K95 Long Range

[snookntarpon]

I haven't found anything on long range with a K95 here, so here i go.

I shoot a k95 with a 20"barrel suppressed in 7mm-08 with 150 Gr ELD-X projectiles.
Took me a long time to find a load that shot well in my K95. Factory ammo was at best 1", to 4,5 and 6" depending on type. I decided to reload for it using the 150 ELDX. I am now shooting under half inch groups at 100 and maintain that out to 500 at my local range. In the field, harder to judge (shooting rocks not targets) at 600 I am shooting at half MOA or slightly over. Velocity is 2725fps at the muzzle.

The challenge for the gun to shoot accurately was that the jump to the lands on the factory load (Hornady 7mm-08 150 ELDX precision hunter) had a .145" jump to the lands, and i loaded them to a 0.020 jump (allowing for more powder too).

Now I am loading for a friend with a K95 and my brother with a Merkel K3, all throated long (but the merkel shoots 140 gr accubond Nosler ammo under half MOA). Both are 7-08.

Thoughts on these long throats?


Best
SnT

[Blasernovice]

My K95 is chambered in 7x65R, I’ve got the normal length barrel. I haven’t tried finding the lands. Using a 162a-max I’ve shot a 3.5” 3 shot group at 550yds and hit a 5l oil container at 930ish yds. Furthest shot on an animal is a red deer at 390yds.

[MM]

I had a K1 Merkel with three barrels (222,30-06, and 9.3x74r) I reloaded for the 222 and 30-06 used factory for the 9.3. They shot great out of the Merkel but I never took a truly long range shot with them. I sold them all and bought a K95 and I have 6 barrels and reload for 5 of them. I have tried chasing the lands with the rounds I am loading but have never been able to hit them with a bullet seated deep enough for a hunting bullet. My 30-06 load I used in the Merkel did not shoot nearly as well in my K95 until I upped the powder charge one grain and seated the bullet to the OAL listed in the manual and now shoots .5-.65 of an inch when I do my part. Longest game shots Pronghorn 323, mule deer 292 and axis deer 212.
My 9.3x74R I never did hit the lands and I finally after trying many different loads seated the bullet to the manuals OAL and It went from well over one inch to sub moa.
Same story with my 300 Weatherby Mag and I gave up trying to load any bullet over 180 grains, the barrel just won’t shoot them. I get higher velocity and better accuracy with the 180 partition than I do with the 178 eldx so that is what I am taking on a Mt. Goat hunt this fall. I cleared brush yesterday on my farm and I have a good 500 yards to test so I will report back. My experience about bullet seating with the K95 has been counter intuitive to me but from now on when I am reloading I will start with the OAL listed in the reloading manual and move the bullet out to the lands if needed instead of doing the opposite like I used to do. My barrels have all tended to like a little lighter bullet vs. a heavy for caliber bullet and flat based vs. boat tails, I don’t know why it has just been my experience. I hope this helps.
Matt

[snookntarpon]

MM and Blasernovice. great to hear from others on this.
We all have our methods, and it's all about finding what works.
Flat base bullets are easier to get to shoot tight groups, but i stopped using them after a 450 yard shot on a Stag years ago. wanted to retain more energy downrange, so went boat tail.
Longest shot on game with my K95 is 265 yards, but knowing i can do my part at 500+ if the first shot is off feels great. Plus few things are more fun than picking far off spots on a rock face.
SnT