Thread: Load development in the SI

Originally Posted by Gusto

I had a brand new Leupold scope a couple of years ago that was faulty which made the load development extremely time consuming. If you’ve got another scope might be worth swapping it over. It would shoot a similar pattern to what you’ve described


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Hmmm thanks for that, im about to purchase a different scope for the rifle because the leupold doesnt suit my eye.

Originally Posted by Strider B

Hmmm thanks for that, im about to purchase a different scope for the rifle because the leupold doesnt suit my eye.

Yea you wouldn’t expect new scopes to be faulty but definitely caught me out


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Originally Posted by Strider B

Hey thanks for the replies

Everything is tight and snug where it should be. VX3i 4-14 scope is new

My previous .308 was a Rem700 s/s. It had a couple of inches on my Kimber which is 15" with a greystone can but was reliably hitting a 200 x 200 gong out to 600m, knocked over animals from 100 to 500m with a 165gr HPBT on 40.5gr of 2206h pushing 2650fps. The bulk of my hunting shots are 150-300m but I do get out target shooting gongs a bit to check wind drift and shooting at different angles affect my POI because its nice to know it can reach out a bit further if I need to.

Its been a bit different shooting my Kimber in comparison to my Rem 700 which is a fair bit heavier but i've put plenty of rounds through the Kimber and feel comfortable with my shooting but perhaps I need to put in some more time to get used to the rifle.

I may just be chasing the unreachable dream with this set up but would like to think it would shoot sub 1" reliably.

Greetings Strider B,
I am with Micky Duck on a rifle capable of 1 inch groups at 100 yards is fine for shooting out to 500 yards and ample for shots out to 300. While it would be nice to think that all rifles will stack all their shots inside 0.5 MoA in the real world these rifles are rare. Often claims of half minute rifles are backed up with one group or less, always a three shot group. I would suggest that your groups approaching 1 MoA are pretty good performance from a light rifle.
As a suggestion of what you might try here are a couple. Perhaps you could revisit the 165 grain projectile but in the Nosler BT. Also your load of 40.5 grains of AR2206H for the 165 grain in your Remington is very light, below start loads in the Hodgdon Data. They would have had less than 2,500 fps in their 24 inch barrel so I suspect that you would have had less than 2,400 fps in what I gather was a 17 or 18 inch barrel rather than 2,650 fps.
You may also find that your better results with the light loads are due to you being able to control the light rifle better.
All that said, your current results are fine for your normal shooting to 300 yards or a bit more so you could just go hunting with it as is. Perhaps another heavier rifle for the long range gongs? Hunting is only as complicated as we make it.
Regards Grandpamac.

Tried a PM to you but won’t work. I can do kid development t and dope out to range. Located in Timaru. I have a 16” 308 and have done a lot of bullet testing with it.

Originally Posted by Strider B

I’ve been trying to develop a hunting load for my Kimber hunter in .308 but have not been able to nail it down so am looking for someone that will develop a hunting load that will be effective out to 500m.

Im well aware of the time and cost so will pay accordingly. I have some load data from loads that I’ve tried out.

Hobby time is at a premium for me at the moment so I’d like to spend it hunting rather than tweaking loads.

Based in chch
Cheers

I have had a few of these to deal with.
It's an extremely easy fix.
Sell it and buy a tikka and become a sheep,
A happy longrange shooting sheep I might add.
Seriously we have had to rebarrel a couple that just wouldn't happen no matter what.
New barrels and then tack drivers.
It's just how it is.
A few howas done the same.

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I have had a few of these to deal with.
It's an extremely easy fix.
Sell it and buy a tikka and become a sheep,
A happy longrange shooting sheep I might add.
Seriously we have had to rebarrel a couple that just wouldn't happen no matter what.
New barrels and then tack drivers.
It's just how it is.
A few howas done the same.

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Greetings Andyanimal31 and Strider B,
Now there is a thought. Keep the Kimber for the bush and semi open country plus the odd longer shot and get a Tikka for the longer stuff. There are two T3's here, .223 and 6.5 x 55, and they are both sub MoA rifles when I do my part. Could be a different calibre even. People who believe in the one rifle for everything myth get what they deserve. One rifle! No one wants that.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Strider B

I’ve been trying to develop a hunting load for my Kimber hunter in .308 but have not been able to nail it down so am looking for someone that will develop a hunting load that will be effective out to 500m.

Im well aware of the time and cost so will pay accordingly. I have some load data from loads that I’ve tried out.

Hobby time is at a premium for me at the moment so I’d like to spend it hunting rather than tweaking loads.

Based in chch
Cheers

Have a good look in the holes for the action screws, check for any marks from contact with the screws. If there is contact marks drilling the holes a little over sized can remedy the issues you're describing. If the rifle is new and the stock is unmarked take it back to where you bought it and see if they will consider swapping the stock from another rifle, sometimes this is the only thing that works. Have you tried any heavier projectiles, a few of the kimbers shoot factory 165 better than 150.