Painless load development (mine)

[HighUintas]

I had to drop 2 thou off the bushing I was using for lapua. Ended up using a .266 if I remember right.

I annealed my Virgin brass and put some graphite on the inside of the neck before sizing it and loading it last night with my cheapo Lee die. I usually don't do that with Virgin brass, and I can't remember if I did that with my Virgin 6.5 CM starline brass, but I don't think I did. There was still up to 0.002 run out on the case neck after sizing, but the loaded bullet runout wasn't anymore than 0.004-0.005, so it was much better for my ocd.

However, I don't think it matters.
About 50 shots through it today just trying to get it stabilized before finding a load for hunting in October. The left/right stringing is shooter error too. Had a pretty poor rest and was shooting quickly as I could.



I did get my forster die in the mail today. Man is it a big difference from from Lee dies. I sized one fired case and it was smooth as butter and had immeasurable runout after sizing. I'm looking forward to using it more.

 

[TimberHunter]

Just picked up a tikka 22-250. Installed Maven RS1.2 using sportsmatch rings.

First 3 shots were signters at 33,34,35 grains of powder. Then moved to 100 and shot the circled group (including the one way to the right) with 36 of H4350 and 75eldm at about 3200 fps with 22” barrel

I can typically shoot my 6.5 tikka around 1-1.25” for 10 shot groups.

Obviously the 22-250 doesn’t like this load. But I was about to cut 2” off and thread for suppressor. Typically suppressors improve groups but this is a pretty rough group.

Really want a high BC bullet and have a lot of H4350 on hand (trying to not buy other powder if I can help it)

What would you change first?

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[ramblinman]

H4350 is definitely a powder to not catch pressure and rock on like some powders. Especially if ur not 100% case fill and jumping an eld-m

If you are going to run it hell or high water I’d punch the eld-m into the lands 10thou and cure a bunch of reloading ills in one fell swoop.

Then catch pressure and see where she lies.

This is assuming all your assembly is tidied up and nothings bound or dead heading where it shouldn’t and be everything is screwed and glued where needed and scopes slick too

 

[Formidilosus]

Just picked up a tikka 22-250. Installed Maven RS1.2 using sportsmatch rings.

First 3 shots were signters at 33,34,35 grains of powder. Then moved to 100 and shot the circled group (including the one way to the right) with 36 of H4350 and 75eldm at about 3200 fps with 22” barrel

I can typically shoot my 6.5 tikka around 1-1.25” for 10 shot groups.

Obviously the 22-250 doesn’t like this load. But I was about to cut 2” off and thread for suppressor. Typically suppressors improve groups but this is a pretty rough group.

Really want a high BC bullet and have a lot of H4350 on hand (trying to not buy other powder if I can help it)

What would you change first?

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Change the bullet.

 

[Castle Rock]

The 75 is very sensitive to seating depth
77 TMK out of the same gun

 

[TimberHunter]

Change the bullet.

Would you go 77 TMK or 80 ELDM? Use will be deer hunting at distance of 400-650 yards, usually windy when I’m hunting

22-250 1:8 twist


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[Formidilosus]

Would you go 77 TMK or 80 ELDM? Use will be deer hunting at distance of 400-650 yards, usually windy when I’m hunting

22-250 1:8 twist


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I’d go 80gr ELD-X, if that doesn’t work- 77gr TMK.

 

[Stocky]

I’d go 80gr ELD-X, if that doesn’t work- 77gr TMK.

Have you seen issues with the 75 ELD and tikkas? I have a bunch and loaded 100 in 223 with H4895. They do a smidge under 2 inch's at 100 for 25 rounds from a bipod and scrunched up jacket. A little better would be nice to really maximize things but I took it out to 1km last weekend and other than having a bit of issues with vertical dispersion likely due to a combination of sifting winds and a high SD's. I will load the rest of them anyway but deciding whether i should buy anymore while they are cheap here. I have 600 odd left

 

[wind gypsy]

Have you seen issues with the 75 ELD and tikkas? I have a bunch and loaded 100 in 223 with H4895. They do a smidge under 2 inch's at 100 for 25 rounds from a bipod and scrunched up jacket. A little better would be nice to really maximize things but I took it out to 1km last weekend and other than having a bit of issues with vertical dispersion likely due to a combination of sifting winds and a high SD's. I will load the rest of them anyway but deciding whether i should buy anymore while they are cheap here. I have 600 odd left

My factory t3x lite barrel shot a number of bullets well but did not like the 75 ELDm. I tried XBR, varget, H4895 and various seating depths and nothing made me happy. It did better with 77 TMKs and much better with 73 ELDms.

I replaced it with a 7.5 twist ACE barrel with a wylde chamber. I dont have much time with it yet but thus far it seems to shoot the factory 73 ELDm ammo and ADI 55 SBK less precisely than the factory tube did however the one load i tried with 75 ELDm over h4895 shot much better than the factory barrel.

 

[ljalberta]

I’ve read of people having issues with the 75 ELDs at mag length. My Tikka .223 shoots them fine loaded to 2.42ish” COAL with Varget and 8T barrel.

 

[Formidilosus]

Have you seen issues with the 75 ELD and tikkas? I have a bunch and loaded 100 in 223 with H4895. They do a smidge under 2 inch's at 100 for 25 rounds from a bipod and scrunched up jacket. A little better would be nice to really maximize things but I took it out to 1km last weekend and other than having a bit of issues with vertical dispersion likely due to a combination of sifting winds and a high SD's. I will load the rest of them anyway but deciding whether i should buy anymore while they are cheap here. I have 600 odd left

There’s nothing wrong with the 75gr ELD-M.

 

[Stocky]

My factory t3x lite barrel shot a number of bullets well but did not like the 75 ELDm. I tried XBR, varget, H4895 and various seating depths and nothing made me happy. It did better with 77 TMKs and much better with 73 ELDms.

I replaced it with a 7.5 twist ACE barrel with a wylde chamber. I dont have much time with it yet but thus far it seems to shoot the factory 73 ELDm ammo and ADI 55 SBK less precisely than the factory tube did however the one load i tried with 75 ELDm over h4895 shot much better than the factory barrel.

Did you load them long?
I'm going to try some AR Comp loads might be a bit slower but if it improves the SDs, accuracy and burns a bit cleaner that would be nice.

 

[Stocky]

There’s nothing wrong with the 75gr ELD-M.

Cheers they seemed a pretty good round for something available here in NZ. 77tmks are rarely in stock although I found 200 to try but with the 223 I get anxiety only having 200 bullets left.

 

[wind gypsy]

Did you load them long?
I'm going to try some AR Comp loads might be a bit slower but if it improves the SDs, accuracy and burns a bit cleaner that would be nice.

Yes. I was not magazine length constrained.

 

[Stocky]

Yes. I was not magazine length constrained.

Sweet. 2moa wasn't the constraint I used to think it was so I'm happy to run the rest of them through as practice ammo if I have to.

 

[TimberHunter]

To reinforce (not that it needs it) the change bullet/powder if it’s not shooting well….

I had the barrel cut back 2” and threaded. Shot with a known good scope and supressor. Lot less vertical compared to stock configuration but group size is only slightly better at about 2.5”. New bullet here we come

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[Bluumoon]

To reinforce (not that it needs it) the change bullet/powder if it’s not shooting well….

I had the barrel cut back 2” and threaded. Shot with a known good scope and supressor. Lot less vertical compared to stock configuration but group size is only slightly better at about 2.5”. New bullet here we come

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Have you tried changing powder? Tried that a few weeks ago, and went from 2.5-3" groups to right at 1" 10 shot groups. I was impressed, had no idea that was a thing to that extent.

 

[TimberHunter]

Have you tried changing powder? Tried that a few weeks ago, and went from 2.5-3" groups to right at 1" 10 shot groups. I was impressed, had no idea that was a thing to that extent.

Stores were closed yesterday evening so couldn’t get a different bullet like suggested above so used some other powder on hand (staball 6.5). Not a true 10 shot group at the same powder charge. 1-36, 1-37 and 8-38 grains (shot the last two at 540 yards)

Also changed jump from .050” to .020”

So went from 2.5” ish groups with 4350 down to 1.25” which includes two loads that has substantially different powder amounts

Crazy fast (concerning fast) at about 3250 in a 20” barrel that hasn’t sped up yet. But no obvious pressure signs. Hodogen does list a 70 grain bullet with 38.6 at 3400+ fps out of a 24”

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[Sponxx]

Formidilosus - I've read a lot of your posts and Just coming onto this thread, which makes a lot of sense.

I have tried the "find the lands" method before, and it seemed to work with .243win, 95gr BT and 7828 for about 3000fps.
I loaded different charges and shot for groups, OCW style. All of them were good (good equipment should give good results ), however the slower powder seems to fill the case a bit
I have a bunch of 7828, but also 1pb of RL17 and am going to try that.

Assuming no limitations due to magazine length, does the "boattail to neck-case junction" means the flat bottom of the bullet? or the beggining of the boattail from the bearig surface, or in between? I assume start of the boat-tail, but want your clarification

Different bullets will have different boat-tail length, so they could encroach on the case more than others. At the same time it seems easier than constantly chasing the lands

 

[HighUintas]

Formidilosus - I've read a lot of your posts and Just coming onto this thread, which makes a lot of sense.

I have tried the "find the lands" method before, and it seemed to work with .243win, 95gr BT and 7828 for about 3000fps.
I loaded different charges and shot for groups, OCW style. All of them were good (good equipment should give good results ), however the slower powder seems to fill the case a bit
I have a bunch of 7828, but also 1pb of RL17 and am going to try that.

Assuming no limitations due to magazine length, does the "boattail to neck-case junction" means the flat bottom of the bullet? or the beggining of the boattail from the bearig surface, or in between? I assume start of the boat-tail, but want your clarification

Different bullets will have different boat-tail length, so they could encroach on the case more than others. At the same time it seems easier than constantly chasing the lands

That would be you want to try to keep the boat tail start (bearing surface boat tail junction) at or above the neck/shoulder junction.

Don't chase lands. Just load it so it fits your mag with the above in mind and find a load that produces acceptable accuracy for a larger round count group (10 usually is good indicator) and doesn't have any signs of pressure. Then go shoot a lot!