I am loading batches of 270 Win ammunition to shoot in my recently rebarreled pre 64 M70 and setting up the OAL, I noticed that I had a bunch of bullets with deep pull marks. This morning I sorted these bullets in two groups, ones that have obviously deep pull marks or gouges, and not so deep marks. I was going to divide the piles into a good versus bad, but it became obvious the bad pile was getting very big, and the good pile was staying very small. From there I loosened my criteria from perfect in the good pile, to "maybe this scratch mark is not too bad". These pulled bullets from RMR are the worst I have received to date, more deep gouges and scratches, than any I have ever purchased.
Now the problem is, I don't know what scratch mark level is deleterious to accuracy. I am of the opinion that something that shifts the center of gravity of a bullet will create inaccuracy. Assuming the center of gravity was in the middle to start with, the further the center of gravity is from the axis of rotation, the more wobble a bullet will have as it rotates downrange. However, these are hunting bullets.
This is a 308 caliber bullet:
I have shot enough of these Federal Fusion bullets to want to believe that the occasional flyer I get, is due to the bullet.
However, 300 yards is a long way, I am shooting these in a Sporter rifle, this target was from a rifle that will basically shoot within 2 MOA, so it does not have to be the bullet. I would like it to be the bullet and exonerate myself from all blame, wouldn't we all?
My 30-06's are shooting better than my 270's at this moment, and I have some excellent groups at 300 yards with the ever wonderful 168 SMK's
The Federal Fusion pulled bullets, well, the group is clearly more loosey goosey, and the flyers could be me, I am not showing the "flyers" that were not pictured with match bullets, I would not want to destroy the illusion!
I would not shoot pulled bullets in any target match, unless I was shooting standing, there, my hold is such, I am not going to see inaccuracy due to the bullet. But given that, the accuracy of these bullets is reasonably good out to 300 yards. That is, if the shooter will accept a CEP equal to a pie pan, and not try for one of those fabled 700, 800, 900, 1000 yard shots so commonly claimed on the web. You know, two miles is getting to be the old 1000 yards in terms of bragging. I wonder when everyone will be bragging about their 5 mile shots on deer and antelope.
I am going to load up some 270 Win loads exclusively with the "bad" bullets, and see how they do. However, I am considering rebedding the test rifle. The front lug was bedded, the rear lug was not.
After spending days inletting the stock for the new barrel, I was a bit lazy and did not route out all the old bedding. I also did not pour epoxy under the barrel shank, but the first tests at the range, prone with a sling, were very promising, but the second tests, on the bench, were more in the category of disappointing, so, time will tell.
Whenever I have gone whole hog in bedding a M70, and the pictures of the afore mentioned pre WW2 M70 in 30-06 were whole hog, I "pillar" bedded the action,
Routed an ungodly amount of wood around the action sides, and the "front pillars", trying to have at least a 1/4" thick layer of epoxy when done
Free floated the barrel
and left a good layer of epoxy under the chamber. And to date, those rifles have shot well. I did the whole hog bedding on this rifle:
and it shoots very well, for a light weight sporter.
as long as I don't shoot Core Lokt's
Now the problem is, I don't know what scratch mark level is deleterious to accuracy. I am of the opinion that something that shifts the center of gravity of a bullet will create inaccuracy. Assuming the center of gravity was in the middle to start with, the further the center of gravity is from the axis of rotation, the more wobble a bullet will have as it rotates downrange. However, these are hunting bullets.
This is a 308 caliber bullet:
I have shot enough of these Federal Fusion bullets to want to believe that the occasional flyer I get, is due to the bullet.
However, 300 yards is a long way, I am shooting these in a Sporter rifle, this target was from a rifle that will basically shoot within 2 MOA, so it does not have to be the bullet. I would like it to be the bullet and exonerate myself from all blame, wouldn't we all?
My 30-06's are shooting better than my 270's at this moment, and I have some excellent groups at 300 yards with the ever wonderful 168 SMK's
The Federal Fusion pulled bullets, well, the group is clearly more loosey goosey, and the flyers could be me, I am not showing the "flyers" that were not pictured with match bullets, I would not want to destroy the illusion!
I would not shoot pulled bullets in any target match, unless I was shooting standing, there, my hold is such, I am not going to see inaccuracy due to the bullet. But given that, the accuracy of these bullets is reasonably good out to 300 yards. That is, if the shooter will accept a CEP equal to a pie pan, and not try for one of those fabled 700, 800, 900, 1000 yard shots so commonly claimed on the web. You know, two miles is getting to be the old 1000 yards in terms of bragging. I wonder when everyone will be bragging about their 5 mile shots on deer and antelope.
I am going to load up some 270 Win loads exclusively with the "bad" bullets, and see how they do. However, I am considering rebedding the test rifle. The front lug was bedded, the rear lug was not.
After spending days inletting the stock for the new barrel, I was a bit lazy and did not route out all the old bedding. I also did not pour epoxy under the barrel shank, but the first tests at the range, prone with a sling, were very promising, but the second tests, on the bench, were more in the category of disappointing, so, time will tell.
Whenever I have gone whole hog in bedding a M70, and the pictures of the afore mentioned pre WW2 M70 in 30-06 were whole hog, I "pillar" bedded the action,
Routed an ungodly amount of wood around the action sides, and the "front pillars", trying to have at least a 1/4" thick layer of epoxy when done
Free floated the barrel
and left a good layer of epoxy under the chamber. And to date, those rifles have shot well. I did the whole hog bedding on this rifle:
and it shoots very well, for a light weight sporter.
as long as I don't shoot Core Lokt's
