Working on a recipe - and making some headway

I’ve been doing way more shooting lately than blogging. I hope my handful of readers forgive me. Working diligently on the perfect load for my .270 WIN, and I may be getting close.

Among the groups I shot recently is this one that I call simply batch 19. It actually comes in two flavors, 19 and 19b. The only difference is that 19 was charged using my old Lee Perfect Powder Measure, while 19b was loaded with my new RCBS digital model. So there was some chance that batch 19 had some variations in the powder charge – and we all know that variations are anathema to accuracy.

Anyhow… this ten shot group was fired at 200 yards in the prone. The first two shots I had the rifle on a bag that I just couldn’t get stable like I wanted it. So for shots three through ten I fired from the bi-pod and stabilized the rear of my stock with the bag.

Since this was just one of several batches I’m testing, and since each batch tends to have a different point of impact, I am not adjusting the rifle to zero for every batch. I’m simply firing to gauge the tightness of the group – hence the reason my POI is up the street a ways from my POA (Yes that scrawl in the red is meant to be POA – ever try writing with a magic marker with a tip the size of a paintbrush!)

If the two fliers are discounted, the group measures 1.7 inches at its widest point. Not too shabby IMHO. Batch 19 consists of a Berger 150 grain VLD projectile powered by 49.2 grains of IMR 4350. It's packaged in a Federal Fusion case that's been given a lot of TLC, and it's lit by a CCI #200 primer. 

Further testing is definitely warranted and I’ll keep you informed.