Berger 180gn VLD verses 168gn VLD

[AlanF]

Back to the original topic, I will still favour the heavier bullets in windy conditions and long range so long as accuracy is equal. Without accuracy your not going to be in it, with the lighter bullets and good accuracy your always in with a chance so long as your wind reading is better than the rest.

Me too Brad, slower with higher BC is better. The other factor is availability of 180s of course. I have some but have more 168s at present. I'll be at the SARA Queens in a few days time and generally prefer the heavier bullets there. But again, the most accurate load/barrel I find in the leadup will probably be the one, regardless of bullet weight.

[Brad Y]

I find your method of testing ammo in the leadup very interesting Alan, I assume you have a couple of different barrels and loads that work in them, and try them all out to see just what seems to be in better tune on the day? It makes sense. Have never actually had the opportunity to shoot a lead up.

I have 2 barrels up and running here and was going to keep the 28 inch one for short ranges and 168gr bullets and a 30 inch for long range 180gr loads. That idea went well until I went to the Great Southern DRA shoot earlier in the year and took ammo for the 30 inch barrel but left the barrel itself in the safe 400km away at home. Ended up knocking the projectiles down to suit the other barrel throat length and it shot every bit as good as my 168gr loads and blitzed the longer ranges of that event. Its probably all a good combination to try a bit of mix and match testing before a queens.

[AlanF]

Brad,

From experience, I'm a strong believer that there's more than just ammo temperature that will affect your tune between locations. Whether its air pressure, barrel fouling conditions, or one of the known "effects", I can't say. But time and again I've left Rosedale with a "great" load, only to find bad vertical at an event somewhere else. So I can usually (but not always) find a reliable load at the location in the 6 ranges of the leadup. Loading nightly (or even between ranges) has its drawbacks, but its a formula that's kept me in touch with the sharp end for a few years now. Nothing annoys me more than a 6 or 12 o'clock shot in windy conditions i.e. you made the right wind call, but your equipment wasn't up to the job .

Rant over.

Alan

[johnk]

Some of our friends Stateside take account of density altitude: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_altitude

Here's some to go on with:

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-50825.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-50808.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-82918.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-85991.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-55893.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-81460.html

http://benchrest.com/archive/index.php/t-49092.html

[Brad Y]

Very good point. Or we could practice black magic and run barrel tuners like Davies and co. About to dabble with one but its going to be a while before I would be comfortable tweaking one in the middle of a queens...

[plumbs7]

A group shot last Friday at 300 yds sd of 12 and average of 2830 168 vld's not a good load .47.4 Gr 2209


Ignore the flyer , must be me !

Then today at dusk at 300 yds measured with a Leica laser range finder. 168' vld's with .4 of Gr of more vegimite! Below is 6 shots . 2 sighters , well the one way out hit the top strand of the barb wire fence and broke it! Going to be In trouble with my Mother in law !!! .
The other 4 through the same hole at 300 yds ! Yep I know ! Unbelievable!


I accidentally left the mag speed at home trying to beat the light! Estimate around the 2900 fps !

[RAVEN]

300m 180gr Berger SD 36 ES 90
the aiming mark is 25mm

[Chopper]

Just wonder Why the big ones have FLYERS ? Chop

[RDavies]

Just wonder Why the big ones have FLYERS ? Chop

Because SD 36 ES 90

[Chopper]

No one talks about the added recoil and settling of the rifle , during the shoot, with the big ones , ? Chop

[Chopper]

After all , they are srewing out at something like 250, 000 RPM and are more temperamental than a women , Chop

[DenisA]

No one talks about the added recoil and settling of the rifle , during the shoot, with the big ones , ? Chop

Chop, I believe that with use of rear plates on spongy grass, no hand grip, free-recoil and good bag packing on the mound prior to the shoot this problem is not an issue with big calibres. The bigger issue I find is letting the shoulder contact the butt pad too early in its tracking which co-incidentally (Ravens pic) always throws the shot high left for me.

Most F-classers up this way can be found packing rear bags down firmly in preparation and free recoiling to varying degrees.

It would be interesting to know what Ravens technique was for that group.

[RAVEN]

Yes, Dennis some vertical can be caused by poor recoil pad alignment with the shoulder.

The flyer was more a result of too smaller aiming mark in early morning mirage now I know that you eastern boys hear that term bandy around
I’m a great believer in if you can't see your target well you can't aim well.

My issue is none of these the extreme spread and wild SD is caused by firing pin issues
the previous week this same load gave SD 3 & ES 11 for 12 shots
Just goes to show you need to continually test for best consistent results.

RB

[DenisA]

Richard I'm very familiar with the term flyer, I have at least 8 of them per match.

I think optical error accounts for more inaccuracy than many of us realise. Often blaming the shot on other things. In the last 12 months I've been paying a lot of attention to the subject and my average has increased.

[RAVEN]

Dennis your process is solid its those little things that ppl don't pay enough attention to IMO
will be testing this load tomorrow with a new firing pin finger crossed