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same powder different lot #
rdbradley
Member Posts: 33 ✭✭
I was all dialed in,or so I thought. Ran out of powder, bought more,same everything but different lot #. Terrible groups. Is there that much difference that I have to start from scratch? How do you put those damn little mad faces on here?
Comments
As for the faces just click on them o the left when you post.[:D][8D][:I][:o)][;)][}:)][:p][B)][8][:(][8)][|)][xx(][:(!][:0][:X][^][V][?]
Besides what has been covered, which is of course very real and marked ... another less probable, but potential variable is the humidity and temperature, when reloading from one session to another.
I've noted some shot placement differences between like loads, that I blame on the differences of humidity and temp differences. The shot placement was not extreme for me, but marked ... and the temp when loaded were similar, but humidity varied a lot.
(Many years ago when loading .50 BMG the Sup. endeavored to set things so that the same lot numered rounds were loaded with the same humidity, etc. as much as possible.)
If you ever chronographed the old loads you might run the new ones over a chrony too.
I forgot to mention that I did change from from standard magnum primers to match grade primers. dont think that would be cause for such a drastic change in group patern.
I've used both H4831 and the H4831sc in large caliber guns with real good results and user friendly and groups remained with good accuracy!
H4831 and H4831sc is one of my favorite powders for several calibers, especially the 30-06 and 300 win mags.
Make sure you are not using the IMR 4831 as a replacement for the H and vice versa!
A guy gave me some of the military version 4831 few years back when I was using the H4831 and when I removed the lid from the container it smelled very bad and would set the nose hairs on fire and had some yellow sulphur look!
I used it for fertilizer!
What caliber and type of gun are you using it in?
If the groups remain erratic when you change back to the same primers, I would take a look at the scope mounting, scope, action svcrews, bedding of action to stock, bore copper fouled, etc! Thse things will sneak up on you and cause erratic issues sometimes and try to get you thinking otherwise!
thanks
I am using h4831sc for my 300wthby mag. Cleaned copper fouling real good, shot 1 factory round to foul and then my reloads, a total of about 6 or 7 three shot groups. A buddy told me his wthby shoots better with a dirty barrel. Its been to windy to shoot so maybe this week-end I'll give another go at it.
thanks
Let the barrel cool good between 3 shot groups. By cool I mean at LEAST to the where you can hold your hand or fingers wrapped around the barrel or cooler. Open the bolt and the barrel will cool faster on the big calibers because air will convect through the barrel! 300 mags barrels will heat real fast and some of the Weatherby's with the long wimpy tapered barrels can be fineky about excellent groups powder weights and choosing, bullet weights,etc, can be within a narrow selection for good accuracy! By good average hunting gun accuracy such as 1 1/2 inch groups or better, but normally some 300's are easy to acquire excellent groups (and this caliber is also inherently accurate and one of my favorite calibers for accuracy and to hit'em as far as you can see em) and some are fineky, and Weatherby's can be quite fineky, even though they are advertised as GUARANTEED to produce 1 1/2 inch groups or better, I take this WEATHERBY AD with a big grain of salt. (blowing smoke)
What Model Weatherby are you testing? (also barrel length?)
Is the gun glass bedded and the barrel floated?
What is your current group size and what size AVERAGE 3 shot group are you trying to accept as the minimum size group?[;)]