cal30_sniper
WKR
TLDR: Advertised .662 G1 BC checked out within 0.05mils at 600yds with 2750fps muzzle velocity
I've been working with this bullet for a few range sessions now, figured I'd post an update as I haven't seen much on it outside of the Hammer Forums. I built a custom long-throat 300 WSM based on the dimensions and expected performance of this bullet, and so far I'm really happy with it. My biggest fear was reports of inflated BCs from Hammer. When you compare the form factor of this bullet with other available options (including lead) it seems like they must have inflated the number, but that doesn't seem to be the case with this bullet after verifying drops.
The goal for this rifle was to maximize performance of copper monos for meat hunting. I initially looked at 35-36 caliber options in order to take advantage of the larger frontal area with limited expansion of copper, but settled on this bullet due to the somewhat outstanding nature of it's advertised BC vs weight (i.e. form factor). My insurance against this bullet not panning out was that multiple other known-performing bullets end up in a very reasonable 3.1-3.2" COAL with this throating (190/210 ABLR, 208 LRX, and a number of other mono and lead options that I checked).
The Rifle:
Defiance Ti-X Medium Action
Preferred Barrels 20" 1:8 twist Taperless .750 profile, chambered specifically for .030" of jump with this bullet at 3.260" COAL
Rokstok
UM Premier Medium Rings
UM Bottom Metal and Mags (longest COAL available for the medium action)
Maven RS1.2
Currently wearing my Sandman S can, will be switching to an AB Raptor 8 stack soon
8.0lb finished weight (w/out suppressor)
The Load:
ADG 300 WSM Brass
Aforementioned Bullet
3.255" COAL (seated to second driving band)
H4350 powder
2756fps LabRadar verified MV at the 60.6gr powder charge I'm using
Range Results:
Consistently shoots 1.2-1.5 MOA 5 and 10 shot groups. Some sub-MOA 5 shot groups during load dev. I'm confident the rifle is more accurate than this, but I'm having a hard time consistently doing much better with it due to the light weight. To be clear, this is not a recoil complaint (recoil is exceptionally mild with the can and rokstok) but more a steadying the reticle before the shot complaint (particularly in wind, which is ever-present at the 6600' elevation high-desert range I shoot at). The lighter the rifle, the harder I find to steady. 60 rounds down the tube now and MVs are settled in right around 2750fps. I saw a slight increase of velocity (~20fps) over the last 30 shots with this load, but it seems to be plateauing at this point. I'm right at the hint of ejector mark shine on the brass, though not enough to catch a fingernail. I'll probably drop another few tenths of a grain to buy some insurance at hotter ambient temps, it'll only cost me 20-30fps MV based on load ladder results.
This was my final sighter group yesterday at 100yds, just prior to moving to the long steel range to verify drops (I dialed an additional 0.1mil left after this group):
Using my LabRadar MV and iPhone atmospherics, AB's Ballistic App returned a 3.55 MIL elevation hold for the 600yd range I planned to verify drops at (this is just shy of 2200fps impact velocity, which is what I plan to hold max range at until I can verify bullet performance on game). The wind conditions were swinging left to right quartering at 15mph gusting to 23mph (per the nearby airport weather readings, wind is usually a little worse than that report at the higher elevation of this range). AB gave about a .5mil wind hold for that speed and angle, but given the variable nature of the wind I worked back and forth with the range flags and anywhere from a dead wind hold to 0.25mils of wind hold in the appropriate direction. I held wrong on one of the shots as the wind was shifting, which went just off the right side of the target (can spot your own splash with this stock design, and splash is impressive with this bullet), but the other 9 were solid hits. I marked 8, there's a 9th, but I couldn't tell which impact was the double splash so I didn't mark it. I think the 9th was what appears to be a double-splash at the 1 o'clock edge of my black aiming mark:
So, the advertised BC of .662 seems to be absolutely perfect in this velocity range. I dialed 3.6Mils for a 3.55Mil correction and ended up with a 9-round group that was .05 mils high. Can't get any closer than that. Super happy with these results, especially given the wind conditions.
Will be headed on a January cow elk hunt with this setup, hopefully with some terminal performance reports to follow.
I've been working with this bullet for a few range sessions now, figured I'd post an update as I haven't seen much on it outside of the Hammer Forums. I built a custom long-throat 300 WSM based on the dimensions and expected performance of this bullet, and so far I'm really happy with it. My biggest fear was reports of inflated BCs from Hammer. When you compare the form factor of this bullet with other available options (including lead) it seems like they must have inflated the number, but that doesn't seem to be the case with this bullet after verifying drops.
The goal for this rifle was to maximize performance of copper monos for meat hunting. I initially looked at 35-36 caliber options in order to take advantage of the larger frontal area with limited expansion of copper, but settled on this bullet due to the somewhat outstanding nature of it's advertised BC vs weight (i.e. form factor). My insurance against this bullet not panning out was that multiple other known-performing bullets end up in a very reasonable 3.1-3.2" COAL with this throating (190/210 ABLR, 208 LRX, and a number of other mono and lead options that I checked).
The Rifle:
Defiance Ti-X Medium Action
Preferred Barrels 20" 1:8 twist Taperless .750 profile, chambered specifically for .030" of jump with this bullet at 3.260" COAL
Rokstok
UM Premier Medium Rings
UM Bottom Metal and Mags (longest COAL available for the medium action)
Maven RS1.2
Currently wearing my Sandman S can, will be switching to an AB Raptor 8 stack soon
8.0lb finished weight (w/out suppressor)
The Load:
ADG 300 WSM Brass
Aforementioned Bullet
3.255" COAL (seated to second driving band)
H4350 powder
2756fps LabRadar verified MV at the 60.6gr powder charge I'm using
Range Results:
Consistently shoots 1.2-1.5 MOA 5 and 10 shot groups. Some sub-MOA 5 shot groups during load dev. I'm confident the rifle is more accurate than this, but I'm having a hard time consistently doing much better with it due to the light weight. To be clear, this is not a recoil complaint (recoil is exceptionally mild with the can and rokstok) but more a steadying the reticle before the shot complaint (particularly in wind, which is ever-present at the 6600' elevation high-desert range I shoot at). The lighter the rifle, the harder I find to steady. 60 rounds down the tube now and MVs are settled in right around 2750fps. I saw a slight increase of velocity (~20fps) over the last 30 shots with this load, but it seems to be plateauing at this point. I'm right at the hint of ejector mark shine on the brass, though not enough to catch a fingernail. I'll probably drop another few tenths of a grain to buy some insurance at hotter ambient temps, it'll only cost me 20-30fps MV based on load ladder results.
This was my final sighter group yesterday at 100yds, just prior to moving to the long steel range to verify drops (I dialed an additional 0.1mil left after this group):
Using my LabRadar MV and iPhone atmospherics, AB's Ballistic App returned a 3.55 MIL elevation hold for the 600yd range I planned to verify drops at (this is just shy of 2200fps impact velocity, which is what I plan to hold max range at until I can verify bullet performance on game). The wind conditions were swinging left to right quartering at 15mph gusting to 23mph (per the nearby airport weather readings, wind is usually a little worse than that report at the higher elevation of this range). AB gave about a .5mil wind hold for that speed and angle, but given the variable nature of the wind I worked back and forth with the range flags and anywhere from a dead wind hold to 0.25mils of wind hold in the appropriate direction. I held wrong on one of the shots as the wind was shifting, which went just off the right side of the target (can spot your own splash with this stock design, and splash is impressive with this bullet), but the other 9 were solid hits. I marked 8, there's a 9th, but I couldn't tell which impact was the double splash so I didn't mark it. I think the 9th was what appears to be a double-splash at the 1 o'clock edge of my black aiming mark:
So, the advertised BC of .662 seems to be absolutely perfect in this velocity range. I dialed 3.6Mils for a 3.55Mil correction and ended up with a 9-round group that was .05 mils high. Can't get any closer than that. Super happy with these results, especially given the wind conditions.
Will be headed on a January cow elk hunt with this setup, hopefully with some terminal performance reports to follow.
