Bullets

I'll break this up into 3 separate posts to keep it a little more manageable.

I have the 102gr 6.5mm, 103gr .277", 117gr 7mm, and 200gr .338" to try out. I'm just starting to work on loads with each bullet, I'll play around with testing expansion later. 102g 6.5mm I'm going to test these at the low end out of a 6.5 Grendel, and the top end out of a 6.5/338 RUM improved. I just got my first round of testing with the Grendel done today. Here's what I have so far. 6.5 Grendel (CZ 527 with 19" Blackhole barrel, 1:8" twist) Hornady brass CCI 450 primer H335 powder 102gr Apex Afterburner 2.265" OAL 27.4gr - 2408 fps 27.8gr - 2479 fps 28.2gr - 2501 fps 28.6gr - 2561 fps 29.0gr - 2606 fps 29.4gr - 2617 fps 29.8gr - 2670 fps 30.2gr - 2712 fps I didn't shoot these for groups, just velocity. The 30.2gr charge still didn't show any pressure, so I'll probably try bumping it up a little more. I don't know if I'd go much higher in a gas gun, but I'll push the bolt action a little harder than I would an AR. 103gr .277 I have some of these loaded in a 270/338 RUM improved, but I haven't shot them yet. I expect to be around 4000 fps from a 25" barrel with the 103s. I'm working on getting my hands on a 6.8 SPC to test them at the low-end velocities. I'll add the results for the .270 bullets when I get them. 117gr 7mm I'll be shooting these in a 19" 284 Win specialty pistol, and a 26" 7mm SAUM. I haven't shot any of the loads in the 7mm SAUM yet, but I have shot them in the 284 Win. 284 Win specialty pistol (18" McGowen barrel, 1:9" twist) Lapua Brass CCI 200 primer Reloader 15.5 powder 117gr Apex Afterburner 2.922" OAL 50.0gr - 2822 fps 50.5gr - 2902 fps 51.0gr - 2940 fps 51.5gr - 2971 fps 52.0gr - 3043 fps 52.5gr - 3060 fps 53.0gr - 3074 fps 53.5gr - 3102 fps 54.0gr - 3145 fps 54.5gr - 3193 fps The 54.5gr load was just starting to show a drag on bolt lift, so I stopped there. Those loads were all shot at 100 yards and gave a 1"group for all 10 shots fired. I went back out and tested a charge of 54.2gr of Reloader 15.5 with the 117gr Afterburner at 3165 fps and shot a few groups withouth the Magneto strapped to the barrel. The result was 3 separate 3 shot groups right at .5 MOA at 215 yards, which is about what I've come to expect with this barrel these days. For reference, my standard load in this gun for years has been a 168gr Berger VLD at 2670 fps. It has typically shot better with pretty moderate loads. I'll head out again and try shooting at 500+ yards on the next trip out. 200gr .338 The goal is to test these in a 338/375 Ruger specialty pistol for the low end and a 338/408 Improved speciatly pistol for the high end velocities. I have a 338 Win Mag rifle sitting around too, but those velocities will be very similar to the velocities from the 18" 338/375 Ruger specialty pistol. I've run the first ladder in the 338/375 already, but haven't had time to go for a second trip out with them. For reference, the case capacity of the 338/375 Ruger is in the same range as the 340 Weatherby, 33 Nosler, and 330 Dakota. This data might be helpful for anyone shooting one of those. 338/375 Ruger specialty pistol (18" Benchmark barrel 1:9.3" twist) Hornady brass (375 Ruger necked down) Fed 215 primers Reloader 15.5 powder 3.415" OAL 70.0gr - 2735 fps 71.0gr - 2765 fps 72.0gr - 2833 fps 73.0gr - 2904 fps 73.5gr - 2905 fps 74.0gr - 2916 fps 74.5gr - 2970 fps 75.0gr - 2984 fps I was hoping to get 2950 fps with the 200gr Afterburner, so I'm happy with the velocities I saw. There were no pressure signs, so I'll try loading a few more at a higher charge for the next trip out. If I can get .5 MOA accuracy at 2975-3000 fps, I'd be extremely happy. My standard target load in this gun is a 250gr SMK at 2645 from the 18" barrel, and the hunting load has been a 260gr HH at 2660 fps for a few years. Gaining 300 fps by dropping 50gr of bullet weight makes a pretty big difference. This is my mid-long range (400-750 yard) hunting pistol, so velocity and BC are both a consideration with this gun.