rhubarb
04-01-2009, 10:31 PM
I've started casting .223 and .308. When shooting, I'm getting a bunch of unburned powder in the barrel on both of them. This ruins accuracy unless I run a dry patch through the barrel each shot. What's the use of an AR15 if you have to shoot it like a front end loader?
I read to try slow powders in the 1:9 AR so I figured the several pounds of RL15 I have would be ideal. I started at 18.0 gr RL15 with a WDWW 225415 boolit (54gr w/ check & lube), aluminum Freechex, and Wolf SR primers seated at 2.160 OAL. Accuracy was around 6 MOA at 100yd. I went up in 1.0 gr increments to 24.0 with accuracy between 4 MOA to 2 MOB. Minute of barn. I wonder if the higher charges weren't spinning apart as 23.0 and 24.0 weren't even on the 24"x36" target back. There were significant amounts of unburned powder every shot although slightly less with the higher charges.
Then I started over adding 1/2 gr Dacron to each load with the idea it'd increase pressure and burn the powder better. Slightly better accuracy and slightly less powder left over. Maybe less powder left over; not a big difference. I will say the Dacron filler definitely improved the function at the lower charges from not having enough power to even eject more than 25% to gently ejecting and locking the bolt back 100%
Then I started over with BLC2. Accuracy was about the same and there was even more powder in the barrel with the few light charges I tried.
The .308 is a Mossberg ATR 1:10 twist. I was shooting Lee 200gr RN WDWW with 27-35 gr Varget with Hornady checks and CCI 200 primers seated to 2.800 OAL. Accuracy was promising with the best loads giving about 2 moa, but there was a lot of litter in the barrel, same as the AR. I haven't got around to trying the Dacron yet.
Suggestions? Different powder? I've got 3031, 4895, Unique, Green Dot, and Blue Dot on hand and I'd try others. More filler? Less? I know I need to try it in the .308 yet. Different twist? Maybe a 1:12 "cast only" upper for the AR? Bigger boolit? This AR really likes the 75-77gr jackets with RL15.
On the bright side, tumble lubing with Xlox before sizing with Lee dies while still wet then dipping in melted 50/50 Xlox/JPW left me with shiny bores in both guns despite relatively fast loads in the AR. Zero lead. Zee-row.
I read to try slow powders in the 1:9 AR so I figured the several pounds of RL15 I have would be ideal. I started at 18.0 gr RL15 with a WDWW 225415 boolit (54gr w/ check & lube), aluminum Freechex, and Wolf SR primers seated at 2.160 OAL. Accuracy was around 6 MOA at 100yd. I went up in 1.0 gr increments to 24.0 with accuracy between 4 MOA to 2 MOB. Minute of barn. I wonder if the higher charges weren't spinning apart as 23.0 and 24.0 weren't even on the 24"x36" target back. There were significant amounts of unburned powder every shot although slightly less with the higher charges.
Then I started over adding 1/2 gr Dacron to each load with the idea it'd increase pressure and burn the powder better. Slightly better accuracy and slightly less powder left over. Maybe less powder left over; not a big difference. I will say the Dacron filler definitely improved the function at the lower charges from not having enough power to even eject more than 25% to gently ejecting and locking the bolt back 100%
Then I started over with BLC2. Accuracy was about the same and there was even more powder in the barrel with the few light charges I tried.
The .308 is a Mossberg ATR 1:10 twist. I was shooting Lee 200gr RN WDWW with 27-35 gr Varget with Hornady checks and CCI 200 primers seated to 2.800 OAL. Accuracy was promising with the best loads giving about 2 moa, but there was a lot of litter in the barrel, same as the AR. I haven't got around to trying the Dacron yet.
Suggestions? Different powder? I've got 3031, 4895, Unique, Green Dot, and Blue Dot on hand and I'd try others. More filler? Less? I know I need to try it in the .308 yet. Different twist? Maybe a 1:12 "cast only" upper for the AR? Bigger boolit? This AR really likes the 75-77gr jackets with RL15.
On the bright side, tumble lubing with Xlox before sizing with Lee dies while still wet then dipping in melted 50/50 Xlox/JPW left me with shiny bores in both guns despite relatively fast loads in the AR. Zero lead. Zee-row.