Just got back from the range after doing some testing with the 129gr ABLR and CFE.
Rifle: Lilja 17.6" barrel SAAMI chamber, lightweight Wasp profile, PF bolt
Temp: 89* F/ 31.6* C
Case: Hornady 1x fired
Primer: Rem 7 1/2
Bullet: Nosler 129gr ABLR
Powder: Hodgdon's CFE223
*Powder is vibratory settled*
123gr AMAX on left, 129gr ABLR on right
1st Ladder
COL: 2.284"
30.0gr 2345
30.3gr 2360
30.6gr 2427
30.9gr 2453
31.2gr 2501
31.5gr 2441
31.8gr 2548
2nd Ladder
COL: 2.271"
30.0gr 2372
30.3gr 2379
30.6gr 2396
30.9gr 2419
31.2gr 2465
31.5gr 2492
31.8gr 2491
Kinda interesting how the COL changed things. More compressed, they behaved much better and much more predictably. The longer COL loads had significant jumps in pressure, as you can see.
I suspect running them closer to the lands resulted in the pressure spikes. For me and my chamber, I won't load past 2.271", and I might even look at going down to 2.260" if I can. The ABLR takes up a lot of case capacity as we know, but CFE seems to behave better with it when compressed.
I settled the powder in each of these cases with my vibratory polisher, which is what allowed me to get more charge weight in them. After I consult with JASmith, I'll have a better idea of where we are at in terms of pressure. Right now, I personally would not go over 30.9gr with the 2.271" COL.
That gives me a load that is supersonic to past 1400yds at the elevation we were shooting at today (6600ft). Expansion on these is advertised down to 1300fps. In the conditions we were shooting today, that would go out to 1250yds. For the last batch, I just aimed at the same point on the target at 100yds. I put 8 rounds, all with different charge weights, into 2.2" vertical, with 2 outliers on the velocity opening it up top and bottom.
Within the center of the group, there is a nice cluster of 4 that are sub-inch. Based on the data I have now, I'm comfortable with running my initial batches between 30.3-30.9gr to lay down accuracy nodes and averages, then go to a solid load that I'm happy with.
Rifle: Lilja 17.6" barrel SAAMI chamber, lightweight Wasp profile, PF bolt
Temp: 89* F/ 31.6* C
Case: Hornady 1x fired
Primer: Rem 7 1/2
Bullet: Nosler 129gr ABLR
Powder: Hodgdon's CFE223
*Powder is vibratory settled*
123gr AMAX on left, 129gr ABLR on right
1st Ladder
COL: 2.284"
30.0gr 2345
30.3gr 2360
30.6gr 2427
30.9gr 2453
31.2gr 2501
31.5gr 2441
31.8gr 2548
2nd Ladder
COL: 2.271"
30.0gr 2372
30.3gr 2379
30.6gr 2396
30.9gr 2419
31.2gr 2465
31.5gr 2492
31.8gr 2491
Kinda interesting how the COL changed things. More compressed, they behaved much better and much more predictably. The longer COL loads had significant jumps in pressure, as you can see.
I suspect running them closer to the lands resulted in the pressure spikes. For me and my chamber, I won't load past 2.271", and I might even look at going down to 2.260" if I can. The ABLR takes up a lot of case capacity as we know, but CFE seems to behave better with it when compressed.
I settled the powder in each of these cases with my vibratory polisher, which is what allowed me to get more charge weight in them. After I consult with JASmith, I'll have a better idea of where we are at in terms of pressure. Right now, I personally would not go over 30.9gr with the 2.271" COL.
That gives me a load that is supersonic to past 1400yds at the elevation we were shooting at today (6600ft). Expansion on these is advertised down to 1300fps. In the conditions we were shooting today, that would go out to 1250yds. For the last batch, I just aimed at the same point on the target at 100yds. I put 8 rounds, all with different charge weights, into 2.2" vertical, with 2 outliers on the velocity opening it up top and bottom.
Within the center of the group, there is a nice cluster of 4 that are sub-inch. Based on the data I have now, I'm comfortable with running my initial batches between 30.3-30.9gr to lay down accuracy nodes and averages, then go to a solid load that I'm happy with.
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