larrymac1
01-12-2014, 01:22 PM
Loaded up 100 rounds yesterday with 10 rounds loaded with increasing powders. Started with IMR 4198 at 14 grains. Shooting at 100 yards. S&W MP Sport 1-7 twist rate. Target size is 14" x 17". 6" bullseye rings are numbered from 5 to 10 with 5 being outside rings at 1" intervals. The report follows:
14 grains 10 rounds 7 hit the paper spread was 9 inches. AR would not cycle. It would eject spent cases but not load next round and on one occasion would not eject case.
15 grains 10 rounds 7 rounds hit, spread was 12.5 inches. AR would not cycle. However 6 of the seven rounds were around the bullseye area with a spread of about 4.75 inches
16 grains 10 rounds 7 rounds hit, spread was 12.5". AR cycled once then continued to stovepipe for next 8 rounds.
17 grain 9 rounds 8 rounds hit paper, spread was 12.25" (closing the gap, whee!) AR cycled most rounds stovepiped one round damaged beyond fireability. 3 of the 8 in bullseye.
18 grains 10 rounds fired 3 hit paper. Spread was 11". AR cycled all rounds. Nothing in the bullseye.
Switched powders at this time and went to CFE which is one of my usual powders I load copper SP bullets with. Found nothing on line to indicate powder load. Started at 20 grains.
20 grains 10 rounds fired 10 hit paper this was encouraging. Spread was 13". However 5 in the bullseye with a 2.75 inch spread. 3 on the bottom line of target area 2 inch spread. All cycled through the AR. I was encouraged by this one.
21 grains 10 round fired 10 hit paper. Spread was 8". 1 in 5 ring, 1 in 6 ring, 3 in 7 ring, 1 in 8 ring, 2 in 9 ring and 2 in 10 ring with one in 1" bullseye. All cycled. Interesting note is that I found 3 dots of wax on the paper around the bullseye area.
22 grains 10 rounds fired 3 hit paper. Spread is 13" and only 1 in the rings at 6. All cycled.
23 grains 10 rounds fired 5 hit paper. All in the rings. 2 in the 10 ring, 1 in 9, 1 in 8 and 1 in 6.
Jumped to full scale with 26 grains just to see if I could make the bullet vaporize. I get very good accuracy with regular bullets at this load.
26 grains 10 rounds 5 hit paper. Spread is 12", no hits in the 8,9, or 10 bullseye ring, only 3 in the rings at all. Did not see any vaporized rounds, all hit down range.
Bullets were all waxed and gas checked. All well molded and all loaded in the case well.
To check and see if it was me being off I fired 30 rounds regular 55 grain Hornady SP that I realoaded at 26 grains at two additional targets. First target spread was 7.25". All rounds were in the 7 ring or closer. 12 in the 10 ring and one center bulls eye. Second target was similar but no bullseye.
So I assume my shooting was pretty good, not great but pretty good.
If anyone has any ideas I am certainly willing to listen. 21 grains of CFE were my best round test, but not something I would hunt with.
I am ordering a liter of hi-tek and will run the experiment again. I will use CFE and
H335 and probably start at about 20 grains and go up. I am confident that the bullets will not 'vaporize' as had been reported elsewhere. I could see all rounds impacting behind the target so that is OK. Just the accuracy stinks.
One other note is that the cased with cast bullets and wax were extremely dirty. Barrel seemed pretty clean but the neck of the cases were very black.
14 grains 10 rounds 7 hit the paper spread was 9 inches. AR would not cycle. It would eject spent cases but not load next round and on one occasion would not eject case.
15 grains 10 rounds 7 rounds hit, spread was 12.5 inches. AR would not cycle. However 6 of the seven rounds were around the bullseye area with a spread of about 4.75 inches
16 grains 10 rounds 7 rounds hit, spread was 12.5". AR cycled once then continued to stovepipe for next 8 rounds.
17 grain 9 rounds 8 rounds hit paper, spread was 12.25" (closing the gap, whee!) AR cycled most rounds stovepiped one round damaged beyond fireability. 3 of the 8 in bullseye.
18 grains 10 rounds fired 3 hit paper. Spread was 11". AR cycled all rounds. Nothing in the bullseye.
Switched powders at this time and went to CFE which is one of my usual powders I load copper SP bullets with. Found nothing on line to indicate powder load. Started at 20 grains.
20 grains 10 rounds fired 10 hit paper this was encouraging. Spread was 13". However 5 in the bullseye with a 2.75 inch spread. 3 on the bottom line of target area 2 inch spread. All cycled through the AR. I was encouraged by this one.
21 grains 10 round fired 10 hit paper. Spread was 8". 1 in 5 ring, 1 in 6 ring, 3 in 7 ring, 1 in 8 ring, 2 in 9 ring and 2 in 10 ring with one in 1" bullseye. All cycled. Interesting note is that I found 3 dots of wax on the paper around the bullseye area.
22 grains 10 rounds fired 3 hit paper. Spread is 13" and only 1 in the rings at 6. All cycled.
23 grains 10 rounds fired 5 hit paper. All in the rings. 2 in the 10 ring, 1 in 9, 1 in 8 and 1 in 6.
Jumped to full scale with 26 grains just to see if I could make the bullet vaporize. I get very good accuracy with regular bullets at this load.
26 grains 10 rounds 5 hit paper. Spread is 12", no hits in the 8,9, or 10 bullseye ring, only 3 in the rings at all. Did not see any vaporized rounds, all hit down range.
Bullets were all waxed and gas checked. All well molded and all loaded in the case well.
To check and see if it was me being off I fired 30 rounds regular 55 grain Hornady SP that I realoaded at 26 grains at two additional targets. First target spread was 7.25". All rounds were in the 7 ring or closer. 12 in the 10 ring and one center bulls eye. Second target was similar but no bullseye.
So I assume my shooting was pretty good, not great but pretty good.
If anyone has any ideas I am certainly willing to listen. 21 grains of CFE were my best round test, but not something I would hunt with.
I am ordering a liter of hi-tek and will run the experiment again. I will use CFE and
H335 and probably start at about 20 grains and go up. I am confident that the bullets will not 'vaporize' as had been reported elsewhere. I could see all rounds impacting behind the target so that is OK. Just the accuracy stinks.
One other note is that the cased with cast bullets and wax were extremely dirty. Barrel seemed pretty clean but the neck of the cases were very black.