Weird results during ammo testing
Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 12:52 pm
I've recently been testing out some new .308 loads using Wildboar and today had something weird happen...
I normally shoot at 25yds (my club only has 25 and 50 yds ranges) and last Sunday I tested some batches with different charges, and also chrono'd them to try to get into the 2600 to 2700 fps range with 155 SMK's... only 18 inch barrel... and 44.0, 44.5 and 45.0 grains were in that range. (We have a club outing to Bisley and 900yds at the end of the month, so trying to get something suitable to reach that range.)
I normally shoot 178 gn Amax's and the rifle was zero'd at 25yds for those. The 155gn SMKs were hitting just under an inch high of my POA, but I didn't bother adjusting, just going for group size.
Today I tried more batches going up 0.2 grain at a time, 44.2, 44.4 etc up to 45.0, but I moved onto the 50 yd range to check group size better..
With the longer range, I was expecting the shots to go 1-2 inches high, so imagine my surprise when the first shot went 6 inches LOW...!
I dialed in 10MOA on the scope, and that then put them about 1/2 - 1 inch high of my POA.... and all the shots fired stayed around that as I went through the batches.
I was shooting from a bipod last week, but switched to a bag this week so that may make a little difference, but not that much!
i've checked the scope base and rings, all tight and the action seems tight... I'm puzzled...
So... what would cause a rifle / scope to shoot 10 MOA low between 25 and 50 yds..?
I normally shoot at 25yds (my club only has 25 and 50 yds ranges) and last Sunday I tested some batches with different charges, and also chrono'd them to try to get into the 2600 to 2700 fps range with 155 SMK's... only 18 inch barrel... and 44.0, 44.5 and 45.0 grains were in that range. (We have a club outing to Bisley and 900yds at the end of the month, so trying to get something suitable to reach that range.)
I normally shoot 178 gn Amax's and the rifle was zero'd at 25yds for those. The 155gn SMKs were hitting just under an inch high of my POA, but I didn't bother adjusting, just going for group size.
Today I tried more batches going up 0.2 grain at a time, 44.2, 44.4 etc up to 45.0, but I moved onto the 50 yd range to check group size better..
With the longer range, I was expecting the shots to go 1-2 inches high, so imagine my surprise when the first shot went 6 inches LOW...!
I dialed in 10MOA on the scope, and that then put them about 1/2 - 1 inch high of my POA.... and all the shots fired stayed around that as I went through the batches.
I was shooting from a bipod last week, but switched to a bag this week so that may make a little difference, but not that much!
i've checked the scope base and rings, all tight and the action seems tight... I'm puzzled...
So... what would cause a rifle / scope to shoot 10 MOA low between 25 and 50 yds..?