Long range tuning

[JFrank]

Well, it just doesn’t want to stop snowing around my area ( NW Mt ).. no matter I’ve loaded some ammo and now I’m loading my ride and heading to a match this weekend. It should be decent weather in Missoula and hopefully I’ll get a good idea of where my program is.

 

[horsemen61]

View attachment 1144123 View attachment 1144124 Well, it just doesn’t want to stop snowing around my area ( NW Mt ).. no matter I’ve loaded some ammo and now I’m loading my ride and heading to a match this weekend. It should be decent weather in Missoula and hopefully I’ll get a good idea of where my program is.

Good Luck In your Match!

 

[d2wing]

April 4th today and it is snowing here too. Crazy. The lakes are still covered with thick ice.

 

[JFrank]

April 4th today and it is snowing here too. Crazy. The lakes are still covered with thick ice.

We have iced over lakes a plenty but Im just not comfortable walking around on them, whereas some of the guys take quads and snow machines to the ice fishing tent.

 

[JFrank]

Good Luck In your Match!

Thanks, I’m going to need some luck to place. I would really be pleased if my 500 yard tune holds together at a grand, I’ always bring test rounds but some days the weather isn’t great for collecting data and if I place my decisions on poor data it may or may not shoot as well the next morning.
The guys that camp out the day before get the early Friday morning calm conditions to test loads have taken advantage and shot super well through the weekend.

 

[LoonWulf]

Enjoy your match!
And may luck and weather favor you!

 

[Walkalong]

So how did it go? How was the weather?

 

[horsemen61]

So how did it go? How was the weather?

Yes I’d love to hear how it went

 

[JFrank]

So how did it go? How was the weather?

Actually it warmed up a bit, and may have taken my load out of tune. I finished in the top ten on sat but faltered on Sun with a poor wind call.

 

[JFrank]

Yes I’d love to hear how it went

I’m at another shoot this weekend and just finished loading for tomorrow. Ya wanna see what’s up ?
Here’s two charge ladders with different primers, at 1 thousand yards’ one is 450’s the other Br-4. ( I should have looked at these sooner but WTH ) I chose br-4 and 30.8 grains H4895 for tomorrow.
Wind and mirage kicked up about mid day ending my data collecting, so this will have to do

 

[JFrank]

Yes I’d love to hear how it went

I had to dig for these but here you go.
4th overall in light gun and 8th in heavy gun ( I don’t have a true heavy gun, instead I shoot my LG in both classes)

 

[Walkalong]

Nice going Jim, and, as you know, shooting actual matches is a lot different than playing in the backyard. It all counts and the competition is rougher. Some folks seem to forget that.

I don’t have a true heavy gun, instead I shoot my LG in both classes

I used to do that with my light gun in Benchrest matches, shoot it in light, heavy, and unlimited, tough in unlimited.

 

[JFrank]

The winds at Deep Creek were a bit tricky on Saturday, at least for me also im pretty sure I have some gun handling issues. Anyway here’s a couple of pics.

I chose the Br-4 primers
30.8 gr H4895
Berger 108 bt target
Seated @ .026 jump

 

[Okie_Poke]

I enjoy reading this. Please keep posting and updating us. Thank you.

 

[JFrank]

Well I’m not much of a reporter these days but I do have a good time tinkering and prepping for matches and if someone learns anything about the long range game then I’m happy to help.
Recently I purchased a Creedmoor sports trx925 scale to replace my aging electric scale and I must say that it’s very accurate with minimum drift and trickles quite well, will it replace my tuned beam scales ? Not likely but time will tell as the display is bright and easy to read with no neck or eye strain that can make for a long session.
I have a 300 yard match this weekend with some local guys so I made up some ammunition to have a look before the match and I can only hope it will be competitive but I can cover 3 shots with a dime at 300 yards under mirage and gusty conditions. Is that decent ? IDK

 

[JFrank]

I’ll post these pictures from a little 500 yard tuning done today, two charge ladders with .003 different primer crush and three different neck bushings.
Unfortunately I don’t see too much difference with the primer seating but the neck tension testing made me happy..
Starting at a loaded round neck OD .265
.262 -3/4 vert ( current neck bushing)
.261 - 1/4 vert
.260 -2” vert

 

[JFrank]

I re shot the above test loads without stellar results and actually hit early pressure so I decide to pull the barrel for examination and took a plunge and screwed on a new Kreiger 1-8 twist barrel I had chambered recently, and dug out a crate of hand swaged Vapor trails 103 bthp ( these are arguably the best 6 mm bullets in the world) with a fresh box of Lapua brass.

We shall see if I can get a competitive tune going.

 

[JFrank]

I don’t break in new barrels that often, so I talked to a couple buddies for some insight. Im starting the bullets set .006 into the lands based on previous data these like a jam so I’ll start there.
I have ten rounds for the initial - one shot clean copper and repeat until the copper fouling stops then a pressure ladder in two tenths increments to get an idea where the node will be, from there I can test neck bushings, seating and primers with short ladders of each. The barrel should be getting stable speed by then.

Hopeful
J

 

[JFrank]

A little barrel break in today.
I think it might shoot ok..

 

[JFrank]

I ran these ladders at 500 on two different bushings and judging from the overall group size I’m pretty sure this barrel likes the .261 neck bushing ,which is just about .0035 under a loaded round OD so that’s settled with this new brass.
Now back to cleaning, I’m using Montana Extreme copper Killer and WOW this stuff has strong fumes!!

 

[Walkalong]

IMHO, there's no real need to use ammonia based copper solvents these days, YMMV.

 

[JFrank]

IMHO, there's no real need to use ammonia based copper solvents these days, YMMV.

OMG ‘ you can say that again..I am fresh out of Bore tech Eliminator and had this sitting on the shelf, I got er done but dang that stuff is strong

 

[JmacD]

OMG ‘ you can say that again..I am fresh out of Bore tech Eliminator and had this sitting on the shelf, I got er done but dang that stuff is strong

Eliminator or wipeout/patch out. I’m so thankful for the day I had them recommend to me!!!

 

[Varminterror]

I’m pretty sure this barrel likes the .261 neck bushing

Which brass are you using?

 

[MarshallDodge]

Eliminator or wipeout/patch out. I’m so thankful for the day I had them recommend to me!!!

I'm with you, and have been using Wipe Out for about 15 years. I still have some Sweets for the 243. The combination of a speedy bullet, with lots of heat behind it and a factory barrel, create the need for something heavy duty. One more summer and I'll be swapping it out.