Range trip This BCA Dog may hunt.

[1Shot]

Took the 20" BCA complete upper rifle that I already posted about a few months ago the trouble I had with it not shooting and sending it back etc. After running 50+ rounds through the replacement barrel it started to group. Basically it has turned into a between 1 and 1 1/2" five shot group shooting rifle at 100 yards.

I have tried a number of bullets and loads and found today a few loads that I can feel OK with hunting deer inside 200 yards. I have found loads with IMR 8208 and 120 Sierra Pro Hunter 2550 fps, two loads with 100 Nosler BT one with WW 748 2700 fps one with IMR 8208 2800 fps. All these were between 1 and 1 1/4" five shots at 100. If I put a higher power scope with smaller cross hair I probably could tighten things up a little, but I like the scope I have for low-light hunting. It is an old Leupold VXII 3-9X50 that I had Premier Reticle put a German style heavy bottom and side post with thicker cross hair reticle in it and target turret click adjustment a number of years ago. You can see this cross hair when it is very low light but for target shooting it is a bit large and covers up a 1 inch dot at 100 yards.

I also discovered that 130 Sierra Game Kings DON"T like to jump 20 thousands. It shot much worse than when jumping 10 thousands. I am going to try jumping them 5 thousands next trip since I just bought 200 more of them. But the highlight that I discovered today was with the 120 Speer Gold Dot. First off Speers load data is WAY LOW. I worked up to 28 grs IMR 8208 in Hornady cases, CCI 450 with a COAL 2.277, base of case to ogive is 1.725, which is a 75 thousandths jump to the lands. This is as long as the bullet can be loaded and function in a ASC/AR Stoner magazine, too long for Elander mag. This bullet has a long taper before the ogive.

I was only shooting 3 shot groups with the powder work up but with 28 grs IMR 8208, I had two shots cut each other and then I called the third shot as going off with sight picture a little off, but bullet went 1/4 inch away from the other two and that was about what my sight picture error was. This load averaged 2520 fps with ES 19 and SD 10 and primer and case looked good so I will be revisiting this one for sure.

[A5BLASTER]

Dang 2800 fps with 100 grain NBT, my 18 inch don't even come close to that with the same bullet in a PF factory load.

I need to get my butt in gear and start learning up on this handloading stuff.

[LRRPF52]

Dang 2800 fps with 100 grain NBT, my 18 inch don't even come close to that with the same bullet in a PF factory load.

I need to get my butt in gear and start learning up on this handloading stuff.

.4 grains under published max load for 100gr NBT in my AA 16" gave me 2675fps. If I load to max, it will go over 2700fps from a 16".

2800fps isn't unimaginable from a 20" if the particular barrel is a faster one, but it's definitely on the faster side of load data I've evaluated over the years.

Hodgdon's max load shows 2732fps from a 24" with 8208XBR.

Different powder lots, barrels, and conditions will account for mv variations, but most of the data I've seen here has fallen within a normal range that doesn't raise any eyebrows.

I would want to look at what the load is and technique that are showing 2800fps from a 20", just to make sure everything is kosher, rather than just saying, "Keep blasting! Looks good."

It's not like the alarm bells I have seen when someone pushes a 120gr to those speeds from an 18" or 20", but worth a 2nd look.

We have had people come here with 120gr solids going over 2820fps saying it was because of the magic of 5R rifling, having not done a lick of load development. Just picked a random load offline, then loaded it up and declared winner.

I don't see that type of situation here.

[A5BLASTER]

.4 grains under published max load for 100gr NBT in my AA 16" gave me 2675fps. If I load to max, it will go over 2700fps from a 16".

2800fps isn't unimaginable from a 20" if the particular barrel is a faster one, but it's definitely on the faster side of load data I've evaluated over the years.

Hodgdon's max load shows 2732fps from a 24" with 8208XBR.

Different powder lots, barrels, and conditions will account for mv variations, but most of the data I've seen here has fallen within a normal range that doesn't raise any eyebrows.

I would want to look at what the load is and technique that are showing 2800fps from a 20", just to make sure everything is kosher, rather than just saying, "Keep blasting! Looks good."

It's not like the alarm bells I have seen when someone pushes a 120gr to those speeds from an 18" or 20", but worth a 2nd look.

We have had people come here with 120gr solids going over 2820fps saying it was because of the magic of 5R rifling, having not done a lick of load development. Just picked a random load offline, then loaded it up and declared winner.

I don't see that type of situation here.

Yea I wasn't calling the guy out on anything, simply saying my PF loads through my 18 inch don't come close to that and I need to get off the pot and start learning to roll my own rounds so I can maximize my rifle.

[LRRPF52]

What are you getting with PF 100gr NBT for speed and accuracy?

His factory ammo is some of the most accurate Grendel ammo I've shot so far, if not the most.

[A5BLASTER]

It will hold 5 round at 1/2 but it doesn't hit 2600 fps.

Have to go dig through my data I have safes away in my man cave but I think the best I got over my chony was 2580.

That is with the 100 grain NBT loaded by PF.

Let me dig out the data so I can confirm the number is correct it has been a lil while since I recorded it, like last year sometime.

Update.

Went got the data dug out it is 2480 fps not 2580, that was the fastest speed throw my JP 18 inch with 100 grain PF loaded NBT ammo.

[1Shot]

I am using a Bata Master chrno 10 ft from bench.
Load 1: 100 Nosler BT, Hornady case flash hole deburred and trimmed, CCI 450, 29.8 Grs IMR 8208 COAL 2.240, Average velocity 5 shots 2804 fps, ES 34 SD 13
Load 2: 100 Nosler BT
Hornady case flash hole deburred and trimmed, CCI 450, 30.7 WW 748, COAL 2.275, Average velocity 5 shots 2700 fps, ES 19, SD 8


I also gave the Accuracy load from Nosler for the 100 BT a try. Hornady Case, CCI BR4, 28 grs IMR 8208, COAL 2.275, Average velocity of 5 shots 2619 fps, ES 48. SD 18 It also shot 1 1/4".

I use a medium Lee Factory Crimp on all my loads.

[ErikS]

I have had fantastic luck with 100gr B-Tips with 28gr of AR-Comp, 450 primers and H / brass.

I don't have a chrono so all I can speak to is I get sub MOA consistently out of my 16in BCA barrel. My barrel also took about 75rnds before it started showing potential.