Duckbutter48

If you had a gun that you only had one bullet type and one powder type to load what would you do. Sayits a Rem model 7400 in30-06 with IMR4350(just ex) and 150 grn Nos Bts. You tried a bunch of different powder wieghts and seated the bullet everywhere and tried2 difprimers. The best you can achieve is 3 inch groups with the gun.

Assuming the gun is clean and working fine and it was a good rest, tight scope etc. Would you go buy different bullets first or switch powder first, both costing about the same.

Or do you just assume that a 3" group at 100yrd is at good as the gun can get.


(I dont have a 7400 just wondering on which way most would try first. OVerheard guys talking about think at range and was wondering what thoughts on it were.)

bigcountry

If it was a 7400, there is a whole set of circumstances you have to deal with. Or even a bar. You are limited to what cycles reliably. I find in my 7400 that 4350 cycles flawlessly but 4064 and varget does not. The wierd thing is most people will tell you to pick the faster of the powders for a semi. But in my case it doesn't. So therefore, I would change bullets. For my 7400, BT's suck, but gamekings get 1.5MOA.

For a bolt however, I don't worry much about the brand or number so much as burning rate. This is what affects harmonics the most I have found.

For instance, for my 300RUM, I knew the bullet I wanted to work. That was either a Partition or a Accubond in 180gr. I found H1000 to the be most dynamic but only got 3150fps. I picked a faster powder like 7828 and got the MOA groups I wanted and got over 3300fps. I was happy.

So to answer your question, it really just depends on what you want and expect. For a 300RUM, I wanted a moose load, and I expected it to be over 3200fps. For my 308, I want accuracy, but desire 150gr bullet over 2700fps so I am flexable. I have about 24lbs of powder so its nice to have a variety on hand. Both bullet and burn rate can have a significant affect on accuracy.

Ought Six

Yep. And you should only mess with one change at a time. The handloader has a huge selection of powders for the 30-06 and a staggering selection of bullets.

Duckbutter48

The question they were asking was which would you try first if you had to buy only one or the other. The gun wasnt a 7400 it was a bolt action in a 25-06 but I was trying to take that out of the equation. The quality of the bullet wasnt in question either. The guys speaking about it understood that changing one or the other makes a difference and powder rate and so on.

Just if things werefine with the firearm and someone at the range asked you this which would be better to try and change 1st, if the person could only afford one or the other which would you suggest 1st either different bullets or a different powder. For accuracy.

Or maybe its just a guess which to start with.

bigcountry

As he was saying it depends.Several qustions the reloader has to asks himself.

1. Whats his experience with the bullet tried.
2. How many powders has he tried.
3. Was it a suitable powder. (RL25 for 30-06? not ideal powder for example, varget for 300RUM? Not suitable)
4. Primer used? Whats his experience with that primer.

If I get bad accuracy with a Barnes X in my 25-06, I know from dozens of other guns, that Barnes doens't work for all guns. Change the bullet. If its a gameking, well I get worried, cause most all guns can shoot a gameking, and change burn rate. Too many varibles to answer that question.

Ought Six

My favorite powder for the 25-06 is H4831SC. Depends what weight bullet you intend to push, but generally I like that powder's burn rate in a 25-06. Some bullets, Like the Barnes X or Sierra Blitz King have a reputation for either shooting well or not, period. General bullets, like a Hornday Spire Point, Sierra Game King, Nosler Ballistic Tip and so on, tend to shoot pretty well from a wide variety of rifles.

Understanding that a 25-06 is an extremely accurate cartridge, I would seriously have to look at the rifle/scope/trigger/mounts/action screws if said rifle was grouping 3" at 100 yards. What do the groups look like? Round, evenly spaced shots? Horizontal or vertical stringing? Tight cluster with 1 flyer?

DM

First thing i'd do is look at all of my notes to see what these groups look like. I'd be looking to see if maybe "that particular gun" had a problem.

Every time i've seen a gun that "just won't group", i've found a problem with the gun. (provideing it's a gun that "should" shoot better than it is doing)

Drilling Man

handloader1

I would change the powder. Good luck.

Pawildman

I think I tend to agree with handloader1. I'd change powder first.

hunt genious

Pa can i ask you a ? Pm's would be best thanks