06-14-2023, 01:21 AM
Thanks everyone and sorry - I didn't abandon the thread - just busy.
I certainly do think that annealing would have extended the case neck lives. Thing is, this lot of Lapua brass is the only brass I've owned where the primer pockets haven't started going first. I'll add that I purchased 300 pieces of Alpha 6.5CM brass that is over a buck apiece and all the rage in some circles. The primer pockets were so tight at first that I couldn't even get a Fed LR primer into them - only a BR-2 which has a slightly smaller diameter. After 5 firings they still don't fully accept a no go gauge, but some are getting close and the Feds fit easily. I'm pretty dissapointed and although I'm at a near max load (2850 with a 123 Scenar with H4350 out of a 22"), I'm not over it. So what I grapple with is investing the money and time in something that might not get me any additional brass life at the end of the day
Klem and others, I don't disagree that a clean bore will shoot faster than a dirty bore - I've tested myself and I'm sure others have and the first one to three always run a bit faster than once its fouled (20 fps for the first if I recall in my Grendel), so that will affect vertical dispersion at range, but it should have an insignificant effect on POI at 100 yards which is what I was referring to. The heat shouldn't have an impact on zero either provided a temp insensitive powder is being used. A faster bullet does tend to go lower as barrel dwell time is less as the barrel is following its natural rise - and for me it also goes slightly right - I don't know if that's normal or a function of my shoulder structure or my form. I debated about whether or not i should clean this time and did decide to for exactly the reason you said, Klem - who knows what the time and temp fluctuation could do with the residue over 6 months. Normally, I wouldn't have since its a barrel that can go to at least 150 before a cleaning is needed.
By cold shooter I mean that we get on our rifle, we run through our checkdowns and we blame the cold barrel when the shot doesn't go where we thought it should. And then we have the feel of that first shot and our muscle memory takes over and we're more relaxed and the next rounds go where we know they should go. I think that group was so good because I didn't overthink it and part of me was kind of looking forward to having it be shot out so I could buy an ARC barrel. So I think I was truly perfectly relaxed.
It would be interesting to document one's cold shots to see it there is a pattern - be it first shot pulls due overgripping or maybe pushes from too much shoulder, or maybe a little of each.
I put my remaining 13-14x brass in the tumbler and have about 3/4 lb of the lot of powder I was using left. I'm interested to see what the SD's are like and if the more brittle necks will have an impact. My 5 shot SDs were in the 5-7 range when I worked the load up when the brass was at 9x. If anyone has any ideas of any other sort of test that could be run on brittle necks, let me know!
I certainly do think that annealing would have extended the case neck lives. Thing is, this lot of Lapua brass is the only brass I've owned where the primer pockets haven't started going first. I'll add that I purchased 300 pieces of Alpha 6.5CM brass that is over a buck apiece and all the rage in some circles. The primer pockets were so tight at first that I couldn't even get a Fed LR primer into them - only a BR-2 which has a slightly smaller diameter. After 5 firings they still don't fully accept a no go gauge, but some are getting close and the Feds fit easily. I'm pretty dissapointed and although I'm at a near max load (2850 with a 123 Scenar with H4350 out of a 22"), I'm not over it. So what I grapple with is investing the money and time in something that might not get me any additional brass life at the end of the day
Klem and others, I don't disagree that a clean bore will shoot faster than a dirty bore - I've tested myself and I'm sure others have and the first one to three always run a bit faster than once its fouled (20 fps for the first if I recall in my Grendel), so that will affect vertical dispersion at range, but it should have an insignificant effect on POI at 100 yards which is what I was referring to. The heat shouldn't have an impact on zero either provided a temp insensitive powder is being used. A faster bullet does tend to go lower as barrel dwell time is less as the barrel is following its natural rise - and for me it also goes slightly right - I don't know if that's normal or a function of my shoulder structure or my form. I debated about whether or not i should clean this time and did decide to for exactly the reason you said, Klem - who knows what the time and temp fluctuation could do with the residue over 6 months. Normally, I wouldn't have since its a barrel that can go to at least 150 before a cleaning is needed.
By cold shooter I mean that we get on our rifle, we run through our checkdowns and we blame the cold barrel when the shot doesn't go where we thought it should. And then we have the feel of that first shot and our muscle memory takes over and we're more relaxed and the next rounds go where we know they should go. I think that group was so good because I didn't overthink it and part of me was kind of looking forward to having it be shot out so I could buy an ARC barrel. So I think I was truly perfectly relaxed.
It would be interesting to document one's cold shots to see it there is a pattern - be it first shot pulls due overgripping or maybe pushes from too much shoulder, or maybe a little of each.
I put my remaining 13-14x brass in the tumbler and have about 3/4 lb of the lot of powder I was using left. I'm interested to see what the SD's are like and if the more brittle necks will have an impact. My 5 shot SDs were in the 5-7 range when I worked the load up when the brass was at 9x. If anyone has any ideas of any other sort of test that could be run on brittle necks, let me know!
Let's go Brandon!