I started load development today for my .308 Rem 700 R5. I tried a combination of things, that I've been pondering. First I just got the gun today, it is a Remington Custom Shop blue printed 20" fluted and threaded bull barrel with an extended tacticool knob, HS Precision stock, cerakoted armorer black. I mounted a Nightforce 15-55X50 scope in Nightforce 30mm direct mount with 20 degree tilt.
Rem 700 5R.jpg
I am skeptical about the need for prolonged barrel break in but I also kind of believe some sort of break in helps make cleaning easier as the barrel goes along it's life. So, I started out shooting one, cleaning, shooting another cleaning for ten rounds using some Federal Gold medal Match 168 grain SMK factory loads while sighting in the scope. I then shot a few three shot groups cleaning every three shots. It was obvious this gun wants to shoot, all groups were sub MOA.
Then I shot a matrix using the 168 grain Sierra Tipped MatchKing and H4895, starting at 39 grains and working up in .5 grain increments to 42.5 grains, just one round each, watching for any pressure signs and observing velocity, I was looking for a flat spot where velocity was tight for three consecutive loads.
I was also observing point of impact shift and noticed that as I approached 42 grains things really came together, tight velocities and 41, 41.5, and 42 all went into less than .25 MOA. This is a region I'll then do some fine tuning around, smaller increments of powder and varying seating depth.
The thing that really impressed me was how tight the group for all nine loads was and how it tightened up as I increased charges. The 41-42 grain loads were all right around 2,600 fps. Here is a pic of all nine shots, the high one was one of the light loads at the start.
I'm pretty confident that developing less than .5 MOA loads is going to be easy.
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