Load Data: .223 Wylde/CFE 223/Nosler 64gr Bonded

[cory]

[LRRPF52]

CFE needs to have pressure built in the start pressure window of the burn, otherwise it behaves like that. It did the exact thing to me with the 107gr SMK's in the Grendel, but was beautiful under 123gr A-MAX.

Did you look at Nosler's data for that load and bullet? They have it on their site. CFE was their accuracy powder. They listed a max at 26.0gr with a 2.175" COL, WSR primer, bolt gun. Do .2gr increments with the .223 Rem. RL15 and 8208XBR are really popular in .223 Rem for service rifle shooters. What barrel length do you have?

[cory]

It's a 14.5" barrel. I started at 24.7gr and worked to 26.2gr in .3gr increments. The Nosler Reloading Guide was my primary source of info, that and hogdgen's published data.

2.17" COL 0.045" jump to lands
Charge(gr)/Velocity(fps)/STD Dev/# Samples/Temp.(F)
24.7 2613 2.1 3 69
25 2590 74.3 4 69
25.3 2598 10.6 2 69
25.6 2754 65.7 4 69
25.9 2715 27.9 4 69
26.2 2762 30.9 4 69

In my last 5.56 spikes 16" barrel I did a similar work up and got much better results.

2.175" COL 0.056" jump to lands
Charge(gr)/Velocity(fps)/STD Dev/# Samples/Temp.(F)
24.7 2527 45.1 4 89
25 2632.5 28.2 4 89
25.3 2677.75 25.0 4 89
25.6 2688.5 18.3 4 89
25.9 2759.75 46.0 4 89
26.2 2800.75 23.2 4 89

I'm thinking I should start by loading to a 0.02" jump to lands.

[Klem]

Cory,

The incidental detail in your post got me thinking...I now use artificial light for chronographing at dawn and dusk, even in the afternoon when there's plenty of light to see and shoot the target. I often use these times for testing as there's never anyone else at the club and you have the place to yourself.

Like I say, even though there's plenty of light to see the target I realised the Chrony started blowing-out the Standard Deviations. It is insidious because the incorrect readings start slowly and the errors are small so they are believable and are not immediately obvious. No doubt I have wasted a lot of time and money accepting sloppy readings until someone on another forum gave me the answer.

Since using artificial light on the sky-screens my velocity standard deviations at dawn and dusk have tightened to what I get in the middle of the day.

I use two cheapy $5 LED lights from Dealextreme.com with neo magnets pointing directly at the sensors.


You may know this already and it might not even be the issue here but I'm just throwing it out there as a possibility to be discounted.

[cory]

Thanks Klem. This isn't the first time I've suspected my chrono was giving me bad reading because the light conditions were less than optimal. I'll give those a try.

I think I'm going to pick up the Superchrono Pro when it comes out this fall.

[Klem]

Yes, they do look pretty good. Be interested to hear what you think about them. Certainly looks less fiddly than setting up sky screens.

[cory]

Yea it does. I understand the science behind it better than I do the others, that's a big selling point for me. However, I would pick up the magnetospeed, but I don't want to run into a barrel where it throws off the harmonics.

That and I hate setting up this pro chronograph and hoping the sunlight conditions are just perfect.

[LRRPF52]

My next velocity instrumentation will not be optical sensor based, that's for sure. I'm seriously thinking about the LabRadar. No more guessing, just actual velocity data from the muzzle to 100yds.

[Klem]

My next velocity instrumentation will not be optical sensor based, that's for sure. I'm seriously thinking about the LabRadar. No more guessing, just actual velocity data from the muzzle to 100yds.

I like how it includes subsonic, something the Superchrono doesn't.

Any idea of the price? They want expressions of interest and have not listed the price.

[LRRPF52]

~$450 from what was said at SHOT, to the best of my knowledge.

[cory]

My next velocity instrumentation will not be optical sensor based, that's for sure. I'm seriously thinking about the LabRadar. No more guessing, just actual velocity data from the muzzle to 100yds.

Yea it's an interesting design. If only it was as compact as the superchrono.

[waveslayer]

I have the magnetospeed and it throws the harmonics off, I mean off! I have a 308 that is a tack driver and I did a test taking it on and off. I had a group that was over 6 inches all over the place. When I shot it off, sub MOA. The Labrador is my next purchase for sure!

[cory]

At last

I was just about to send this barrel back to Mark at PF to look it over for me and then today happened. I tweeked the COLs a little and it almost wouldn't not shoot MOA.

At 100 yards







Bullet
Wt. (gr) Manufacturer Type OAL (in) COAL (in) Brass Primer Powder Charge (gr)
64 Nosler Bonded 1.900 2.178 Lake City CCI M41 CFE 223 27.5
64 Nosler Bonded 1.900 2.178 Lake City CCI M41 CFE 223 27.8
64 Nosler Bonded 1.900 2.178 Lake City CCI M41 CFE 223 28.1
64 Nosler Bonded 1.900 2.178 Lake City CCI M41 CFE 223 28.4
64 Nosler Bonded 1.900 2.178 Lake City CCI M41 CFE 223 28.7

68 Hornady BTHP 1.832 2.250 Lake City CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 24
68 Hornady BTHP 1.832 2.250 Lake City CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 24.4

77 Nosler HPBT 1.870 2.260 LC CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 22.4
77 Nosler HPBT 1.870 2.260 LC CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 22.8
77 Nosler HPBT 1.870 2.260 LC CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 23.2
77 Nosler HPBT 1.870 2.260 LC CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 23.6
77 Nosler HPBT 1.870 2.260 LC CCI M41 IMR 8208 X 24

[cory]

This is turning into a great gun. There were several times when I thought I pulled because the trigger released unexpectedly. It has a lot of creep and is in desperate need of being replaced. Yet, this barrel was able to over come the trigger.