Ammo Testing

[flintski]

Waiting for the weather to be just a little bit better before testing the new Kimber HS. But in the mean while I have got like 15 different boxes of shell, some cheap, some high $$$.  Now question, when I do start testing would you run a dry patch down the barrel, or something on it, or just keep shooting?
With all the different bullets having different lubes on them is it going to effect the accuracy of the next batch of bullets down the tube?
Some are copper plated but most are plain lead tips.
Forget the 50 yard line and go to the 110 rams or what?
Any suggestions are welcome.....

[flintski]

I made a home made rim thickness gauge and with nothing else to do this afternoon, I got out some of the shells I plan on testing in the Kimber. Boy there was a lot of difference in rim thickness in the different makes.

The following list is what I found:

CCI Standard Vel        .0410   thickness
Fed Lightening             .0410
Rem Eley Club Xtra      .0375-.0380
Fed Prem Gold Medal   .0405-.0415
Fed Classic                  .0405-.0415
Aguila SE                    .0405-.0415
WW Xpediter               .0400-.0410
Fed American Eagle     .0410-.0420
WW T22                      .0390-.0410
CCI Blazer                  .0400-.0420
Rem Subsonic              .0370-.0410
WW DynaPoint             .0360-.0410
Rem Gold Bullet           .0375-.0415

I dumped 15 out of each 50 round container and measured them.
The CCI Standard and the Fed Lighting showed Zero difference in measurement of the 15 shells.  Most there within one thousandth of an inch except the last 5  listed.
I will take these measurement into account when testing the ammo.  Will be interesting to see if the rim thickness plays apart in accuracy.

I was really surprised that DynaPoint was so far out of it......

[shootingpaul]

dont be surprised, check all cases not only 15,
I usually clean the barrel before shooting another ammo, unless is the same manufacturer and different type for example Lapua Master and Midas, both have same lube,,,,,,,,,, do not shoot 10 --- shoot at least 50
good luck and keep us posted on your results, I bet a beer Lapua will win, Lapua Master thats is

[Jerry G]

Each mfg uses a different lube so you need to clean between each brand change.  You will have to shoot a few rounds into the dirt after each cleaning to get the lube into your bore and the gun settled down.  I don't think that the rim thickness has much to do with anything.  It is how consistent the rim thickness is for whatever ammo you are shooting.  I hope that made sense.  I have found that the cheep ammo responds better to sorting by rim thickness and the more nexpensive stuff is a waste of time to sort.  Like someone else told you, wait for warm weather like you will be shooting in before you do anything.

Good luck with the Kimber.

[flintski]

jerry g
    I thought you lived in idaho falls, idaho...

I have a box of RWS R50's and i just got thru rim thickness and weighting them, they where ALL, every one, (50) with in .001 thickness and within 1/10 grain of each other.  I think that is what we pay $20 a box for.

My gun right now shoots cci standards very well and at the cost it's hard not to shoot them seeing that this will be my first season at shooting 22 silhouette.
I just got thru weight 500 cci's and got them separated into 1/10 grains most where 51.7 to 51.9 the rest i kept separated for the kids to shoot.

While i have you would you do testing at 44 yards or 109 yards. One of the better shooters here got on me the other night for testing at 100 yards, he said do you testing at the chicken line and if there are flyers at the range you surely will at 100. I don't get his DRIFT on that. You have any ideas.  Any help will save me $$$.

flint

[eeleater]

Flintski

It is probably just as well you did not get his drift. as the drift seems to be in his logic.

It is true that ammunition giving fliers at the chickens will give them at the rams also.

What he "misses" is that ammunition which does not give fliers MAY do so at the rams.

You will spend less time and money by doing you ammo testing at the ram distance.

Despite what may people assume, the "spread" of a group is not just dependent on the distance.  In other words. a group of 1/4 inch at 50 yards does not mean you will shoot a 1/2 in group at 100 years, a 1 inch group at 200 yards, and an 88 inch group at 1 mile.

Jerry G is mostly (see below) correct about the lube.  It does make a difference, and you need to "condition" the bore for each lube by actually shooting the ammunition.  

The lube can also vary within the lines of an individual manufacturer-and not just for biatholon ammunition.  I after shooting various brands and lot numbers I purchased  specific lot numbers of Eley Club (orange box) to use for chickens and pigs, and Ely Match EPS for turkeys and rams.  I found in my lot testing that I would need different sight settings for each at any given distance- but did not pay much attention as I planned to shoot them at different distances.  After  I actually started practicing I realised that the group would drift for about the first 5 shots when switching back and forth.  It did not make too much of a difference from rams to chickens, but pigs to turkeys are hard enough already!  

I do not have enough experience to know how often the above will occur- or be significant- within a manufacturers line- but I will not ASSUME will not occur as I had when I decided on those choices.  I suspect I would have been safe doing this with the Match EPS and Tenex EPS a that is a matter of different lots off the same machines-- but that was more money than I could spend at that time.

[flintski]

eeleater,        thanks for the info, will take that into account.

you really don't eat ell do you? how does it taste?

thanks again flint

[eeleater]

Never eaten one that I know of...

I was trying to think of a "handle" I could remember, not already in in use (or common use).  One I would remeber how to spell, and could type with a decent chance of getting it right the first time.

[hh4064]

I totally and completely agree with eeleater. Do ALL of your testing at 100M. 100M will show you details about you combination that 40M could never show you. I have shot my custom gun with some ammo at 40 M and it augers a pee sized hole. That same ammo's groups fell apart at 80 yds. And at 100M that ammo would not shoot under an inch and a half. ALWAYS SHOOT AND TEST AT 100M.........................ALWAYS
GOOD LUCK
mbj
michigan

[flintski]

hh4064,   that what I plan on doing, 100 meters.  If it shoots good at 100 it's just about have to hold up at the shorter ranges. I snowing like crazy right now so I guess it will have to wait a few days/weeks.
thanbks for the info, i really do appreciate the help.

flint