help with load development

[Radar]

Attached is a target I shot on Sunday with my rem spsv .243 off a bipod and using a rear bag. all shot at 100
The loads all use new winchester brass and Nosler 95gn ballistic tips and AR2209 (4 rounds each load):
1. 39.0gn of 2209
2. 39.5gn of 2209
3. 40.0gn of 2209
4. 40.5gn of 2209
5. 41.0gn of 2209
6. 41.5gn of 2209
7. 42.0gn of 2209 (max)
On this target the inside red circles look to be 1 inch diameter.
I have 2 areas where they are grouping, and would like a bit of advise on what to pursue.
Also, I'm not a great shot so there is a good chance some of these were out because of human error.

cheers

[Buffy]

Radar, what distance where you sooting at mate??? #5 looks like the go..... now to play with the seating depths... Macca, AI, and the other guru's will give you the scientific run down im sure


Cheers BB

[Radar]

sorry forgot to add that, shooting at 100.

[kjd]

#5 is what I'd go after and I'd go with playing with the seating depth and also try a couple of .1 of a grains either side of the load if you want it real good like.

But #5 IMO is good enough on its own I'd say the flyer was user error!

Also try using a front rest (not a bipod) to gain a true measure of the accuracy of that load.

HTH

[ogre6br]

was the bi-pod free recoil- ie was it allowed to move with the recoil or was it held down by you or a sand bag?

was this kept consistant for all the groups

do a test- repeat #5-- 2-3 more times and if it comes out the same- then start fine tweaking the seating depth-- make sure #5 wasn't a fluke before wasting time on improving it.

Later
P

[macca]

Ditto on orgre6br advice.One group does not make the cut, you need consistancy in the groups and the way you shoot them.This being fireforming,you may see a difference on the second firing in some of the groups unless the brass was perfect or sorted really well.
I would be inclined to shoot groups 2 and 5 again to see what happens.If they aren't as good(you may need to shoot the others as well). But hopefully they will be better
If you switch from the bipod to the front rest you will, perhaps notice a change of impact in the bullets,but just make sure you always aim at the same spot.(It is often preferable to have the group hitting somewhere else so your aiming point is never disturbed.)
Once you are convinced the group is the one you want you can play with your seating depth.
Best of luck,
Macca

[Knackers]

Just another tip if you haven't done it already, is to remove the rear sling swivel stud, it can jag on the rear bag during recoil and this can cause a bit of mayhem on the target. I found that I squeezed my groups down a bit more with the swivel gone.

[Radar]

thanks for the advise guys
I'll see if I can repeat these results from groups 2 and 5 with some brass that I have already used, and then see what just above and below these weights will do.
I did it at SSAA Belmont, I believe they have some rests I can hire
the bipod wasn't held down while shooting these, it did jump a bit and I have to line up the target again.

[Simpson]

They do have them for hire $4 per hour (includes rear bag as well) but I have used them for quite a while and never been charged more than 4 bucks.

As others have said, remove the swivel studs. I remove both the front and rears when using a rest and bag.

[trevort]

you got a lot of good advice already. To try again with your fireformed cases trim them to the same length.

Excuse me if you mentioned somewhere and I didn't read it, what are you doing with your rifle. Is it for hunting?

The 243 with 95 gn pills is a medium game round. If you are hunting then you could well stop at load 5 load up 100 cases and go bush. It wont be your ammo making skills that let you down if you miss a pig or goat!

[Ned Kelly]

G'Day All,
depending on the rifle, I find that you need to hold the fore-end down when using a bipod to avoid vertically throwing shots. Sometimes you need to really hold down the rifle hard to make it shoot.

#5 looks real good and yes the inner ring is 1" in diameter.

Cheerio Ned

[Radar]

you got a lot of good advice already. To try again with your fireformed cases trim them to the same length.

Excuse me if you mentioned somewhere and I didn't read it, what are you doing with your rifle. Is it for hunting?

The 243 with 95 gn pills is a medium game round. If you are hunting then you could well stop at load 5 load up 100 cases and go bush. It wont be your ammo making skills that let you down if you miss a pig or goat!

just target shooting, I rarely get the chance to go bush. I got the these pills because they were on special and I needed something to reload

I'm really enjoying doing and learning all this stuff. When I get these loads right, I'll go and buy a different type and do the same with them.

[trevort]

oops, you've got the bug. Run away now before it costs you a fortune