Red neck bullet ballistic test

[JASmith]

The racoombe.net data suggests that you might get more or less the same depth at the lower velocity. The Lapua web site indicates that the bullet is designed to perform between 500 and 1000 meters per second or 1600 - 3200 fps. The data also suggests that the penetration might also increase a tad as the expansion gets smaller from reduced impact velocity.

[lrgrendel]

Getting ready to do this. Finding it hard to find enough phone books.
Another quick question. My gun is zeroed at 100 yds with my 123 AMAX load at 2640FPS. I know the 123 Scenar is very close.
I have never shot the 140 Lapua Naturalist before. I am thinking of loading just 5 rounds at the low end of the AA VARGET published load at about 2000 FPS.
Will the POI be close at 100 yds?

THANKS

[LR1955]

Getting ready to do this. Finding it hard to find enough phone books.
Another quick question. My gun is zeroed at 100 yds with my 123 AMAX load at 2640FPS. I know the 123 Scenar is very close.
I have never shot the 140 Lapua Naturalist before. I am thinking of loading just 5 rounds at the low end of the AA VARGET published load at about 2000 FPS.
Will the POI be close at 100 yds?

THANKS

I would not bet on a similar zero between the two. Your 123 grain bullets are not only lighter but of a different design than the 140 Naturalis. Plus a huge difference in velocity.

You need to shoot your 140's on paper first. I bet the sight adjustment needed to come close will be pretty big.

Your data will be skewed if your bullets don't impact the phone books in the same location.

LR55

[lrgrendel]

Test partially completed

I had some fun doing this test. I soaked a combination of phone directories and furniture catalogues taped and bound together. You would be surprised how much they swell with the water. I had approx 13" of testing material after soaking over night which turned out not to be enough!

It was raining on and off during the test and I was under a little bit of time pressure as well so I did not use a chronograph.
I know the 123 AMAX are at 2640 FPS

The test was at 100 yds.
123 Scenar 29.5 gr AA2520
123 AMAX 30.0 gr AA2520
140 Naturalis 27 gr Varget

I did no load work with the 140gr Lapua Naturalis but was pleased with the 3 shot group I shot after I zeroed it enough to hit my target. Accurate enough to have confidence to hunt out to 200 yds or so. Please see the photo.

Very surprised to see the Naturalis punch right through all 13". Slower velocity, round nose but heavier. I did not retrieve the bullet but I will test it again.

I found the 123 bullets at about the 9 1/2" mark with some copper jackets at 7". As you can see I fired 2 Scenar's and just 1 AMAX.

I did not weigh the bullets but will do when I get home from a trip I am on right now.

I think I understand now possibly why the Naturalis is an expensive bullet and that there are huge differences between a hunting bullet and a target bullet even though I know the AMAX is also used a lot as a hunting bullet. This may be an obvious statement!!

I wish I had retrieved the Naturalis bullet as my curiosity is killing me but I will test it again. The photo is of the back of the media where the Naturais exited. I put about 1/2 " of dry brochure covers thinking it might slow down anything making it through!!
No so!!

[lrgrendel]

The racoombe.net data suggests that you might get more or less the same depth at the lower velocity. The Lapua web site indicates that the bullet is designed to perform between 500 and 10000 meters per second or 1600 - 3200 fps. The data also suggests that the penetration might also increase a tad as the expansion gets smaller from reduced impact velocity.

I think you were correct!

[lrgrendel]

Ready for round 2!

Home again.

I have loaded up 5 more and am shooting in the morning. I have increased the length of the "ballistic media" and will post the weight retention of all 3 tomorrow.

I will also have my chrono with me.

If I am in and around 2000 FPS WITH THE 140 gr Naturalis I think it will prove to be an adequate hunting bullet for any game here in Florida out to around 200 yds BUT.....

[JASmith]

One of the places where the Naturalis shines is deep penetration. They can be loaded as the last three rounds in the magazine whenever one feels the need for extra punch in places where the game might hunt you back.

How can something so ugly be so good?

[lrgrendel]

Haha!
They don't look right do they.

[JASmith]

The round noses, if solid copper, would remind us of the classic 6.5 military cartridges.

That green tip just looks weird.

The other is that the pictures appear to have been taken from up close with a slightly wide angle lens. That makes the near field look bigger and the bases look smaller.

[explorecaves]

Home again.

I have loaded up 5 more and am shooting in the morning. I have increased the length of the "ballistic media" and will post the weight retention of all 3 tomorrow.

I will also have my chrono with me.

If I am in and around 2000 FPS WITH THE 140 gr Naturalis I think it will prove to be an adequate hunting bullet for any game here in Florida out to around 200 yds BUT.....[ATTACH=CONFIG]5334[/ATTACH]

As I patiently wait for these results, this song keeps running through my head....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3kTAoyEZB4

And if you don't want to listen to the words:

"Sweet Pandemonium"

Today tomorrow seems so far away
And the wait in vain, yeah
So safe, in the blinding light of love unchained
In yesterday's grave, yeah

The truth that could set souls free
Is buried within sweet pandemonium
Concealed by disbelief
The riddle stays veiled in sweet pandemonium

Afraid that everything remains unchanged
In this fragile dream, yeah
Ashamed of the shattered remains
Of promises made, yeah

The truth that could set souls free
Is buried within sweet pandemonium
Concealed by disbelief
The riddle stays veiled in sweet pandemonium

Drained by the anger and grief
Fazed by the envy and greed
The secret cries for a release
The lucidity hidden deep in sweet pandemonium

The truth that could set souls free
Is buried within sweet pandemonium
Concealed by disbelief
The riddle stays veiled in sweet pandemonium

[lrgrendel]

The round noses, if solid copper, would remind us of the classic 6.5 military cartridges.

That green tip just looks weird.

The other is that the pictures appear to have been taken from up close with a slightly wide angle lens. That makes the near field look bigger and the bases look smaller.

Those photos were taken up close with an IPad! The photo is a little strange looking

[lrgrendel]

I can't slow this bullet down!!

Had to leave home in a hurry! Down in Aguadilla Puerto Rica. (For work!)

I was going to wait till I got home to take some photos of the results as I did not have time prior to leaving for my trip but here is how it went.

I increased the length of the media to approximately 24" and it still was not enough! Punched straight through. I then put a 2" thick piece of cypress hard wood behind the media, went straight through.!! Then I added a second off cut piece of cypres for a total of 4", went through every thing like butter!! Little frustrating!

I only had 5 rounds so I could not continue to shoot.

Not sure what I will do next. Maybe use plastic sand bags in a "recyclable plastic thrash container" Maybe fill it with water but it would be heavy. BUT I will retrieve one of these bullets!! I also have 2 other large 8" x 8" x12" pieces of that Cypress "off cuts" that I could put together but the bullet might get deformed and not give me a good test result.

I also fired all five shots through the chronograph averaging around 2200 FPS with a surprisingly good SD and ES!

I just ran a JBM BALLISTIC check which is attached. 957 ft/lb of energy is just about enough at 200 yards but let's keep that argument for another thread.

I will weigh the Scenar and the AMAX bullets when I get home again and will also post the accurate results of the velocities.

Hopefully the third test will be the last!! If I have to put a piece of steel behind the media I will! but I will shoot at least 5 shots each at 100 and 200 yds to see how they group.

[hm2 clark]

I really like this experiment. Thanks and please continue. About the only thing I could suggest is maybe adding a "between" hunting bullet weight like maybe the 130 gr Swidt sicorroco.

[explorecaves]

Suggest a couple 5 gallon buckets with lids filled with sand or dirt and laying on the side so you shoot through the top or bottom. Should stop the round in the first or, worst case, in the last bucket.

[lrgrendel]

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks