95 vmax and seating depth

[obaro]

Hey all,

After a lot of research and digging I still haven't figured out an answer to my problem so I came here to see if someone has some insight or experience that they would be willing to share.

I like the 95 vmax for coyote and general rodent shooting and had a load that shot around .5 on a good day and sub moa about all the time with a max load of H335. Problem was that it was typical of the 95 vmax bullet and was jammed in the lands at 2.200, and would pull bullets if I had to eject a live round. Seating them deeper opened up groups considerably. I am currently trying different loads to remedy this and have not got below about 1.5 moa. I have been trying different seating depths a bit also, but only changing one variable at a time.

My question is: Is there a node or sweet spot that people have found for a jump to the lands for the 95 vmax in the Grendel? TIA for your input.

[VASCAR2]

Just curious what barrel your using and chamber 6.5 Grendel SAMMI, Grendel II, 264 LBC?

[apynckel]

2.170 COAL seems to chamber the 95gr VMAX pills for me w/o pulling bullets on a live round eject.

[obaro]

I bought the complete upper used; I believe it is the Grendel SAMMI. Also seem to recall that the original owner bought the barrel from Midway, guessing about 4-5 years ago.

[454bore]

You can take a case and cut a couple sits on the neck to the shoulder with a Dremel and smooth it up.
Put your bullet in and push it into the chamber till it stops.
Push out with a cleaning rod.
Measure the length and seat your bullet 20 thou less so it won't jam in the lands.
Work up a load .3 grains at a time till you get an accurate load.
If you start seeing pressure signs stop and try a different powder if you don't find a good group.
XBR 8208 and AR COMP have worked the best for me with the former better for the Vmax.

[wheelguner]

obaro,

Here is a link to a thread that has a post of mine that links to a pdf file showing my 95gr VMAZ data:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?10205-Seating-Deep&p=112952#post112952

[Klem]

Could be neck tension.

An auto loader imparts a lot of kinetic energy when going into battery. If you don't have enough neck tension the bullets will creep forward on loading to differing degrees depending on the individual cases. Some may be just touching the lands while others a tiny jump. This happened to me and since taper crimping my groups have shrunk dramatically.

Given the 95VMax can be loaded to touch the lands then loading just shy of the lands will have all sorts of different start pressures if the necks are permitting the bullet to creep forward. With most other bullets we are stuck with a compulsory decent jump-to-lands so neck tension might not be so obvious but the 95VMax can have all sorts of different pressures on firing.

Do you crimp or have confidence in your neck tension?

[obaro]

Thanks, wheelgunner, I looked it over, but need to study it a little more. Hopefully I can get the same accuracy results that you have.

[A.D.D. AR]

obaro-
when I shot 95gr vmaxes (SAAMI grendel chamber) I stayed 10 thousandths off the lands
and used a near max charge of H335 and it worked great for me- definitely shot better than I can. Always below 1/2 moa 3 or 4 shots (5 shot groups) then I'd always have a flier (me).
hope this helps.

[obaro]

Thanks for the input guys.

I am fairly confident in neck tension of my loads, though I don't crimp. I will see about crimping to uniform the tension, it makes sense.
Like I said, I am trying different lengths and loads, just takes a while at one adjustment at a time. I am definitely guilty of trying to find a shortcut through someone else's experiences or ideas.

[Blacklab]

Got lucky! and stumbled on two boxes just the other day. If these shoot like 100gr A-max followed with the rapid expansion. I'll be a happy boy.

Small bullets that go really fast, make me giggle...........wink

[obaro]

Well, after a few trips to the loading bench and my mare pasture shooting range I have finally settled on a max load of 8208 and the 95's seated at 2.145. Not a one holer, but sub moa for 3 shots fairly consistently. May try dropping the powder charge just a bit sometime, but with the coyote contest coming up I think I will stay with this load, get my drops, and practice up.

[BluntForceTrauma]

I'm watching 95gr loads these days. What's your recipe for this?

[obaro]

Remington 7 1/2's, Hornady brass, 31.0 grains of 8208xbr after working up to it. As mention 95's at 2.142" as a base line, but the bullets have a little variance in length.

[BluntForceTrauma]

Thanks! You try loading longer? Hodgdon data loads at 2.230?