Thread: I think I may have F@#%ed up...

Originally Posted by DCN808T

I fired at least two (no point in firing all 5 with that result) rounds of each load at the corresponding dot for that load. None of the loads resulted in two shots even remotely close to each other or the dot i was aiming at

Greetings DCN808T,
I believe Timattalon is right. Your problem is likely lack of stability due to the slow twist. It is projectile length rather than weight that is important so stick to flat base projectiles with a blunter profile. It would help to know what projectiles that you have tried. Also I would suggest a larger aiming mark that would allow you to quarter it with the cross hairs. Measure the twist in your rifle to make sure you know what it is. If it is, as you believe, 1 in 13 inch then this will limit what you can shoot in the rifle. The fact that you can shoot 63 grain projectiles suggests a good place to start. .223 rifles generally shoot better than 1 MoA with any decent load so there is plenty of room for improvement.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Padox

As with all light calibers it's all shot placement me personally I like head or neck shooting as dead is dead or completely miss

Or a deer with its jaw shot off that wanders of to starve to death.

I think it's good that instead of getting your car reg plate to spell your name,you changed your name to spell your car reg plate.

Originally Posted by marky123

I think it's good that instead of getting your car reg plate to spell your name,you changed your name to spell your car reg plate.

Oh no. You're on to me. Might have to change my name now

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings DCN808T,
I believe Timattalon is right. Your problem is likely lack of stability due to the slow twist. It is projectile length rather than weight that is important so stick to flat base projectiles with a blunter profile. It would help to know what projectiles that you have tried. Also I would suggest a larger aiming mark that would allow you to quarter it with the cross hairs. Measure the twist in your rifle to make sure you know what it is. If it is, as you believe, 1 in 13 inch then this will limit what you can shoot in the rifle. The fact that you can shoot 63 grain projectiles suggests a good place to start. .223 rifles generally shoot better than 1 MoA with any decent load so there is plenty of room for improvement.
Regards Grandpamac.

Thanks. Maybe i should have not bothered with the heavier projectiles and stuck with what works.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Dead deer is a lot to do with where the bullet goes rather than how big it is, 55 gr is plenty big enough.
One thing the photo made me think of seeing they are all 2 shots was double grouping. Shooting a 3 or better still a 6 round string will determine that, you will end up with two separate clusters of 3 shots if it is.
Then the answer is checking the bedding of the action in the stock.

Good point. I just gave up and saved the remaining ammo for god knows what.

There are some good threads on load development and hanging out with someone who has a proven record my advise would be that ladder tests are not much use. First find a projectile that suits the rifle. Get a chronograph and use it to find node then change seating depths to find accuracy.
Before any of these read through all the threads on the subject and the links provided.
One thing I have found on this forum is that there’s lots of different advise and it’s hard to know who to trust.
Good luck finding accuracy is a noble game.
James

SPEER 52GRN hp make a good load....the 50s arent bad either..... I personally dont get hung up on heavier projectiles...more than happy with 50-55grn ...if going after big stuff a 50grn ttsx makes 223 into giant killer with good shot placement....eg in the boiler room.
the heaviest factoru load ive used is 60grn but saw no advantage over the 55s....
what sort of groups do you NORMALLY get???

re aiming point...try a X instead of a dot....or make a hollow dot so you can as GPM said quarter it.... the beauty of a X rather than normal cross is you see it through Xhairs better....

Here ya go fixed it!

That looks much better?

Just trying to help

Looks like all the Tikkas I’ve owned, the all shot like this,

I don’t think you fucked up. I just think you missed. Ha ha ha ha. I’m not a reloader so what the hell would I know?

Originally Posted by DCN808T

Thanks. Maybe i should have not bothered with the heavier projectiles and stuck with what works.

Greetings DCN808T,
With stability sometimes you need to go past the brink of what is possible to find out where that brink is. There was a box of 70 grain Speer projectiles on my shelf for years that I was always going to try in my 12 twist .223 Brno but never quite got round to it, They should have gone quite well in its long throat. Too late now as the rifle has moved on. Another trap is what may be stable at 100 metres may be rubbish at longer ranges. The only way to find out is to try them at longer ranges.
One thing I find useful when developing a load is to try a mid load for the projectile first with just two or three rounds. These are chronographed to validate the load data I am using. Once this has been done I can calculate a likely max velocity and test closer to that. I have not found working up in tiny increments to be worth the bother, quite the reverse in fact. There is little point in testing loads that deliver a velocity that you are not happy with. Happy to answer any questions.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

re aiming point...try a X instead of a dot....or make a hollow dot so you can as GPM said quarter it.... the beauty of a X rather than normal cross is you see it through Xhairs better....

I will give that a go. Thank yoy

Originally Posted by Rushy

I don’t think you fucked up. I just think you missed. Ha ha ha ha. I’m not a reloader so what the hell would I know?

At least I managed hit the piece of paper i was aiming at unlike the idiot who put a 5 shot group in the bullet stopper at the range!