Alladin's HBC in the Krag.............

[Herb in Pa]

I went to the range yesterday afternoon to shoot my bench gun and also took my Krag sporter to test the HBC. I shot two ten round groups without cleaning. First load was 19,5 grains of Reloader 7 and the second was 22 grains. Nothing spectacular, but it's a start. First group measured 2.000" vertical x 1.100" horizontal. Second group went 1.270" vertical x 2.300" horizontal. I think I need to pursue the Reloader 7 some more. Boolits were sized to .310" Groups are at 100 yards ........

[StarMetal]

Herb

That's good. That makes it useful with those groups you just got. That shows promise.

Joe

[Buckshot]

.............I would imagine those loads as being close to 1700 and 1800 fps if not actually a tad more. Bll length could add or subtract. As RL-7 is I believe a tad faster then H4198, I'm thinking in the 30-40 case that 22.0 grs might just be doing it. In my 03A1 with 23.0grs of H4198 and the Lyman 311284 @ 217grs it gets 1675 fps or so.

Not bad.

.............Buckshot

[Herb in Pa]

I've got 10 more rounds to fire loaded with 23 grains, but I believe the best groups will probably be found around 21. I'll post results as soon as I can get back to the range. I'll also try to remember to take the chrono with me this time.

[Linstrum]

Hi, Herb in Pa, I believe you are right. If you take a look at the two groups they both have the same symmetry that is on about a 45° angle that rises to the right. When you increased the powder up to 22-grains the group opened up along this line but shrunk vertically. Your intuition is on the right track, so 21-grains might be it, but while you are at it, next time also try a group with 18 or 18.5-grains and see if this 45° line shrinks down more than what it was in the first group. Of course it might open up vertically in the process, but then again it might not.

Sometimes when the symmetry is on an angle like that it has to do with barrel heating and bedding. I'd take a bet that there is wood pressing harder at some point on the barrel that is 45° from its midline on one side or the other. I free-float my rifle barrels when possible and in a few of them it made a big difference!

Yeah! Take your chronometer, and Good Luck!

[StarMetal]

Linstrum

I too like to freefloat my barrel, but in the case of my 260 Rem Arisaka it made it terrrible. It would walk the groups all over the target as the barrel heated up. I then put pressure on the barrel near the forearm tip and that was it. It started shooting and the group didn't move with the barrel heating up. So in very few instances freefloating will make a rifle shoot worse.

Joe

[felix]

Always start with free floating whenever possible (leverguns impossible?). Apply pressure points at various locations, more than one if necessary to get small round groups. Vibrations can combine anywhere along the barreled action, causing some helacious groups. Weaker the action-barrel joint, the harder the whole gun is to tune. In this latter condition, money spent on a barrel tuner device would be a waste of good funds. ... felix

[Herb in Pa]

Hi all.......the action is glass bedded, the barrel is floated except for a small pad at the tip. I shot these groups with a very warm barrel and without cleaning between groups. I need to cast up some more of the HBC's and experiment some more.

The 23 grain group had some authority off the bench and really opened up. I'm using the sporter as a testbed for my 92/96 original.

[Herb in Pa]

I took the Krag and the HBC's back to the range this morning - a perfect day - temps in the 70's and low humidity for August in Pa.

I prepared 30 rounds for the chrono testing, using 18, 19, and 20 grains of Reloader 7 with a 1/2 grain fluff of dacron to keep the powder position consistant.

Results as follows.......... 100 yards

#1 18 Grains
(1470,1425,1430,1423,1449,1448,1446,1464,1470,1462 ) 1449 Avg
46.5 ES and 17.7 SD ....Group size 1.090"


#2 19 Grains
(1499,1506,1496,1497,1493,1520,1504,1515,1508,1519 ) 1506 Avg
26.7 ES and 9.8 SD ...Group size 1.500"


#3 20 Grains
(1583,1555,1561,1565,1569,1572,1584,1605,1584,1584 ) 1576 Avg
50.2 ES and 14.8 SD ...Group size 2.500"

The range was quite busy so I just let them fly and the barrel was heating up a bit. I need to pursue this a little more.

[Maven]

Herb, For what it's worth, I got similar results with Aladdin's HBC bullet @ .310", but in my Mod. 70 .30-06. Accuracy was excellent, but velocity was low as I used WC 820 @ 15gr. & 16gr. Btw, if sized to .309", it seems to perform well in the K-31 Swiss with slightly heavier charges of WC 820.

[Herb in Pa]

I wonder if anyone has had any success with increased velocities?

[Buckshot]

.........Well there's that post on Cast Bullets about the HBC and the post that was cut and pasted in had this guy claiming sub moa (excluding called hangfires) at 180 yard and est of 17-1800 fps.

.............Buckshot