More 6.5 x 55 targetd

[Thumbcocker]

Looks like 19.5 of 4198 is the pick of the litter. Don't know what happened at 8 and 2 o'clock. Probably shooter error. 3 went higher as barrel warmed up.

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[todd9.3x57]

i think you've got it!!!!!!!

[Uncle Grinch]

Nice pie plate accuracy with cast boolits. Tell us about your rifle, or maybe a picture of it.

[dverna]

This is NOT meant as a criticism of your load or your shooting (BTW, I doubt your fliers are due to any issues with your shooting anyway)

Groups like that were what frustrated my efforts at shooting cast rifle bullets in HV rifles. Some folks call them "good" and that may be because they dismiss the "fliers". I do not ignore fliers. Shooting off bags on a bench I may throw a rare shot 1" out of group but never more than that. And when it happens, I know it before I look down the spotting scope.

TC'er, that was why I made the comment above...when a bullet is that far out of group, unless you flinch, or get a 20 MPH wind gust, it is not the shooters fault.

If you have the time and can afford the components, a truer evaluation would be to shoot five shot groups with that 19.5 gr load. Let the barrel cool between groups and only call "fliers" you know you caused. If a "good" shot lands out of group it is not a flier you can prevent unless you can improve your bullets.

[Larry Gibson]

Concur with dverna.

What specific cast bullet are you using?

It appears numerous of those bullets were slightly tipping?

[Thumbcocker]

Rifle and boolits. For some reason competitive rifle shooters overlook the Tasco Silver Antler 3x9.

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[TurnipEaterDown]

This might help, and certainly in no way is meant to offend:
Underlying all this is Statistics and what they are meant to provide as a tool of mathematical assessment.

Small sample sizes (really, in many practical matters that are even commonplace, having sample count less than 10 or so) can incorporate characteristics that, unless well understood and historical knowledge is used to help further prediction of future performance, can lead to improper interpretation of results. Shooting targets actually has a number of variables that shooters often fail to incorporate or are incapable of incorporating in analysis (consistency of hold such as hand placement in grip, tension, etc., eye placement in relation to sights, vision fatigue, wind, lighting, mirage, bullet concentricity, base squareness projectile to projectile, etc.).

What to do to help yourself out when seeking to understand things like best charge weight to produce consistency:
Use statistics. There are tools that are cheap, and help, such as "OnTarget Precision Calculator". This is a program that you can download from an online search for about $10, and will do the statistics for you.

Shoot more: either multiple groups of the same load, groups with more shots, or both.
In general, I don't find cast bullet loads I use creating barrel heating as quickly as full power jacketed bullet loads. I would certainly hope that my firearms would shoot a dozen full power loads into a representative group, so I don't mind shooting 20-30 cast bullets into a group. This is not because I want to shoot at a game animal 12 times while hunting, but because this isn't a terribly unreasonable number. 2 Cylinders in a revolver, 2 full magazines out of many bolt rifles (5 in mag box, one on top when closing the bolt), one detachable mag on a MSR, etc. reach ~ 12.
I have shot prarrie dogs to the point where the rifle barrel will boil spit, and they still shoot to the same place, re: field accuracy. I would never use a varmint rifle that started to walk substantially w/ heat, and contrary to many magazine writers, sporting rifles are not terribly prone to this either unless there is a bedding issue or barrel manufacturing issue regarding residual stress.

Note: I do start out w/ smaller groups (5 or 6 shots) when trying a new combination, but when trying to really sort the choice between 2 or 3 loads I think will be good, I shoot groups of 20 generally w/ cast bullets.

If this helps: glad. If not, OK.

[10x]

When you are getting fliers or bad groups, increase the diameter of the bullet by 0.001" when sizing. Make sure the cartridge will chamber with the increased diameter bullet. See if your barrel likes a slightly larger diameter bullet.

Also test a batch that are lightly crimped. The crimp will allow more pressure to build before the bullet leaves the neck of the cartridge.

Both of these factors
can make groups smaller - sometimes.

[dogmower]

I use 18 grains of IMR 4227 with a similar boolit. Never shot it for paper groups, but have no problems hitting a 4x4 metal gong at 200 meters.
FWIW

[PAndy]

Like some others here, I count fliers unless I call something way off. Fliers with cast bullets drive me crazy. Ten shot groups show you a lot , the trade off is dealing with the hot barrel. For competition loads ..the hot barrel is part of the game so we test that way. 4198 has been very good for me. Like all powders in this range, it is position sensitive so be careful handling the rifle