Discussion Forums

Carsten Pedersen

Hi Nathan,

Made some fresh reloads and went to the range today, after our long forum talk I was eager to test.
I read "hold that forend" a couple of time and wanted to try it out, I forgot my sling at home so room for improvement.
Rested forehand on a couple of rice bags and had a rear rest to steady rifle.

As you mentioned last time, the rifle might like mild loads producing around 2700fps
I deliberately waited shooting the lowest grain (39.5) to get some copper down the barrel first

As you can see, group 3 and 4 opened right up and wandered to the left, I have no explanation as to why except shooters error
I tried not to shoot too fast and cool down time between groups but it is a thin barrel that heats right up after 3 shots

Winchester Featherlight 7mm-08
Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 in Weaver rings and bases

139gr Hornady Interlock seated to 72mm and ADI 2208 powder

Range is 100 meters

From a clean barrel, 4 shots of 41gr to get scope on bull and putting copper down the barrel

Group 1: 41.0gr - 35mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 28mm/1.1" group (3 shots)
Group 2: 41.3gr - 15mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 8mm/0.31" group (3 shots, My best group to date)
Group 3: 39.5gr - 75mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 68mm/2.67" group (5 shots)
Group 4: 41.6gr - 75mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 68mm/2.67" group (4 shots)
Group 5: 41.9gr - 29mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 22mm/0.86" group (4 shots)
Group 6: 42.2gr - 17mm edge to edge minus 7mm projectile is 10mm/0.39" group (3 shots)


Can you find any reason why group 3 and 4 would open right up except for shooters error?
My own idea was to play around with 41 and 42 grain + - half grain and seating depth, perhaps around the 71mm mark

Apart from that I'm ecstatic shooting a 0.31 and a 0.39" inch group, never done that before, not even with my .223

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