Josh Wright
WKR
Reloading: Real world test completed
Not sure if anyone is interested in this, but I have been working off on for these 3 guns before elk season hits here in Colorado. My dad has the 28 Nosler in the Ridgeline and I have the 26 Nosler in the same. My mom has the Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed in the 6.5 Creedmoor.
Previously, I had a Nosler M48 Patriot that shot factory loads at less than .3 MOA in the 26 Nosler. That gun was lights out in the shooting department. However, I wanted a lighter gun. So, I sold it and bought a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in the same 26 Nosler. My dad had a Sako Finnlight in the .300 WSM that couldnt shoot and hit a barn even when strapped to a bench. We ran $400 worth of ammo in the thing before we gave up and sent it back. Sako did honor the refund and did say it was the guns fault but would not elaborate. My mom had an older Winchester .243 that she never used and a Browing Bar II in a 7mm-08. I convinced her to sell/trade them in for the the line of Browning X-Bolts, the Hells Canyon Speed model in the 6.5 Creedmoor.
For starters:
The ridgeline is a lot of gun for the price. The stocks feel great and the gun shoots fairly well. The one thing I'm not a huge fan is the bolt cycle. I prefer the Browning 60 degree bolt lifts all day long over these. I like to have more clearance from the scope, but in all reality, if the first shot is true then it doesnt matter.
The first elk load from the 28 Nosler ended with this:
COAL 3.340
Nosler Accubond Long Range 168 gr
Retumbo 81.5 grains
.707 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 3193
Energy at 800 is 1643
Energy at 1000 is 1299
Needless to say this one packs a punch. This can kill anything in North America and can cleanly kill elk from 800 to 1000 depending on your energy preference (1200 vs 1500).
Now the 26 Nosler:
COAL 3.300
Nosler Accubond Long Range 142 gr
US869 86.5 grains
.684 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 3260
Energy at 800 is 1586
Energy at 1000 is 1289
Again, this load with this bullet can kill it all. I actually have a .201 MOA load for this with the 129 gr ABLR throwing it at 3276 muzzle velocity with retumbo.
Before I loaded for the Ridgelines, I did call the company to get an idea what to expect with reloads. They told me around 3/4 of an inch. This held true once I figured how to load for ABLR's. They need a jump. More on that later.
Now the 6.5 Creedmoor from the Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed:
This is such an easy gun to shoot. I broke in the barrel with Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X. It would shoot anywhere from .75 to 1.25 MOA. I never did any velocity tests, but some groupings just didnt make any sense to me. So, after the break in and some reloads, this is what we have from this rifle.
COAL 2.800
Nosler Accubond Long Range 142 grains
Superformance 44.3 grains
.457 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 2667 (22 inch barrel)
Energy at 400 is 1517
Energy at 600 is 1231
A well placed bullet could do the trick and I would feel comfortable with this gun to 500 and maybe 600 if everything was just right on elk. This gun was easy to shoot, easy to reload for, and at 6 pounds 5 ounces easy to carry. Easy, easy, easy. I wish I had one.
Re: Nosler ABLR
I love their bullets and am a huge fan of their terminal abilities. In every gun, they required a jump. I tried to shoot my 26 Nosler close to the lands with these and I could have done better just throwing the bullets. That gun was everywhere. So, I did some research and came across a lot of data that most people needed a jump for them to shoot. That rang true for my entire loading process.
I know a lot of people like to tinker with stocks, triggers, etc., but the Brownings do not get the credit they deserve. I almost feel dumb spending the money I did when the Brownings shoot so darn well. The ridgelines are good guns and I will be taken mine on muley and elk hunts this year. I cant wait to see how the perform on live animals.
Not sure if anyone is interested in this, but I have been working off on for these 3 guns before elk season hits here in Colorado. My dad has the 28 Nosler in the Ridgeline and I have the 26 Nosler in the same. My mom has the Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed in the 6.5 Creedmoor.
Previously, I had a Nosler M48 Patriot that shot factory loads at less than .3 MOA in the 26 Nosler. That gun was lights out in the shooting department. However, I wanted a lighter gun. So, I sold it and bought a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in the same 26 Nosler. My dad had a Sako Finnlight in the .300 WSM that couldnt shoot and hit a barn even when strapped to a bench. We ran $400 worth of ammo in the thing before we gave up and sent it back. Sako did honor the refund and did say it was the guns fault but would not elaborate. My mom had an older Winchester .243 that she never used and a Browing Bar II in a 7mm-08. I convinced her to sell/trade them in for the the line of Browning X-Bolts, the Hells Canyon Speed model in the 6.5 Creedmoor.
For starters:
The ridgeline is a lot of gun for the price. The stocks feel great and the gun shoots fairly well. The one thing I'm not a huge fan is the bolt cycle. I prefer the Browning 60 degree bolt lifts all day long over these. I like to have more clearance from the scope, but in all reality, if the first shot is true then it doesnt matter.
The first elk load from the 28 Nosler ended with this:
COAL 3.340
Nosler Accubond Long Range 168 gr
Retumbo 81.5 grains
.707 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 3193
Energy at 800 is 1643
Energy at 1000 is 1299
Needless to say this one packs a punch. This can kill anything in North America and can cleanly kill elk from 800 to 1000 depending on your energy preference (1200 vs 1500).
Now the 26 Nosler:
COAL 3.300
Nosler Accubond Long Range 142 gr
US869 86.5 grains
.684 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 3260
Energy at 800 is 1586
Energy at 1000 is 1289
Again, this load with this bullet can kill it all. I actually have a .201 MOA load for this with the 129 gr ABLR throwing it at 3276 muzzle velocity with retumbo.
Before I loaded for the Ridgelines, I did call the company to get an idea what to expect with reloads. They told me around 3/4 of an inch. This held true once I figured how to load for ABLR's. They need a jump. More on that later.
Now the 6.5 Creedmoor from the Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed:
This is such an easy gun to shoot. I broke in the barrel with Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X. It would shoot anywhere from .75 to 1.25 MOA. I never did any velocity tests, but some groupings just didnt make any sense to me. So, after the break in and some reloads, this is what we have from this rifle.
COAL 2.800
Nosler Accubond Long Range 142 grains
Superformance 44.3 grains
.457 MOA
Muzzle Velocity is 2667 (22 inch barrel)
Energy at 400 is 1517
Energy at 600 is 1231
A well placed bullet could do the trick and I would feel comfortable with this gun to 500 and maybe 600 if everything was just right on elk. This gun was easy to shoot, easy to reload for, and at 6 pounds 5 ounces easy to carry. Easy, easy, easy. I wish I had one.
Re: Nosler ABLR
I love their bullets and am a huge fan of their terminal abilities. In every gun, they required a jump. I tried to shoot my 26 Nosler close to the lands with these and I could have done better just throwing the bullets. That gun was everywhere. So, I did some research and came across a lot of data that most people needed a jump for them to shoot. That rang true for my entire loading process.
I know a lot of people like to tinker with stocks, triggers, etc., but the Brownings do not get the credit they deserve. I almost feel dumb spending the money I did when the Brownings shoot so darn well. The ridgelines are good guns and I will be taken mine on muley and elk hunts this year. I cant wait to see how the perform on live animals.
Last edited:
