Ever have a bullet that just wont work?

[archp625]

I have a dilemma. I have a CA 6.5 PRC that shoots 147 grain ELD-M's very well. I loved them until I shot my first animal with them. It was a mule deer at 100 yards. I shot the deer and he literally just stood there as if I missed. I shot him again that time he bucked and ran 10 yards and died. It has bothers me either since that the first bullet passed through him as if nothing happened.

faster forward from that hunt I was able to get some 156 grain Berger EOL's. I've heard good things so might as well try and work up a load.

My first issue is the measuring the throat of my rifle I got 2.365" CBTO with a COAL of 3.049". I like to be 0.020" shorter than my mag length (mag length is 3.023") so that puts me at a may COAL of 3.003." for the road with the 156 grain EOL. That is all fine and dandy except that means I need to start almost 0.060" off the lands to even fit in my magazine. I like to start as 0.010" off the lands. No way this can happen.

My second issue is I am using H-1000. Berger told me to start with 54.5 grains of H-1000. I did and got 2806 fps and signs of pressure on the brass. I worked my way up to 58.7 and got 3039 fps. I feel that every round had a swipe on them. I'm using ADG brass.

54.5 - 2806
54.8 - 2858
55.1 - 2859
55.4 - 2881
55.7 - 2897
56.0 - 2911
56.3 - 2923
56.6 - 2936
56.9 - 2964
57.2 - 2966
57.5 - 2973
57.8 - 3004
58.1 - 3015
58.4 - 3030
58.7 - 3039

My question is I feel that this bullet just wont work for my rifle. I want to be at 2925-3000 fps but feel like the rifle doesn't like it (pressure signs). Am I better off to scrap this bullet and move on or what are some thoughts and suggestions?

 

[Lawnboi]

If had some decent luck jumping the Berger hybrid ogive bullets quite a bit. In fact I even went as far to copy factory Berger ammo CBTO which is way off the lands in my last barrel.

 

[archp625]

If had some decent luck jumping the Berger hybrid ogive bullets quite a bit. In fact I even went as far to copy factory Berger ammo CBTO which is way off the lands in my last barrel.

I haven't shot for groups yet. I am more concerned with pressure issues first.

 

[archp625]

If had some decent luck jumping the Berger hybrid ogive bullets quite a bit. In fact I even went as far to copy factory Berger ammo CBTO which is way off the lands in my last barrel.

Do you have a COAL measurement with the factory along with a speed?

 

[Lawnboi]

Virgin brass?

Have you fired factory ammo through the rifle? If so how did that go?

How many rounds through the rifle? Barrel broken in yet?

 

[Lawnboi]

Do you have a COAL measurement with the factory along with a speed?

I do not for the prc, only experience with a creedmoor

I had a CA rifle with a tight chamber though, some factory stuff would result in a very light swipe

 

[archp625]

Virgin brass?

Have you fired factory ammo through the rifle? If so how did that go?

How many rounds through the rifle? Barrel broken in yet?

4th firing

Yes at the very beginning. Seemed like I got pressure signs with factory ammo as well. Its been awhile ago.

I would hope its broken in at this point. I had 617 rounds before the test. So now it has 632.

 

[Lawnboi]

Just spit balling but have you scoped the bore and are you cleaning? Maybe a carbon ring?

 

[archp625]

I don't have a bore scope. To be honest I feel like this gun has a tight chamber and will always have pressure issues unless I run it like a CM.

Just spit balling but have you scoped the bore and are you cleaning? Maybe a carbon ring?

 

[Lawnboi]

I don't have a bore scope. To be honest I feel like this gun has a tight chamber and will always have pressure issues unless I run it like a CM.

Not the first time Iv heard that about a CA. Glad I don’t own one anymore. My 300 WM had a tight chamber.

Good luck. Not fun blowing components on possible rifle problems.

 

[archp625]

Not the first time Iv heard that about a CA. Glad I don’t own one anymore. My 300 WM had a tight chamber.

Good luck. Not fun blowing components on possible rifle problems.

I may just run it and know I will get 10 reloads out of my brass and not 15. The rifle is super accurate with my 147's. I do get a little swipe running 2960 with 147's. To me that is not pushing the gun hard at all.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

What did the 147 do on the first shot? Pencil in and out? My creed is tight too, factory and below min load I get faint plunger marks and swipes, I can chamber new brass and it scuffs almost looking like swipes. I pay no attention to it now and just focus on velocity, I have 5+ firings on some pieces and pockets are still tight like the first time. I tried the 215’s with my win mag from jammed to .15 And everything in between and couldn’t get them to shoot for the life of me, tried different primers powder brass and I couldn’t get it under 1.5 inches. After going through 2 boxes I tried the 208 eldm’s and first test loaded .02 off and it was .4 inch group and called it good

 

[archp625]

Yes just pencil all the way through. The send shot went in close to the first and hit his right shoulder on the opposite side. That did him in. I kind of wished I didn't shot him agan just to se what happened but one I though I missed by his reaction and two I am going to shoot until the animal is down or out of sight.

 

[bluetick78]

Your primers look nice and round, CA rifles will scuff the case a bit on ejection. Nothing to worry about. I've been shooting some 156 Eol's and getting great results with Rl 25, 7/8 groups @ 200 yds around 2975 fps. Unless your case heads are getting shiny after the first or second firing, or you have sticky extraction I wouldn't worry.

 

[archp625]

Your primers look nice and round, CA rifles will scuff the case a bit on ejection. Nothing to worry about. I've been shooting some 156 Eol's and getting great results with Rl 25, 7/8 groups @ 200 yds around 2975 fps. Unless your case heads are getting shiny after the first or second firing, or you have sticky extraction I wouldn't worry.

I went out and shot some for groups at 0.060, 0.090, and 0.1200 and did not get anything promising. My guess is my rifle like them jumped 0.060 or less. I cant get that done in my rifle due to mag restriction.

 

[bluetick78]

Try them .020 off the lands and single load to see if that's the case. Or ditch the project, sell me the 156's and try the Accubond or something!

 

[archp625]

I don't what to single feed due to it being a hunting rifle. You have any 147's you would want to trade for some 156's?

Try them .020 off the lands and single load to see if that's the case. Or ditch the project, sell me the 156's and try the Accubond or something

 

[bluetick78]

No, unfortunately, I don't have any. I only have 143's and 156's.

 

[Harvey_NW]

If you legitimately thought you were getting an indication of pressure on your first shot, why would you continue to shoot 4gr above that? I'm not going to make a judgement call based on a picture, but I will say that some case heads in some chambers just get marked. If collaborating indications show up, you're obviously there.

Read this if you're questioning your theory. It will make you think twice about jumping to conclusion based on reloading methodology that may not be the best answer for hunters trying to develop consistently accurate and forgiving loads.

Bullet Jump Research: Executive Summary & Load Development Tips

This is the last post in a series of articles focused on bullet jump research that has been conduct...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[ytsheephnter]

Yes just pencil all the way through. The send shot went in close to the first and hit his right shoulder on the opposite side. That did him in. I kind of wished I didn't shot him agan just to se what happened but one I though I missed by his reaction and two I am going to shoot until the animal is down or out of sight.

Good thread on terminal results with the 147 if you have not seen it already.

Hornady 147 ELD M Terminal Performanc / field reports.

Broz: Starting a thread for these bullets specifically. Please share your results from accuracy to terminal performance. Please lets keep this thread bullet specific to the 147 ELD M in 6.5 Thank you. I think there is. The 140 gr Berger VLD shoots so well in my 6.5 Creedmoor that I’ve sold...

www.longrangeonly.com

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