130 Sierra GK results.

[1Shot]

Went to the range early this morning to spend some time doing load testing in both of my Grendel's and to function test and do a little shooting with my 223 AR that I built last Saturday. It ran like a sewing machine and shot most anything I put through it 3/4 to 1 1/4". Now to the 130 Sierra Game King. I did a ladder work up with LVR powder using Hornady cases and CCI BR-4 primers with a COAL of 2.165 and with my comparator from base of case to the ogive of the bullet length is 1.756 which is 10 thousands off the lands of my 20" BCA 5R barrel. I shot five shots of each 30, 30.5 and the max 30.9 grs LVR. The BCA barrel shot all three loads within about 1/4" of each other but the best was the 30.9 gr load. It was 1.318 inch for five shots and three of them was in a group .580 inch. This is about as good as this barrel has shot with anything but it might shoot tighter with a different scope. The scope I have on this rifle is an old Leupold 3 - 9x50 VXII that I sent off to Premier Reticles years ago and had target turrets with click adjustment and a heavy European style reticle which really works great for deer hunting in low light but for target shooting it covers up almost completely the one inch dots I am using as targets. The average velocity of this load was 2614 fps with an ES of 27 and SD 12. This barrel will shoot average 1" with 120 Sierra Pro Hunter with 28.5 grs IMR 8208 but my 18" Oden Works barrel rifle shoots this same load 3/4". I am thinking that I want to shoot separate loads this coming deer season to do a little bullet experimenting. I believe the BCA will get the 130 Sierra GK and the Oden will get the 120 Sierra Pro Hunter.

[BluntForceTrauma]

A 130 from a 20" at 2614 fps is smokin'! That's a good velocity for a 120 in a 24". Your brass check out OK?

[1Shot]

Brass checked OK but that does seem a little fast (equals what the Grendel II book says for 24" barrel) and maybe 30 minutes latter I started getting supper high readings then supper low readings on the chronograph on the last two groups I was shooting with another rifle. I think the battery was getting low. I had left the chronograph on a very long time, forgot to cut it off, during my range time which included an 2 hr. interruption. The range that I use is actually the sheriff department range that I have privileges to but the sheriff department has president. I had been at the range maybe 45 minutes and had all my stuff set up ready to start chronoing etc. and here comes one of the deputies. He needed to practice so I had to wait until he got finished which he was in no hurry to do. He was slower than Christmas doing everything which included talking on his phone for a while. I just had to wait because it was the only day I could do this for a while and I already had everything set up. I sure was glad that I decided to take along something to drink and some peanut butter and crackers. LOL I will put in a new battery and test this load again the next time to the range.