Reloaders,
Loaded up three different loads for my R700 with Krieger tube. Two loads are proven shooters, and one had different primers.

Loads are H4350 F210 Lapua brass, 142 SMK.
Load 1: 48.7 gr shoots wonderful (sub .5) at 100)
Load 2: 49.2 gr shoots wonderful (sub .5 moa at 200)

BUT the 49.2 is .75+ at 100 and the 48.7 is .75moa+ at 200.

Is this unusual or do I finally have a rifle accurate enough to tell the difference?

Your thoughts?

Jimno

.25 MOA difference is statistically tough to prove unless you've shot a huge number of groups.

I can get larger variations than that regularily depending upon how I feel at the moment.

I have a 25" Krieger barrel on mine and it likes the same bullet and powder.
48.2 grains (.005 off the lands) for 2,886 fps
48.6 grains (.006 off the lands) for 2,932 fps
49.4 grains (.007 off the lands) for 2,978 fps but this load is really hard on brass.

Fjold,
I understand your point, but I went back and forth between 100 and 200, shooting three shot groups and every time I could see the difference between the two. This pattern became very obvious to me.

Regards,
Jim

Seems a bit strange but we are talking pretty minute differences. I guess the next test is to see which shoots best at 3,4,500 yds??

take both your accurate loads at 100 yds and 200 yds and shoot em at 600 yds thats where the proof lies.
regards

I wish I had 300+ yards. My range is only 300. The 49.2 shoots the best at 200 and 300.

Here's my best 200 and 300 to date. The white paper with 1.15" black dot is 200; both shot with 49.2 Best 100 is .32, shot with 48.7

http://www.lightningtimesavers.com/300yds.jpg
http://www.lightningtimesavers.com/200yds.jpg

Regards,
Jimno

your group link wouldn''t open
300 is better then 100
regards

Having trouble with FTP so will retry in the morning.

Regards.
Jim

Nope, this is not unusual. You will see that with many guns the level of MOA will change at different yardages. Just because it is .5" at 100 yards does not mean it will be 1" at 200 yards. When the bullet leaves the barrel it not only spins on its axis but it also oscilates slightly. Shooting times had excellent examples of this when they did the Savage F/TR article. A .5" group at 100 yards shot .88" group at 500 yards. A .25"/100 yrd group was a 3.88/500 yrd group.

You need to shoot at longer ranges to see what each load is doing at various ranges. There was one the went 1.7" at 100 yards that none of us would have kept, but that load shot 2.5" at 500 yards which is definitely a keeper.

I will try to scan that tomorrow and send it out to anyone who wants to take a gander. Just shoot me a PM.

Ammo has the answer. The higher load has not "gone to sleep" yet at 100 yd's. The spin rate is faster and the bullet actually rotates around the line of flight until the spin slows.
If you want to watch this happen, use a spotting scope behind a friend shooting a 240 gr bullet out of a S&W .44. You will be amazed by seeing it with your own eyes.
Most best long range loads do not shoot good at close range. That is why I worked varmint loads to shoot at 350 yd's, they shot for crap at 100 yd's.
If you work up a 1/4" group at 100 yd's and are going to always shoot 300 to 400 yd's for varmints or anything else, you will be disappointed at the long range accuracy.

Group pictures.
300yds

200 yds (the lower left is the first shot from cold barrel, next three are my group)

regards,
Jimno