Which 7.62x54R should I stick with?

[Scooter]

I have a dilemma. Drew a December Coues tag and need to make a decision. I handload for my 7.62x54R with 150gr Speer Hot-Cors at ~2610 fps and they can hold a 2MOA group out to 200yds on a good day. It's probably my bad shooting more than it is the ammo/rifle. Anyway, I found out that Winchester had a factory 180gr SP going 2625fps and I bought lots of them... I've tested a few at the range- and they group just as good as my handloads... But high and to the right about 4-5" from where the 150gr's hit. First of all, what's up with that??? Second, which one should I zero the scope with? I'm leaning towards the 180's since I have several boxes of them and I can always use the brass to make more 150's. I want to really get dialed in out to 300yds for this Coues tag. What are your thoughts? 150gr handloads or 180gr factory???

[muledeerarea33?]

Which ever you decide to use, make sure your sighted in with those come huntin season

[Scooter]

Yeah... Thanks for the tip. So which one would you use? And why are the 180's hitting high and right? Is it because it's a longer bullet? There's only about a 15fps difference at the muzzle- I don't care that I'm not shooting MOA at 500yds. I know I'm lethal at 200 and printing sub- pie-plate 5-shot groups out to 300 is my goal with this monstrocity of a rifle. That's lethal enough to ethically kill a Coues. I'm putting in the work at the range- I just would like opinions on which bullet I should focus on for December.

[muledeerarea33?]

Are you shooting a Nagant?

[wayno945]

Did you chrono the load or are you using factory velocity data? I would think that 4 inches would show a substantial difference in velocity.

[More D]

IMO the velocity has nothing to do with the different point of impact at 100yrds. The rifle just hits differently with the different ammo. I would suggest verifying where the each load hits at 200 or whatever your max personal range. If a difference in velocity exists it will be seen at range much more so than 100 yards. My Winchester 30-06 does the same thing when switching from 150grn ammo to anything heavier regardless if factory or homemade. The pattern shifts and grows dramatically. The rifle is talking…..you just have to listen!

 

 

Kudos to you for trying a unique caliber and rolling your own ammo.

 

 

Personally I would use the ammo you made opposed to factory stuff. If you are lucky enough to tag a WT you will be all the more proud

 

 

 

 

 

[PRDATR]

The shooting high and to the right with a different grain bullet isn't anything to be concerned about. The rifle probably has a right hand twist. I would shoot whichever is the more accurate as both are more than enough for Coues.

[Scooter]

Are you shooting a Nagant?

 

Yes. I took a 1943 Izhevsk 91/30 with a Very Good bore and had the barrel cut to 23" and topped it off with an 11 Degree target crown. It's sitting in a pillar bedded ATI Monte Carlo stock and has a scope mounted on it. It took me weeks to clean out that barrel after so many corrosive rounds, but I cleaned it up to a pretty good shine and haven't shot any crappy surplus ammo out of it since the custom work and cleaning was done. I can't claim that it is an MOA rifle yet, or if it ever will be- but I did most of the work on it and it would be awesome to smack a Coues with it this December.

[Scooter]

Did you chrono the load or are you using factory velocity data? I would think that 4 inches would show a substantial difference in velocity.

 

 

I've chrono'd 5 rounds of both. I'm averaging ~2610 at 10"-12" from the muzzle with the Spper HOT-COR 150's using 46gr of IMR 4895 and a CCI 200. I measure each charge individually so I get pretty good The Winchester 180gr factory loads are really all very close to ~2625 right at the muzzle.

[Scooter]

The shooting high and to the right with a different grain bullet isn't anything to be concerned about. The rifle probably has a right hand twist. I would shoot whichever is the more accurate as both are more than enough for Coues.

 

And now that I think about it- the 180's are a longer projectile which probably carry more rotation downrange before they start to lose speed than the lighter 150s... right? I don't see any keyholing at 150yds so maybe they're just rotating differently and that's what I'm seeing.

[PRDATR]

Some interesting reading for you.

 

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=25561

 

On the alaskaoutdoordirectory forum there is a guy who goes by the name of straingerinastrangeland who uses a Moisan for all his shooting so you might want to look up some of his posts or drop him a line.

[Scooter]

Cool Thanks!