Don't think the rifle will ever shoot MOA or better at a 100 yards but I'd like to see it to be able to shoot at least 1.25". I have tried Lee 310's and worked h110 up and down in .2 gr increments from start to finish and never shot under 2.5". I now have been testing the Lyman devastators in it. I out of the clear blue loaded 23.8 gr of w296 and tested it last week and shot 2.3". I loaded them at 1.640" and used a Lee collet die to crimp them. I loaded up some more with w296 and tested this morning. Here are my 100 yard groups. As you can see my 23.8 gr load of w296 was my tightest group at 2".
21.5gr/4.05"
22gr/3.6"
22.5gr/3.8"
23.gr/2.4"
23.2gr/3.1"
23.5gr/4.4"
23.8gr/2.0"
24gr/3.6"
I partially blame the trigger and think it might tighten groups if I Lighten it a little. My boolits are PC GC and are sorted to 1 gr of each other. I'm using Winchester brass. All are trimmed to the same length after sizing.
I can say in my short time of this last year testing cast boolits in two different rifles when you find a load that shoots bumping up or down .2 gr can open it from a 1.1" group( my 450bs ruger American) to 3.6" plus. Cast boolits aren't as forging as j words as far as close counts when working loads up and down with powder charges. J word testing in other rifles I own go from clover leaves to 1 3/4" groups from a good load to a powder charge the rifle doesn't like. With cast boolits I've tested all have groups as tight as 1.1" at a 100 yards and working the powder up and down I'll get as large as a 6.6" group. I'm shooting off a bench with a lead sled and am capable of shooting cloverleaves with j words in 9 of my rifles and I know everyone has a bad day at the range from now and then with flinching but I know I'm capable as long as my rifle is able to shoot. My avatar is a 100 yard group I shot with j words and a 14.5" bbl p415.
Any suggestions on how to tighten my groups?