FGMM 130 gr. Berger load?

[daved20319]

My shooting partner and I were able to get our Grendels to the range yesterday, first time out for his, and mine only had 15 rounds through it. Mine is a Howa Mini HB, his is an AR built around a Wilson Combat SS barrel, both have 20" barrels. I had a variety of factory loads with me, but all he had was the FGMM Berger load. I realize there are a ton of reasons for this, but neither rifle performed at all well with that load. I'm still having barrel free float issues with the Howa, but his AR could not get them to group acceptably, best group was over an inch at 100 yards, the worst was more like 2". Oddly enough, a group shot with Federal AE 90 gr. TNT's made one ragged hole with 4 rounds, the other shot was a called pull. And both the Hornady Black and SST 123 gr. loads were right at the 1 MOA mark. So the rifle is certainly capable, as is the shooter.

Which finally brings me to it, what's the Horde's opinion of this particular loading? Thanks!

[VASCAR2]

I haven’t shot the Federal 130 grain Gold Medal Match ammo but from past experience don’t give up on a particular bullet or load till the barrel has been shot a few hundred rounds. Every barrel is unique but I think most button rifled barrels shoot a broader variety of ammo better once they are seasoned. For some reason my 6.5 Grendel AR-15’s have all shot 85 grain Sierra Varmint and 90 grain TNT well at shorter distances. It might be worth testing the Federal Gold Medal Match again at 200-300 yards once the barrel has digested more rounds.

[Kswhitetails]

Being so low pressure and velocity, my theory is that the heavy projectiles are usually easier to see how rough a new bore is. Every little imperfection shows when you're at the low end of those two. The lighter bullets usually have much less friction/contact surface and spend less time in the bore.

I do agree with vascar2 on this one. Break in the barrel a bit, at least a hundred rounds, before you start to assess how it's going to perform. Your Howa should do fine, and should improve as you shoot it. The Wilson, well, it's new enough it's hard to say. If it's anything like my LaRue, you should know what you've really got by 100, but I'd bet it'll shoot well too.

[Rosecrans1]

What he says!
Barrel break in and rounds down the pipe!

[maxxmojo]

I did a quick initial test through both my 18" Lilja and 16" AA and both seemed to like it. If I remember correctly the drops at 1k yards was really close together, if not the same. It might have been luck, but I did go 3 out of 3 shots on the 8" plate at 1k yards I was shooting at with the 16". Formal groups at 100 yards is on my mile long to-do list.

[Javman]

Also need to see how far off the lands those 130s are, that might help.

[CaptnC]

IMO-there is a reason the lighter bullets shoot good...the first is, that is what it was designed to shoot. I feel the 100gr class is the most ideal. I do hunt with the 123gr, but I'm trying to work up a 100gr hunt round.

At this low of velocity and short barrel, you might be better off with a little tighter twist with heavy bullets.

Those big bullet have to go somewhere, which means less powder to make room for the bullet...low velocity is a waste of a high BC bullet...