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lancetkenyon

Two New Rifle Upgrades Coming Soon To An Addict Near You...

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RL25, yes.

RL26, no.

It has been proven to be much more temp stable than the earlier Reloader powders like 15, 17, 19, 22, 25.

 

I am trying RL23 in my .280AI also. Same thing with RL23 vs. RL22.

 

http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/powder/reloder26.aspx

 

http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/powder/reloder23.aspx

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Do you add anything to your ballistic programs for different powders you use? I read some guys are saying rl26 is about .5 fps per degree.

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I did for my .25-06AI that runs on RL22. It is about 1fps per 1° difference. It worked perfectly taking this into account. Had hits out to 800 on a variety of varmints, and at 488 on Deer. Never concerned me after I had that info input into my ballistic program and drop charts.

 

I will take the extra 100fps it is supposed to give over H1000 and run with it IF it is as accurate as I am expecting. If not, these are fore forming loads, and I can do load development with both RL26 and H1000 simultaneously to see which one performs better. I would give up .1" for 100fps gain. Time will tell.

 

I will also be working up two loads. A 140 and the 155 Elite Hunter when it comes out. Or maybe a 150 or 160 Matrix.

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It will be a full power hunting rifle. I have another 6.5 that I use for shooting a lot of rounds through.

 

I went down to visit my rifle today to check seating depths for all of my rounds I loaded up. That thing is looking amazing too! Eric open up the feed opening a touch since this was originally a standard action, not a WSM/SAUM action. It feeds crazy smooth.

 

20170830_123954_zpskngrwydr.jpg

 

20170830_124007_zps4aewu8kc.jpg

 

This is a 140 Hybrid seated really long. The base of the bullet is still above the body/shoulder junction. I knew what the Wyatt's extended box length was going to be (2.990"), so I made sure I kept the COAL shorter than that length And still get at least .264" of bearing surface in the neck.

 

20170830_124630_zpsw6awnbne.jpg

 

I am about .030" or so short of the max mag length

 

20170830_124656_zps2ktpulqr.jpg

 

20170830_124700_zpsa4pv3k88.jpg

 

I pushed the round down in the mag to make sure it would not stick. Still good.

 

20170830_124739_zps9cmulvji.jpg

 

I also took a bunch of loose bullets and an empty case with a neck that was a bit loose, but still held the bullet tight enough that I had to use a kinetic puller to get them out after chambering the round to check where they would be jammed to the lands. Amazing how different bullet shapes change CBTO when jammed to the lands. Also shows the comparators we use do not measure to actual ogive, but slightly above.

 

Here are the jammed CBTOs for various bullets.

 

127 LRX

20170830_123530_zpsk5bibe6j.jpg

 

143 ELD-X

20170830_123046_zpsdvscbf80.jpg

 

142 NABLR

20170830_122911_zps2lx8ms5w.jpg

 

142 SMK

20170830_122724_zpsrkxtztq4.jpg

 

140 HVLD

20170830_122519_zpsvgodfqxi.jpg

 

140 Hybrid

20170830_122112_zpsqjv5ualk.jpg

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Looks slick!! Exact same look im going for on my next rifle but with a heavier barrel, spiral barrel with same direction spiral bolt.

 

Is that the Mcmillian game scout stock??

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Teaser of the .280AI load development I am about to start. I finished up three rifles this weekend I was working on loads for, so I only have one more to try and slap together really quickly prior to a buddies hunt that starts Oct. 5th. But I got to shoot my .280AI on Friday morning after dove hunting.

 

1st impressions. Besides being a lightweight work of art, the rifle is really, REALLY well balanced with the Premier scope on it.

 

I did swap my "go-to load development scope" Kahles K624i w. SKMR reticle for a bit more precision to try and get a load for the .280AI shooting good enough as a back-up back-up elk rifle.

 

20170830_202335_zpszn9ufmmq.jpg

 

Since I was at the range to finish up two 7 Rem Mags loads I have been working on, I just took mine out to try it out, since my gunsmith has been badgering me about it...

 

After shooting the 7 mags, I set up the .280AI with some loads I built for a very rough sight-in/"let's see what this thing will do" test. I had already bore sighted it at my house, but gave it a couple clicks at the range at the 100 yards I was previously shooting. I pushed the target back to 200 and hoped I would be on paper so I could see the hit. I had taped up a few fresh targets in hopes of seeing a hit for correction.

 

So, first shot, Nosler brass, Fed GM310M, 168 HVLD over 57.0gr. RL23. BOOM! Oh wow, this rifle is a pussy cat. Even with the light weight, that brake takes off a ton of recoil. Big smile. Even better when I saw I hit paper at 200. Low and right of POA, but good enough to start. I shot 2 more of the same load.......uh-oh.

 

Remember, this is only at 200 yards. First 3 shots from a new rifle with a new, unfired, clean barrel......DANG IT!!! Not a good sign.......for the game animals!

 

First 3 shots at 200 yards. No load development, no testing, just point and shoot.

 

I need to get a better photo, but you can see the group through my spotter on 70X. Sorry, phone photo. Look at the bottom of targets #4 & 5 on the top left paper. Right hole @ 3;00 is the first shot. Left two @ 9:00 & 8:00 are shots 2 & 3. About .8" or .4MOA.

 

20170901_091808_zpsbhiqre2a.jpg

 

Charge weights of 57.5 & 58.0 were both just over 1" @ 200.

 

Final charge weight for the day was 58.5gr. RL23 behind the 168 HVLD. Now, I did not bring my chronograph, thinking no way I would need it. I wish I had, because if these are anywhere around 2900+, I might just call it good!

 

Top "hole" is 2 shots, then I dropped the third by about 1/4". 3 shots, at .29" @ 200. WHAT???

 

20170901_103842_zpsj2vjspbc.jpg

 

I am sure it was somewhat of a fluke, and I might not be able to repeat it, but dang. Talk about a confidence builder.

 

 

On a much more serious note. A Public Service Announcement:

 

I went back out on Sunday to verify my own 7RM load and zero (which is golden!) and was testing a few more charge weights in the .280AI @ 200 since the 58.5 showed not a single sign of pressure.

 

I was at the 2nd bench from the tower at Ben Avery. The closest bench is where the range masters work on guns, perform sight ins, etc.

 

Red flag #1: (in my opinion) I had been there a couple hours, when two guys showed up to have the BASF range masters "sight in" their rifle. Apparently, they have a hunt coming up......have....had....same difference. A tag in the wallet. Yet they can't sight in their own rifle.....

 

They uncase a Ruger M77 tang safety in 7 Rem Mag. Same rifle/cartridge I have shot a ton. My cousin has one, my son-in-law has one, my brother has one, I used to have one. Nice enough gun. Great in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.

 

They said, "We just bought a new scope and put on it for the hunt." I heard they had mounted it themselves.

 

Red flag #1: Bolt was absolutely filthy. Covered in old, OLD oil that had turned to glue, years of dust accumulation. The ranger masters asked the guy how long it had been since he cleaned it. His response was "I don't know, a few years?" They got it cleaned up so it was functioning and sliding freely.

 

Red flag #2: Good thing they decided to bore sight the rifle. The barrel was dirtier than the bolt. Years of old oil and dust had accumulated in the bore. Step #2, clean out the bore.

 

Red flag #3: The guys asked myself, and another member here who was at the bench next to me (shooting a sweet custom .270 Win.) if we had a bore snake for a 9mm. Yes, a 9mm. Not a 7mm. The range masters had a cleaning rod, so they got some solvent and some patches and cleaned out the bore.

 

Red flag #4: Ammo condition: The guys broke out a box of 7 Rem Mag ammo, it was Winchester I believe, that was really old, and the box looked like it had gotten wet a time or two. They opened the box, and half the ammo was green, and some were tarnished almost black....I think that box went into the trash? I hope.

 

Box #2 looked OK, but the ammo was really old again. Tarnished, corroded lead soft points that get the white oxidation on the lead.... Now the range masters should have called it quits right there. Too many issues to this point.

 

Anyway, they bore sighted the scope, and strapped the rifle down in a Lead Sled.

 

Now I was shooting a 7RM pushing a hot 180 Hybrid load, with a muzzle brake. A lot of you know those obnoxious guys like me that shoot next to you, and you know the noise and muzzle blast we create, right? Another shooter I know (Charlie) was standing behind me, as I was shooting. So I wasn't paying attention to what was about to transpire 5' to my right....

 

The range master (a young lady who is there all the time), after bore sighting the rifle/scope, was going to perform the sight-in for the guys.....

 

When she squeezed off that first round.....It was a yard sale. It sounded like a .50BMG round, concussion was unbelievable, shoot went flying, scope came off, bolt came out, scared the crap out of me.

 

Luckily, I believe the ONLY injury was very minor. A cut on the range master's nose across the bridge. But holy crap was she pissed! I have seen the range masters lose their cool a couple times, but dang. She was cussing, yelling, throwing stuff, telling them to get their effing shoot out and get the eff out, etc.

 

And the guys acted incredulous. "It is not my fault", etc. No responsibility, no apologies, no concern for the person whose life was literally in danger.

 

I am not sure what all went wrong, but I am thinking the ammo got wet, or went bad somehow, causing massive overpressure and very dangerous conditions, the corrosion of the case/bullets caused either a "weld" or something, the bore was still way too dirty and caused the issue, the gun had something majorly wrong with it to begin with, etc.

 

​So please be careful people. Inspect your guns, ammo, etc. before each trip. Make sure everything is in working order and in proper condition. We ARE working with a controlled explosion and extreme pressures.

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That's crazy!!!! Ive done stupid things too!! Remember I texted you why my .5 grain extra almost blew up in my face and gave me powder burns on my eye brow??? For those who don't know the story went like this. Loading at 55.5 grains and for what ever reason why I was using % percentage in my mind for the newt .5 grain up. I don't know why but I did it not thinking about it that I should of gone up to 56 g but I rounded up to 60 grain. My gun shot gases back at me and stuck the bolt. Lucky I was ok.!!! I didn't even understand how this could happen I went up .5 grain and texted Lance what had happen. He responded you didn't go up .5 you went up 4.5 grains!!!!!!! I realized what I did and rounded up, and I still to this day don't know why I did that. I could of lost an eye and worse I was 25 miles from the closest ER

 

But on your rifles those are awesome just shootem groups!

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I shoot the same bullet in my .280 Ackley Lance with H4831. It's a good combo.

 

I'd shoot that load at distance which I know you likely are and you may be done...

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That's sexy!!!!! Looks like Eric built another amazing gun!

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