 2518/16/30. (2510, 2507, 2537)
26.2. 2546/5/10
26.5. 2561/5/10
26.8. 2588 (1 only)
Nothing worse than MOA for accuracy and a sub 0.25 group at 25.6 and about 0.4 at 26.5. Something's giving me trouble posting a pic so I'll post separately. Note that they were through 10x on a Viper HSLR. Those aiming points are small compared to what they are like at 36x through my shiny new XRS3 on my CM or 21x through my shiny new DMR3 on my Grendel. I shot everything up to 25.6 today first, and then shot the rest after a string with my CM at 36x.
Ejector marks at 26.2 gr which were more pronounced at 26.5. This could always be timing with my MLGS. Primers looked fine but things were feeling a bit warm near the end. I decapped when I got home to check the pockets. I've been losing about 15% at 4x. I think the results were quite telling: 26.8 was shot, 2 each of 3 were shot from 25.9 through 26.5. All of them were fine from 24.9 through 25.6.
Mid 25s is where I'd poke around if I had more powder and I'd consider 25.6 my max. As always, YMMV, but I'm guessing AR Comp is probably a winner among stick powders.
It let me attach separately. The top left which says 24.3 is actually 25.6. That one's under 0.25" and the 26.5 is about 0.4"
#FJB