Help me rescope and reload for Christensen Arms Summit Ti.

[robby denning]

Steve O. I haven't shot anything but 130 Bergers in it, but will be trying the 140s in this project.

Thanks for sharing on the RL 17. If either of these don't pan out, I might give it a try.


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[N2TRKYS]

Have you ever tried Partitions or Accubonds?

 

[mtnwrunner]

RL17 should beat out RL19 in any WSM...but every rifle is unique IMO. Here, take a look at the can:



Have you tried 140s or 150s? They should be no disadvantage with WSM velocities. They may shoot better at top velocity. The first standard 270 I ever owned would not shoot 130s at all. It ended up shooting 140s incredibly and I've never shot anything but 140s ever since in any 270 and they have killed quite an assortment of big game from antelope to AK/YK moose with no complaints.

Robby, I was also going to suggest RL17. Originally designed for the short magnums but it works WONDERFULLY in lots of other cases. I use it in a 6.5 creedmoor and a 30-06 ackley. Beats all other powders by at least 100 to 150 fps. It especially will meet your criteria for flat shooting.

Randy

 

[mcr-85]

Robby, I was also going to suggest RL17. Originally designed for the short magnums but it works WONDERFULLY in lots of other cases. I use it in a 6.5 creedmoor and a 30-06 ackley. Beats all other powders by at least 100 to 150 fps. It especially will meet your criteria for flat shooting.

Randy

Reloder 17 works pretty sweet in a 22-250 with a fast twist shooting 69 Sierra TMKs as well. I just got a new 22-250 and have been doing load development for it and it's shooting just over quarter inch groups at 200 yards with R-17.

I never have tried it in my 270 WSM though. I have stuck with Retumbo and the Matrix 165s and now the Berger 170s.

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[robby denning]

Our friends at Berger sent 140 Classic Hunters today.

If you just got here, I've been shooting those 130 grain Classic Hunters the last two years and have been very happy on terminal performance i.e. they put the smack down on those two bucks in post #1

I'll include them in this test again because now I'm switching powder as part of the reason for this tuneup is to see if I can get more velocity than the 3150 I was getting.

I did reach out to Hornady but so far no response. Maybe they don't want to go up against Berger?




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[robby denning]

I received the modified cases back from Hells Canyon for my new COAL gauge. Looking forward to see how this works. Mike, just let me know when/where/how and of course, at your convenience.


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[robby denning]

I got with Tally this morning and ordered both the tall and medium tactical 2-piece picatinny rings. Goal is to drop that new Vortex 0.1 to 0.15 closer to the gun and still get bolt clearance. Christensen swings high, wishing they could cut some degrees off of that bolt lift.

1" Tactical Ring (Black Armor) (High) - Talley Manufacturing

I won't know until I get them if they will work. Tally is great about taking them back. Sometimes you got to risk a little postage on this stuff.


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[robby denning]

One issue will be getting my scope level. In the past, I've just eyeballed it using a small bubble level, but never completely sure my action was level. Most guys cringe at the thought of eyeballing a scope to level but if you're not long range hunting it doesn't matter (much).

I have noticed though as I push beyond 400 yards that I'm often left or right of the bull's-eye (independent of the wind) and I attribute that to not having a level scope.

Xtreme Hard Core Gear offers a great system but it won't fit the Christensen action. The Tank scope plumb machined from solid steel billet

What do you guys recommend for mounting the scope level?


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[HellsCanyon]

One issue will be getting my scope level. In the past, I've just eyeballed it using a small bubble level, but never completely sure my action was level. Most guys cringe at the thought of eyeballing a scope to level but if you're not long range hunting it doesn't matter (much).

I have noticed though as I push beyond 400 yards that I'm often left or right of the bull's-eye (independent of the wind) and I attribute that to not having a level scope.

Xtreme Hard Core Gear offers a great system but it won't fit the Christensen action. The Tank scope plumb machined from solid steel billet

What do you guys recommend for mounting the scope level?


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The important part here is leveling your optic. A rifle barrel technically doesn't have a top or bottom. If using a picatinny base and your optic has a machined flat base under the turrets I will use feeler gauges between the bottom of the scope and the scope base. Use just enough feeler gauges that when you tighten the scope rings you can slide the gauges out with some tension. That gets the scope mounted up really close to plumb with the base.

I use a scope tube Mounted bubble level that I can adjust. Hang a plumb bob at 100 yards or setup a 4' level. Put your rifle in a vise or cradle and get your cross hairs aligned on the plumb line/level. Adjust bubble level on scope tube to plumb and tighten down. This also makes it easy to swap scopes from rifle to rifle as that level is tuned to the optic and is hard mounted to it.

Same process applies with a level mounted anywhere. You just have to match the reticle to the level.

I'll post some pics this afternoon of using that COAL Gauge.

Mike


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[HellsCanyon]

Okay, finally back in the shop after nearly 2k miles of driving in the last ten days! Got some time to illustrate the proper way to use these COAL gauges to setup a baseline seating depth.

Tools of the trade. HCA 338 Norma with hornady coal gauge and calibrated calipers.

You're going to want to set your tool out towards the thin part of your caliper jaws. Zero out your calipers. I normally use the mid point for other measuring but this tool likes it out on the end. You'll see why below.

Insert your bullet to where the bearing surface is just above the case neck, and run the plunger of the hornady took up through the case till it contacts bullet base.

Insert tool into the rear of the receiver pushing on the main body (red aluminum) to insert the case fully into the chamber. Seat it snugly. This is why I like using a fired case with minimal shoulder bump. Ensures a tight consistent fit in the chamber with no slop.

At this point loosen the set screw on the grey plunger and push it forward, extending the bullet out of the case and to the point where it stops, contacting the lands. Keeping firm pressure on the plunger tighten the brass set screw on the plunger.

You're going to have to use a cleaning rod inserted at the muzzle to push the case back out of the chamber with the bullet still inside the case. If not you'll just remove the case and the bullet will still be stuck in the lands. Remove any jags so the tip is hollow and won't scar the bore, my rod has a small conical bore guide that helps keep the rod centered.

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[HellsCanyon]

Now you're going to measure the COAL. Picture is self explanatory. The thin edge of the calipers fits better under the halfway expose case head.

Repeat the whole process a few times making sure you get consistent results. It can take some finesse if you're not used to calipers. And more or less pressure can alter you're measurements and push that soft copper jacketed bullet farther into the lands. I got 2.882, 2.8815, 2.882.... good enough for the gov work.

Here you can see the case and bullet relationship. This reamer is spec'd for a 300 grain berger, putting the base of the bearing surface slightly ahead of the neck/shoulder junction.

So now you know your chamber length and seating depth to the lands. Load accordingly and remember if you choose to load your bullets touching or jammed into the lands, you will see higher pressure than if they were jumped. So start low on powder charges and work your way up!

Mike


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[robby denning]

OK the Tally standard heights arrived. They're 1.5 oz heavier than the tall PRIs, but I like the lower height. PRI doesn't have a lowered height that will work. This standard height just aligns better with my eye. Still not a lot of bolt clearance. The only real complaint I've had on this Christensen is the high bolt throw.

Never heard from anyone on suggestions for leveling my action so I called Sportsmans Warehouse and they offered to do it even though I got the scope directly from Vortex. Good on them.

Headed there now.

Not going to make my mid July deadline on this project. Oh well.


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[N2TRKYS]

If you're talking about leveling your crosshairs to your action, then Wheeler Eng. sells a level level level system. I usually just shoulder my rifle and do it by sight. I don't shoot 1000 yds while hunting, so it's never been an issue. If having it straight up and down is important to someone, just hang a plumb bob.

 

[daddie63]

Thank you hellscanyon. Appreciate the pics and explanation. good stuff.

 

[robby denning]

A guy is never too old to learn. I've been eyeballing scopes to level all these years and like I said before, it gets you close enough for 400 yards, but as I've been shooting further with these hashmarks, I have noticed I'm often left or right more than the wind can account for.

Mike Moad at Sportsmans leveled the scope to the action but also showed me some simple tricks to do it myself.

With the two-piece picatinny, there are two flat spots where you can easily get a level on there.

So when I got back home, I put two small levels on the gun. Mike got it close but now that I understand how simple the process is, I loosened the rings and did some fine-tuning on it. She's really level now.

I also learned by trial and error that how you torque down your ring can affect your level. These Tallys have four screws per ring and I found I had to tighten in 1/4 turns from screw to screw back ring then front ring until I got them tight to keep it level. If I didn't pay attention to it, I would end up off about a 32nd of a bubble. Not much but it did show me that it matters how you torque them down.

I'm sure a bunch of you guys already know this stuff, but this is all hi- precision work for this deer hunter.

N2Turkeys, thanks for chiming in, I did see that Sportsmans had that Wheeler level system there. But I think I'll shoot the gun out to 600 and if it looks good I'll probably just go this route. If not, I know that's out there now and could step up to it. Thank you

Next step is to follow Hells Canyons instructions on COAL with my new gauge he made me and work up some loads. Then the range work begins.


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[luke moffat]

Robby are you gonna put a bubble level of some sort on it to make sure you aren't canting the rifle anyways, cause all the leveling of the scope goes out the window if you naturally cant the rifle anyways. I know if I don't make sure I am my bubble is level especially shooting towards uneven ground and just try to make my cross hairs "look" level I have missed steel even as close as 550. Then correct for a bubble level and make 5 shots in a row at the same distance in less than 30 second. That said I'm a newb and just starting to try the longer distances out, but I have figured out enough that especially shooting to uneven terrain I naturally try to make the cross hairs look level when in reality I look at the bubble level and my rifle/scope apparently has a serious gangster lean going on.

 

[robby denning]

Hi Luke. I'm not at this point as this is a 1" tube and the sponsors we worked with don't make level rings for that size. I agree with what you're saying and is one more reason I'm not a long range guy- too many gadgets. I just wanted to finally start with a level scope as eyeballing it has to introduce more even variables.


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[HellsCanyon]

I might have a set of plastic inserts in the cabinet that adapt a 30mm tube to 1" if you're interested....


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[dotman]

Hi Luke. I'm not at this point as this is a 1" tube and the sponsors we worked with don't make level rings for that size. I agree with what you're saying and is one more reason I'm not a long range guy- too many gadgets. I just wanted to finally start with a level scope as eyeballing it has to introduce more even variables.


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Ahhh... Vortex makes one for 1" tubes

Vortex Optics - Bubble Level 1-Inch Tube

 

[robby denning]

Ahhh... Vortex makes one for 1" tubes

Vortex Optics - Bubble Level 1-Inch Tube

Thanks Luke and Mike but too late now. I'm already behind on this.


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