I have heard that 3K is the benchmark for this bullet in the H&H. You are supposed to be able to get more powder in them at lower pressure due to less surface area. I just recieved my 265 gr HV's for 375 H&H. On first loading I ran into a concern. My magazine in my rifle is a bit on the short side. Max OAL is 3.615. At this OAL 76 gr of RE 15 is slightly compressed. This is my max load with my regular bullets. I loaded as reccomended 76, 77,78 gr of powder. I would have gone up more but at 78 it was a very tight compressed load. My first shot using the 76 gr load gave 2860 fps, difficult bolt lift and extractor groove marks on the base of the brass. The second was exactly the same. Obviously re 15 is not the powder of choice for this bullet in my rifle. I was surprised the speed was more than my regular bullets, 2750 for my regular loads and 2860 for the GS Custom. It is supposed to go down in pressure and speed. Is this because of the compressed load? I was hoping to get to 2900 at least but if I have signs of pressure at 2860 I sure am not going up. Got suggestions about dense powders that may be available? It seems as though a denser powder may be what is needed. What powder are you guys using that are getting to 3K? or is the 3k in H&H just hype? Alternatively should I just go back to about 72 grains and work back up to 2700-2750 and call it enough? Thanks for any and all opinions. "D"

[This message has been edited by D Hunter (edited 02-23-2002).]

Very interesting for me too, since I'm waiting for a shipment of 265 gr HV:s right now. On their homepage GS used VV N160, besides REL 15 and Somchem 341 that I can't get. So VV N160 is what I'm planning to use for my loads.

[This message has been edited by Wachtel (edited 02-23-2002).]

(First post misfired)

I'd simply load them to 2800fps and go to swatting critters with them. 3000fps with a 265gr of any manufacturer,seems like very lofty expectations to me.

I'll be curious to hear your results.........

[This message has been edited by Big Stick (edited 02-23-2002).]

Your problem may well be the powder you are using....I've had a hell of a time with RL15 in my .375...one lot will cause big-time signs of pressure ar 2450 fps with a 300gr Nosler and another lot will let me go to almost 2600 fps with no signs of pressure (at that level recoil starts to bother me and I back off a little)...try VarGet I think you will like it.

Agree that 3000 fps seems very lofty. My 375 goes 2830 fps with the 250 gr X over 76 grs of Re 15 in Win brass and this is at maximum (in my rifle as well as the Barnes manual).

Is it possible that we used a slow batch of Rel 15 for our data? If batch differences are that great, we have to drop it off our load data and go with another powder. We have used the 265gr HV at 2900 to 3000 fps regularly for the last 5 years. In bolt actions that lock at the rear such as our Steyr Mannlicher we stay with 2900 to 2950 to get decent life out of the cases (7 to 9 loads) and with Mauser, Brno and other actions, 3100 is over the top while 3000 fps is just at maximum.

H380 will give more speed for less pressure than Varget as it is a bit slower and a good start would be 78gr. We will get some testing done with that. BL-(C2)is the closest approximation of Somchem 341 (from SA) but both are slightly too fast. Given our choices in SA we use S341. Somchem has indicated that S361 will be avaialable again later this year and it is as close to H380 as you can get. No doubt it will be better than S341 / BL-(C2).

When we start a load development with a new HV bullet where no data is available, we use the following guidelines:

Start with a powder that is best suited to a jacketed bullet that weighs 20% less than the HV. Start with the maximum load of that powder as indicated for a bullet of similar weight to the HV and work up. If we suspect that pressures are getting high, we use one new case and keep loading that one case till the primer pocket loosens or the case wears out. More than five loads is OK and if we get ten out of a case we push a bit more.

Once your load is established, you are done with load development, because the bullet will never change from batch to batch.

We use this method with HV and FN bullets and not with HP bullets.

------------------
Gerard Schultz
GS Custom Bullets

Thanks Gerard this is just the data I need. I will keep you posted. "D"

Gerard....I have some hope for RL15 now that Aliant is selling it to the government in large amounts. I hope so because my Lazzeroni really does like it for accuracy.

Gerard, I am still wondering if your bullets really do not show any change in accuracy unless seating depth changes are in 0.040" increments for your bullets weighing over 100 grains. I have found that seating depth changes of as little as 0.005" can often make a significant difference in group size. Why are your bullets any different in this regard. As I mentioned I do not want to use any more bullets than necessary during load development. Generally I start load development of all bullets with the bullet touching the lands (if my magazine is long enough) and work up in powder charge to find the most accurate powder charge. Then I seat bullet deeper in 0.010" increments. If I find that 0.020" off the lands is more accurate than touching or 0.010" or 0.030" then I would likely try 0.015" and 0.025" off the lands to see if that depth were any better than 0.020". You suggested starting with your bullets touching and then try 0.040" deeper. What if 0.015" is the best depth and instead of trying that I tried only 0.040", 0.080", 0.120" etc and never found the best depth of 0.015" off the lands? I am looking for more clarification from you on this matter. Please respond. I will be trying your 160HV in a 300 Win Mag. Thanks, Rufous.

I finally got to the range today. Here are my results. (Work up to these loads! I am not above a typo from time to time. Do not blow your damselfup!)
H 380 75 gr 2529, up to 79 gr 2641fps about a 2 inch group high and to the left of my hunting loads.Best group was 78 gr 3/8 inch center to center. No pressure signs.

Win 760 77 gr 2450fps up to 80 gr 2540fps, about 2-3 inches high and left.Best group 77 gr win 760 and inch and a eighth center to center. No pressure signs on any loads.

Re 15 72 grains 2675, under an inch, and an inch right of my regular loads(now we are getting somewhere), up to 75 gr re 15 @2800fps one inch group, slight stiff bolt(getting into the red zone). The best group was 74 gr @ 2775. Two through one hole and one a hair over an inch away. The best part is that it was dead on to my other regular hunting loads. No change in scope settings. I guess this will be THE LOAD. Nope I didn't get 3K. OH well, No free lunch, at least with a short magazine and long bullets. I have never had any complaints from animals that I have not been hitting them hard enough at 25-2700 fps anyway. OAL is between 3.610 and 3.615. I will not mess with the OAL much since I start getting into the powder space and I am satisfied with the accuracy and velocity. Those that get their bullets and do manage to get 3k please post results and loads. THanks, and thanks Gerard for making these nice slick bullets. They are accurate! We will see how Texas hogs like them in the next few weeks. I will post results. "D"

[This message has been edited by D Hunter (edited 03-01-2002).]