130gr berger otm hybrid + Leverevolution coffee can hunt report.

[HighDesertDrifter]

Just wanted to start by saying thank you again to everyone for sharing your work and observations. It has been bar none one of the most helpful resources for this fledgling hand loader.

The bad news: Couldn't connect in 5 rounds.

The good news: Just barely.

Consistently just left or just right as a result of my input on the gun. The can is 6" across, so at 850 yrds, if I've got this right, means I've got to shoot .5 moa/ .2 mil ish or better to make it. I could try to blame it on a 10mph breeze swinging from 9 to 11 but that isn't taking responsibility for the outcome. There appeared to be absolutely zero difference in elevation between shots.

I will echoZeneffect's observations that this bullet mixed with that powder sure seems to be something wonderful. The impacts on steel at 800 were very rewarding.

Back to prepping brass for next batch. Will be checking velocity in Dec/Jan as well as working on ablr load at that time. Can't wait for Rexus barrels to come back in stock and then will start working on tnt load and see how it likes throwing the chonks as well. Cheers!

[LRRPF52]

That’s a tall order for any rifle in those conditions.

Are you using a rear bag? A rear bag plus a Bulls Bag up front will help you connect better and be more consistent if you want to chase that monkey.

Pack the can with Tannerite to make it more rewarding if permissible/safe.

[Klem]

Drifter,

Sounds like fun!

1MOA is of course 9" at 850yds. At that range a '0.5MOA' gun will be more like 1.5MOA. There is always wind, shooter, and bullet performance blowing that expectation out.

A couple of us shoot the 130 OTM as our favourite bullet in long range Target Rifle. Using the raw data downloaded from the Shotmarker targets you can reproduce the pattern. Here are two 10-shot groups plus a couple of sighters from last weekend. The circle is 1MOA; the first group is about 3MOA as I was faffing around trying to get on. The second is 1.5MOA. Horizontal bias in both targets thanks to the wind. Using an accurized Rem700 with 26" Krieger barrel in 6.5x47. Shooting prone, Harris bipod and small beanbag at the rear.

2,810fps at the muzzle, 1,445fps at 900M. Shotmarker has two microphones per sensor so gives downrange velocities. I think the Silver Mountain target system does that also.
900M String 1 - Copy.jpg900M String 2 - Copy.jpg


1,445fps at the target means it is not yet transonic (=1,350fps/1.2Mach). If your Grendel bullet is transonic at 850yds then it blows out as they get unstable. Do you know what your Muzzle Velocity is with that bullet?

What I am saying is, don't beat yourself up about your results, they sound great. But if your gun shoots 0.5MOA at 100, it won't be doing that down-range.

130 is a bit heavy for Grendel.

52's idea of Tannerite had me chuckling. I'd be nervous if I was that can.

[HighDesertDrifter]

Thanks, fellers! I find it a fun exercise. To help complicate matters, you're shooting off a south-facing ridge above into a north-facing alcove across a valley. You can have wind at your site and nothing down range, or a wind eddie in the alcove, or any which way in between. My favorite is when there's enough of a temp diff between sites that you're watching a vapor trail on a perfect line for impact and then dive at the thermocline like being slapped out of the air.

LRRPF52
Thanks for suggesting the bullbag up front. Do you have a preferred one? Am shooting out of the bed of a pickup with a magpul bipod and an armageddon gear squishy for a rear bag. Buddies run a tripod but I feel more stable prone. None of us want to get in the dirt right now at that spot. Red harvester ants are running amok in addition to the cow shit, and goat heads.

Tannerite is always fun! If I recall correctly think you need 2000fps for ignition so not sure we'll get it but worth a try! We have a ritual of throwing a 2lb'r in a snowman on new years.

One of the fun things about the coffee can is filling it with blow sand and putting the lid back on. The displaced sand blows the can's lid off with a mini plume. It's the little things.

Klem

Thanks for the data. Definitely helps improve the comprehension of what's being observed down range. I'm about 2480 at the muzzle and 1370 at 850. Right about that line.

[Zeneffect]

At that distance and target size, I would run an electronic bubble level with a 1% margin of error before the lights change off green. With the elevation that dialed, this is going to be either the wind, pulse, or inconsistent can't. Of the 3, fixing can't is the easiest.

Klem
You might enjoy the 22 arc. You can push similar or higher BC, faster and cheaper. Steel and paper know no difference and it would be just a rebarrel once the grendel barrel is shot out.

[LRRPF52]

You’re doing miracle-work with the Magpul bipod. Those are more meant to just hold the rifle up more than anything.

A Bulls Bag would really tighten you up, tucked up close against the magazine well, not out on the handguard.

[HighDesertDrifter]

Well, congratulations Klem. You just got me going down a whole rabbit hole on SCR's, lol! Electronics and circuits are something I have very little knowledge of but great interest in. Think I'd be prone to whoop a feller if he was intentionally taking shots at that light after all that work. I always wondered how some of those targets on the Top Shot show years back worked and what you've done seems like they mightve done something similiar.

Yep the only thing the magpuls are good for, as far as I'm concerned, is being cheap and light. This is actually my hunting upper, but have found it to be a shooter so a rexus will end up taking more of the role and this one gravitating to target.

Was comparing bulls bag vs armageddon gamechanger. Look like bulls bag would make better contact and provide better stability and gamechanger is more focused on tactical games, mobility, and versatility of positions. Thanks again for mentioning bulls bag.

Zeneffect Just took a look at the MDT Send it level as that kind of looked like what you were describing. Will take a look to see if I can snag it in next years budget. Thanks for the recommendation.

Something I'm going to take a look at is seeing if I can lock in the magpul pretty square and level at the house before heading out to dance with the can again.

[Zeneffect]

There is a sendit competitor that is new-ish to the market called the sg pulse. Trying it Saturday, will report back on how it goes. I have a sendit v2 as well, so they will be compared directly on the same rifle.

Armageddon gear makes a benchrest bag that i highly recommend if you don't mind the price. It clamps down good enough to hold my rifle in position on its own, without a rear bag.

[HighDesertDrifter]

Thanks Zen, will look forward to hearing how you like it. Are you running that armageddon bag in size medium or large? While considering options, I remembered that years back was given a glass bead filled weighted blanket that came in a bag as a gift. SOB wrecked hell on my lower back so its mostly lived as an insulation laryer against the bed of the truck while camping. Put it in its bag and shot off that this morning. Not bad, not awesome. Not really enough weight between the barrel and hanguard for it to really sink into bag and give a gripping effect like the armageddon and bull's bag.

[Zeneffect]

I have the long bag, filled with heavy poly beads. It's like 20+lbs and the extra length doesn't get you much extra stability, and makes it so running shorter barrels could be problematic. In hind sight, I should have gotten the medium.

Edit

Comparing sg pulse against mdt sendit... mdt is done. Sg pulse is smaller, more.configurable, and provides recordable data that can be analyzed after and improve my shooting technique. For what you get at less than the cost of the mdt, it's a clear winner. I record video through my phone attached to spotting scope. With this, I can overlay what I and the barrel is doing while recording the shot through the spotter. For me, that combination and data feedback is a real step up as its now easier for me to say if it was me who missed or the ammo and rifle combination (with evidence to back up the claim)

[HighDesertDrifter]

Very interesting. Thank you for taking the plunge and sharing what you found.

[Redraider]

Before I spent another dollar on gear, I would build a solid shooting bench, or, at least some jacks to stabilize your truck bed! If you are trying to shoot .5MOA at that distance, that truck bed is not your friend, other than to keep you out of the..........!

Redraider

[Zeneffect]

The sinking effect on the armageddon gear benchrest bag is from internal structure. When you spread the legs, the top clams up around the handguard. This is where I regret getting the long version. Works awesome for everything I own except the 16" carbon fiber setup because the muzzle brake just blasts the crap out of the bag and that will ruin it quick.

[HighDesertDrifter]

Zeneffect I really appreciate you sharing your experience with with it. Your and lrrpf52's suggestions have my attention as a better solution to what I am doing.

Redraider I definitely understand your point. Chasing this white whale has had some substantial positive results when I do go down to the range and belly up to the bench. This is mostly an experience in learning from trying to do something difficult with what is on hand. As well as an excuse to go roam the hills in an older 4 ton truck.