My OCW test today

[ricky5042]

Hi all here are the results of my latest test done the OCW way

155gn Lapua scenars TR140 powder Lapua brass and cci magnum primers

Howa 1500 .308 24" varmint 1-12 barrel

Max load 46.5gns OAL 2.810" with comparator 2.175"

2 minutes left between each shot.

3 sighters-testers 41.8gns 2596fps, 42.7gns 2631fps, 43.5gns 2644fps,

All other groups are 3 rounds as per OCW instructions.

44.4gns 2766, 2773, 2754fps 1.018"

44.8gns 2781, 2789, 2799fps .302"

45.3gns 2851, 2833, 2844fps .656"

45.7gns 2836, 2845, 2863fps .864"

46.2gns 2891, 2882, 2878fps .589"

46.6gns 2886, 2899, 2901fps 1.066"

47.1gns 2942, 2957, 2938fps 1.367"

47.6gns 2971, 2976, 2974fps 1.495"

 

And the results of my 168gn A-max test from the lands

44gns TR140 starting at 10 thou off

OAL measured with comparator on.

2.288" .449"

2.278" 1.456"

2.268" .638"

2.258" .509"

2.248" .888"

2.238" .408"

 

oh and I had a few more cases with fracture rings in the base so im guessing the Lapua cases are all shot out!

 

 

Rick

 

[Elwood]

Ricky, this isn't much use without a photo of the group point of impact.

[trucraft]

Anyone enlighten me on what the OCW way is?

[farmer7]

Optimal Charge Weight. See below:

 

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/ocw-instructions/4529817134

[ricky5042]

Hi im trying to get a pic up but cant do it as to big!

[pork chop]

Hi im trying to get a pic up but cant do it as to big!

hi buddy dont know how other people do it but i use ipiccy.i'm not to good on lap tops but i find it easy enougth just import resize and save

[ricky5042]

Thanks il have a look

[ricky5042]

hi buddy dont know how other people do it but i use ipiccy.i'm not to good on lap tops but i find it easy enougth just import resize and save

Done it thanks chap I was looking through my favourites and remembered iv got a photobucket account so did it from there.

 

Rick

[gbal]

Ricky,it's stiill very hard to link powder loads to groups.

For what it's worth,for the 155s,it seems you have a .302 group at 44.8g ,and next to it a .656 at 45.3g.

Most of the rest are considerably biggger,some 1-11/2 inches,and esp with high powder loads.

 

For what it's worth,my 155 Palma load is 45.1 Vi40,which is consistent with your data above (44.8 and 45.3,best accuracy)and (.5moa) with 1000y rem700, 43.6 V140 with Sierra 190.

 

I think using magnum primers and such high charges (ok it's TR 140,but very close to V140...)and repeated head separations and signs thereof should be saying back off on the powder,esp as you are getting poor groups of an inch or more,(still at 50y-but even if at 100,even in a factory rifle),as it is capable of better,as .308 and .656 suggest!!

 

I'd load more of the 44.8/45 ( ideally with standard primers) and just see what that does,while you still have cases left,at 100-600 yards. And likewise a grain less with your 168 load,but don't juggle too many things

before you get one decent load sorted. Fine tuning seating depth comes after that- many factory rifles do fine with mag length ammo,but it's easy to play with seating depth,once the basic load is settled,especially as it is usually very similar for most bullets.

Gbal

[ricky5042]

Ricky,it's stiill very hard to link powder loads to groups.

For what it's worth,for the 155s,it seems you have a .302 group at 44.8g ,and next to it a .656 at 45.3g.

Most of the rest are considerably biggger,some 1-11/2 inches,and esp with high powder loads.

 

For what it's worth,my 155 Palma load is 45.1 Vi40,which is consistent with your data above (44.8 and 45.3,best accuracy)and (.5moa) with 1000y rem700, 43.6 V140 with Sierra 190.

 

I think using magnum primers and such high charges (ok it's TR 140,but very close to V140...)and repeated head separations and signs thereof should be saying back off on the powder,esp as you are getting poor groups of an inch or more,(still at 50y-but even if at 100,even in a factory rifle),as it is capable of better,as .308 and .656 suggest!!

 

I'd load more of the 44.8/45 ( ideally with standard primers) and just see what that does,while you still have cases left,at 100-600 yards. And likewise a grain less with your 168 load,but don't juggle too many things

before you get one decent load sorted. Fine tuning seating depth comes after that- many factory rifles do fine with mag length ammo,but it's easy to play with seating depth,once the basic load is settled,especially as it is usually very similar for most bullets.

Gbal

Hi Gbal the first 3 groups were in a similar place on the target and the OCW instructions say triangulate these and measure them then find the middle ground and load to that and test again, on the next test il try 44.8gns, 45.0gns, 46.0gns 46.2gns & 46.4gns and see what that gives me and then il try different oals.

primers I will have to stick with for now as iv still got 600 or so left so once done il go to standards.

 

Rick

[jcampbellsmith]

Hi Gbal the first 3 groups were in a similar place on the target and the OCW instructions say triangulate these and measure them then find the middle ground and load to that and test again, on the next test il try 44.8gns, 45.0gns, 46.0gns 46.2gns & 46.4gns and see what that gives me and then il try different oals.

primers I will have to stick with for now as iv still got 600 or so left so once done il go to standards.

 

Rick

My suggestion would be to try 44.4, 44.6, 44.8, 45.0, 45.2 and 45.4. I would shoot a fouler, then one shot at each weight just as quick as I can. Stop, let the rifle cool, then shoot one more round from each powder weight. Wait for the rifle to cool, then the final round from each weight.

Regards

JCS

[ricky5042]

Hi JCS why start back at 44.4gns when it didn't do to well? im going to try the paper clip method to try and sort the brass out so I reduce my chances of any more split cases.

 

Rick

[jcampbellsmith]

Hi JCS why start back at 44.4gns when it didn't do to well? im going to try the paper clip method to try and sort the brass out so I reduce my chances of any more split cases.

 

Rick

It didn't go well that time, but was that the load or you? Sometimes my load testing doesn't go well and I repeat the test just to make sure that the results are valid and it wasn't just me shooting badly. Secondly, you need to keep in mind that as your brass prep regime settles down and you stop having case splits that the results may change.

Regards

JCS

[Elwood]

44.4, 44.8 and 45.3 all had a impact in roughly the same vertical, take the middle load of 44.8 and play with seating depth.

[gbal]

Hi Gbal the first 3 groups were in a similar place on the target and the OCW instructions say triangulate these and measure them then find the middle ground and load to that and test again, on the next test il try 44.8gns, 45.0gns, 46.0gns 46.2gns & 46.4gns and see what that gives me and then il try different oals.

primers I will have to stick with for now as iv still got 600 or so left so once done il go to standards.

 

Rick

Forget the loads in the 46+ range- if you like,try 45.2 and 45.4,as well as 44.8,45.0 -you need to check around 45g to see if it's consistent.

I take your point about primers-but hopefully you are more open minded to the idea that biggest ,magnumest, fastest, blastest isn't bestest-and check out what others advise-case separation worries me,esp in a factory rifle,for no gain at all-quite the contrary.

Don't rush into OAL seating depth variations till you sort out the powder to one load.

Gbal

[Elwood]

Ricky, you can quite clearly see the point of impact rising from 45.7 onwards, meaning your not in a node. I admit the groups do look good but you're not shooting groups (yet)

 

44.8 is the middle ground, I just bet you could drop or increase the charge weight by .1 or .2 of a grain and it would still be accurate, try that on the others and the out come will be different, especially at long range and I bet it would show up as vertical.

 

I agree with Gbal on the primers, I would be using Fed 210 GM or CCI BR's. Primers are the cheapest component to change so I wouldn't give it a second thought. Of course there is a chance you will have to do your OCW again, but then again you might not,

 

Try 5 rounds of 44.8 and if you're not satisfied then try changing seating depth.

[ricky5042]

Hi all thank you for the input

JCS yes I did wonder if some of the fliers could have been me and if tony brings the brass up on Wednesday I may just use them with CCI BR primers and try it again.

Elwood I will try seating depth once I re do the test, and if the results are the same-similar I will try the 44.8gn load first and see what happens.

Gbal thanks I was thinking about changing my mind on which load I re test so I will try what you've said and I will change the primers to the CCI BR if I can get them round here, im going to wait until I re do the load test before I start playing with seating depths.

Elwood I was going to try the 46.2gn load as the group was .589 and try .2gn either side of it and see what the group size is, I know im not going on group size but out of curiosity I wanted to try it and see that the result was, im going to get some CCI BR primers and see if they change velocity and group size, I was wondering if doing 4 or 5 round groups would give me a better average as I only went down to 3 round groups to save some pennies as all I seem to be doing is load testing.

 

Rick

[gbal]

Hi all thank you for the input

JCS yes I did wonder if some of the fliers could have been me and if tony brings the brass up on Wednesday I may just use them with CCI BR primers and try it again.

Elwood I will try seating depth once I re do the test, and if the results are the same-similar I will try the 44.8gn load first and see what happens.

Gbal thanks I was thinking about changing my mind on which load I re test so I will try what you've said and I will change the primers to the CCI BR if I can get them round here, im going to wait until I re do the load test before I start playing with seating depths.

Elwood I was going to try the 46.2gn load as the group was .589 and try .2gn either side of it and see what the group size is, I know im not going on group size but out of curiosity I wanted to try it and see that the result was, im going to get some CCI BR primers and see if they change velocity and group size, I was wondering if doing 4 or 5 round groups would give me a better average as I only went down to 3 round groups to save some pennies as all I seem to be doing is load testing.

 

Rick

Rick,fine.

A couple of 5 shot groups with 44.8 should be interesting.5 shots are more meaningful/informative than than 3 shots,but more shots can't make a group smaller,only same/larger-but that is the point-you need to know how consistent the 'good' load is.Getting there!

Gbal

[ricky5042]

Hi Gbal I will have my loads made up for Wednesday but this time il do 5 shot groups for all the tests and see how they go

 

Rick