Range Results with E.R. Shaw Barrel

Took the new build to the range yesterday morning. To make a long story short, best load was 52.9 grains of IMR 4350 pushing a 190 grain SMK to 2700 fps. This load is .3 grains under the max book load. That load grouped five into 1.547" at 300 yards. The barrel didn't like any of the loads I made up using IMR 4064 pushing the 150 grain SMK, sprayed those all over the paper. Total round count is 35 rounds. I got some indication of copper when I cleaned it but it wasn't too bad. So far, I'm impressed by this Shaw barrel.

Tuesday I'm taking the new build I call "Thumper" to a friend's 1k range to stretch it legs out to 500 yards or so testing some 178 grain A-Max and 175 grain SMKs.

30-06? Just a guess from bullet and charge weight.

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Originally Posted by Anschutz

30-06? Just a guess from bullet and charge weight.

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Oops! Yeah, 30-06.

Glad to hear the barrel is working out for you. Love the name "Thumper", especially for the 30-06. Any pictures yet?

All my experiences with Shaw barrels have been great. They even shoot a little better once they get broke in a bit more.

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Originally Posted by GaCop

Took the new build to the range yesterday morning. To make a long story short, best load was 52.9 grains of IMR 4350 pushing a 190 grain SMK to 2700 fps. This load is .3 grains under the max book load. That load grouped five into 1.547" at 300 yards.

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WTG Tom ! You're off to a great start. ...................... Putting a few bricks in your pockets might tighten those groups even more :) :) ................ Don't give up on the 4064 yet. Your bbl. might not like the 150 SMK. (just thinking out loud)

Thumper? Sounds like you are twitterpated.

Yep! I have had great success with my Shaw barrels! :-)

Lets see....1/2 moa at 300yds first time out. You just may have a shooter! And...with one of my favorite cartridges. Cant wait to hear your long range results. And...see pics..😉
Scooter

I'll take some pics of the rifle and post them. Went to my friend's 1k range in south west Georgia yesterday to see what the rifle would do at longer ranges. I shot a number of loads using the Hornady 178 grain A-Max over various charges of IMR4350 at 500 yards. Overall, I wasn't impressed with the results. Best group was 6" at 500 yards with a starting load of 50.5 grains. As charges increased, so did the group sizes opening up to 7 and 8 inches. Much of the problem, I believe, is the horrendous trigger still on the rifle, it breaks at 5lbs 4oz! The heat mirage didn't help much either when the temp got up to 96 degrees.

The load that surprised me was the 150 grain SMKs that didn't do well at 300 yards last Sunday. I tried them at 500 yards and, of course, they shot high so I tried them at 600 and 700 yards. At 600 yards, three rounds grouped into 3.5" and at 700 yards it was just a tad over 5". Both were shot on steel plates and measured for group size. All loads are put up in LC National Match brass, 62, 63, and 67 dates.

Next outing will be with the 168 grain and 175 grain SMKs. To date, I've put 75 rounds through the Shaw barrel.

Might try sorting that brass by case volume. While Lake City NM brass is top notch stuff they do vary considerably from year to year because different manufacturers get the contract to produce that brass at the lake city plant from year to year. 48-49gr of IMR 4064 and a 168 Berger or Sierra Match king have always shot really well for me out of an 06

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Originally Posted by GaCop

Took the new build to the range yesterday morning. To make a long story short, best load was 52.9 grains of IMR 4350 pushing a 190 grain SMK to 2700 fps. This load is .3 grains under the max book load. .

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Unless you have a very long barrel, that load is probably over pressure.

Folks always assume that there is only one possible burning rate of powder, and ignore the "drop loads 10% when switching lots" warning. Without knowing the lot number of the powder tested, you should never assume yours is from the same. The velocity is the important number, not the charge weight. Production firearms have looser tollerances than the SAAMI minimum spec equipment used in pressure barrels for testing. This means that a production rifle will always be lower velocity, at the same pressure; than the book data. The only way to overcome the velocity difference, is to add more pressure.

I'm glad you like the load! Depending upon your atmosphere, the 168's don't like to cross trans-sonic with the pointy end forward.

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Originally Posted by darkker

Unless you have a very long barrel, that load is probably over pressure.

Folks always assume that there is only one possible burning rate of powder, and ignore the "drop loads 10% when switching lots" warning. Without knowing the lot number of the powder tested, you should never assume yours is from the same. The velocity is the important number, not the charge weight. Production firearms have looser tollerances than the SAAMI minimum spec equipment used in pressure barrels for testing. This means that a production rifle will always be lower velocity, at the same pressure; than the book data. The only way to overcome the velocity difference, is to add more pressure.

I'm glad you like the load! Depending upon your atmosphere, the 168's don't like to cross trans-sonic with the pointy end forward.

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I guess i need to be reeducated about barrel legnth. I was of the opinion long barrels were needed when using heavy charges of slower powder
in order for it to all burn in the barrel and not on the ground in front of the barrel. I also understand that as the bullet travels down the barrel
pressure is reduced because of the addittional space created.
But once the bullet leaves the muzzle the pressure is gone anyway. So why would a longer barrel make the charge safer?

One way of determining pressure is to measure case head or extractor groove expansion with extractor groove measurements being most reliable. This unsupported part of the case acts much like a copper crusher. There's much conjecture in the shooting community as to what amount of expansion is acceptable. There-in lies the "rub". I stick to a max of .0015"......... Other shooting community standards say .001" is max. Still others say .002" or .003" is max........ ANY expansion of the extractor groove dimension means you're treading in the danger zone.

The 190 grain load with 52.9 grains of IMR 4350 was a ***** cat. Brass extracted easy, primers looked good. Resized cases still have tight primer pockets. Cases looked just like they did after the first firing which was probably in a Garand many years ago. After the 4th loading, I'll anneal the brass.

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Originally Posted by Bolthead

Glad to hear the barrel is working out for you. Love the name "Thumper", especially for the 30-06. Any pictures yet?

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I've got pictures, just trying to figure out how to up load them here?!

Looks like you're well in the safe zone to me ?

I'm thinking about building something bigger than my 243 that will reach out further than my 45-70 to build one I get my 243 done. I'm not started on it yet but may just pick up a standard 30-06 to play around with. I'm still trying to decide if I want to burn the extra powder and get the extra recoil of the 300 Winnie

Sounds like an awesome rig! Maybe I missed it but what are you running for optics?

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Originally Posted by mattri

Sounds like an awesome rig! Maybe I missed it but what are you running for optics?

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I picked up a couple of the 6.5X20X50AO Simmons Whitetail Classic's from Jim at NSS. They're a nice clear scope that has been discontinued by Simmons for some time now. The clarity is really great for a scope Jim is selling for $99. So far, I've been able to pick up on my bullet strikes on the steel at 800 yards even with the murderous heat mirage in Georgia.

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Originally Posted by stomp442

Might try sorting that brass by case volume. While Lake City NM brass is top notch stuff they do vary considerably from year to year because different manufacturers get the contract to produce that brass at the lake city plant from year to year. 48-49gr of IMR 4064 and a 168 Berger or Sierra Match king have always shot really well for me out of an 06

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Right, I separate the year stamps into groups and uniform the primer pockets and make sure there's no burrs around the flash hole. I don't like the standard RCBS full length sizing die I have, it sizes the necks too much and the expander button doesn't seem to open the necks back to a point where its easy to seat the bullets so I've ordered a Lee collet die and a Redding shoulder bump die. My bullet seating dies is an RCBS competition die.

Try seperating them according to where the shots land also.
Meaning if you have 3 good ones and the 4th lands somewhere else, seperate it out.
Eventually the only thing left to seperate out is you lol.

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Originally Posted by yobuck

Try seperating them according to where the shots land also.
Meaning if you have 3 good ones and the 4th lands somewhere else, seperate it out.
Eventually the only thing left to seperate out is you lol.

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:p;) That would surely improve my groups!

Finally sprung for a Rifle Basix-1 Trigger to replace the gawd awful factory one. Groups should improve getting rid of a trigger that was breaking (after a bit if grittiness) at 5 lbs 4 oz.

I have the Rifle Basix trigger breaking at 1.14 lbs (average of 5 trigger pulls), about as low as it will go w/o causing problems cocking when closing the bolt.