Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
You shouldn't have any trouble at 1000yds. We use similar scopes (except for price) and I normally just leave mine at 25. For zeroing at 1000 I use clay pigeons and have no trouble with my Mildot-bar reticle getting in the way. I use a Millett LRS 6-25x56 and am really happy with it. Great light gathering with the 56mm objective.
The .365" bushing will probably be all you need if you stick with Lapua brass. My last step before priming and loading is to check the necks with a .338 mandrel from a Hornady neck turning tool. Every once in while I'll run across a loose or tight one and I just re-size that piece and check it again.
Before you buy a whole bunch of the Federal 215M primers test some over a chronograph against your Winchester LRMs. I've found the Winchesters to be very consistent over the years and haven't yet found anything better. In .223 the Winchester Small Rifle primers outdo everything else on the market, whether bench-rest or match. I've tested them all and if I'm going to compete I'll use Winchesters every time.
What did you do at Eastern? Another great bit of history lost forever.
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
I haven't gone beyond 500 yards with any rifle, and even that was long ago with open sights - an M-1. I did watch a gang shoot the 1000 yds for competition a couple of weeks ago, but no one was shooting a .338. It looks to me like the wind is the big deal at that range. 3 mph at 90 degrees looks like about 25", and that would be way off the paper.
I have the K&M neck turner, with the .338 mandrel, but the doggone Lapua brass really doesn't seem to need it. Maybe .0005 off max.
I loaded the Scenars with the Federal primers, and I'll see how they do. It's really hard to improve on cloverleafs, and that's what the Winchesters were giving me. I'm really waiting for the Bergers to show up. Once I have them, I think that's all I'll be loading.
Glad to hear you have no problems with the FFP reticle. One of the guys at the shoot suggested it would be a problem, saying that you have to be able to split the bull with the reticle. Of course, I'm not really intending to be a serious target shooter. Just want to know that I can hit a 12" circle at 1000 yards most of the time.
I flew at EAL for 21 years, and walked out with the strikers in '89. Never went back. It was a character-building experience. Are you flying for a living?
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
I don't turn the necks on Lapua brass either. I just use the mandrel to check for consistent neck tension. Very important for good accuracy, especially if you moly-coat bullets like I do.
I can't dope wind worth a crap either. Luckily I have a couple of friends that can and I usually have them spotting for me.
Flew as a private pilot and was a crew chief on Hueys in the Army, but age, diabetes, and hypertension took care of that. I've got an older friend that still flies, but he shouldn't. Scares me to death and I wont fly with him any more.
Has Berger told you when they're going to ship the new 300s? Nothing on their website except that they're working on it. I'll check with the Midway website. They usually have an expected availability date.
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
I shot a bit at 300, 500, and 1000 yards yesterday. I think I have a little work to do on neck tension, but still managed < 1.5 inches at 300, not counting one flier out of 6, 500 about 4", but it may have been a bit breezy, and evaporated a clay pigeon at 1000 yds, but it took 3 shots...one 6" over, one 6" under, but the 3rd right on it.
I think my early reloading may have created some neck tension problems. I saw a ED of about 60 fps on the shots I chrono'ed, though most were at 2705 to 2725 fps. I do recall having had some pretty good pull when I resized the cases, and I hadn't lubed the interior necks. Still don't have the Redding bushing neck die, but am surely thinking that will be a great help. Pretty careful about measuring each load of powder to 0.1g, and bullet depth to within a couple of thou, so the only thing I can figure on the muzzle velocity spread would be neck tension.
I guess it's all a learning process, limited only by how fanatical we want to be. But, I'm pretty sure a coyote at 1000 yds would be at great risk even as things are now.
All in all, the 110BA is one very fine, and extremely accurate rifle. Hard to believe it's just a factory production rifle, although the accutrigger is not quite the same as a well adjusted Jewell.
Looking forward to the dies, the new Berger 300gr Hybrids, and a source for the N570 which I'm starting to get low on.
Cheers
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
I've only loaded one batch of ammo with the N570 and didn't chrono them. Wasn't too thrilled with it (especially the price). I've gotten my best accuracy with Accurate's XMR4350, but it's too close to the ragged edge on pressure. Most of us here use Alliant's Reloder22. It's half the price of the Vitah Vouri. It's made in Sweden and 81gr seems to be good for the 300's, The Berger Hybrids aren't sensitive to seating depths so I just seat them to magazine length.
You're right, the 110BA trigger is pretty sucky. I put a Rifle Basix SAV1 in mine last week and It might turn out okay if I ever get it adjusted right. So far though it's been more trouble than it's worth. Sure wish Savage would sell their target accu-trigger. I'd slap one in the 110BA in a heartbeat. It's the best trigger I've ever used. Wonder if Fred's (SSS) Competition Trigger would work in the rifle.
Might have to call Lisa next week and ask since I'm planning on sending the 110BA in to get the action timed and trued anyway.
Called Berger and it looks like some time next year before they'll have the new 300's out. Don't know why they wont keep the old design on hand too. Guys like us that push them out at 2700fps don't have the problem. They also revised the BC on the old design down to .818. Still better than SMKs but not by as much.
Was your reticle a problem at 1000?
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Eddie
I've only loaded one batch of ammo with the N570 and didn't chrono them. Wasn't too thrilled with it (especially the price). I've gotten my best accuracy with Accurate's XMR4350, but it's too close to the ragged edge on pressure. Most of us here use Alliant's Reloder22. It's half the price of the Vitah Vouri. It's made in Sweden and 81gr seems to be good for the 300's, The Berger Hybrids aren't sensitive to seating depths so I just seat them to magazine length.
QuickLoad says you'll get about 2584 fps with the Reloder 22, and it definitely looks like you have to be careful with the 4350. A 74gr load of that really pushes the pressure, but doesn't even break 2550 fps, and you've got over 58,000 psi. I'm curious what you found to be unsat with the N570. Looks to me like it provides the highest velocity, without going too far with the pressure. 91.5 gr of N570 pushes the 300 gr SMK right about 2700 fps, depending upon how deep you're seating, with only 56,500 on the pressure.
You're right, the 110BA trigger is pretty sucky. I put a Rifle Basix SAV1 in mine last week and It might turn out okay if I ever get it adjusted right. So far though it's been more trouble than it's worth. Sure wish Savage would sell their target accu-trigger. I'd slap one in the 110BA in a heartbeat. It's the best trigger I've ever used. Wonder if Fred's (SSS) Competition Trigger would work in the rifle.
Might have to call Lisa next week and ask since I'm planning on sending the 110BA in to get the action timed and trued anyway.
I haven't yet adjusted the Accu-Trigger, but doubt it will ever be comparable to the Jewell I shot the other day. Absolutely flawless release. Never tried the Savage target accu-trigger. Would it be a drop-in in the 110BA? I'd be real interested in knowing trigger options.
Called Berger and it looks like some time next year before they'll have the new 300's out. Don't know why they wont keep the old design on hand too. Guys like us that push them out at 2700fps don't have the problem. They also revised the BC on the old design down to .818. Still better than SMKs but not by as much.
That's a disappointment. I'm about out of projectiles. I have about 50 Scenars left, but would really like to focus on one bullet, and Berger would be it if they ever came out with the new Hybrids. The SMKs really are shooting nicely, though. I have a feeling that any problems with the SMKs are strictly due to my shooter's eye, not the rounds. I'm thinking the Redding Neck Bushing die will tighten things up. I've been a little sloppy on my necks, and wouldn't be surprised if that is opening the groups up a bit, or more likely, contributing to the outliers.
Was your reticle a problem at 1000?
Not a problem. Looking at the blue bulls on the 1000 yd targets was reassuring. I can easily zero in on the X ring, although the reticle fineness isn't there as it is in SFP setups. The reticle itself is 0.025 mils, which at 1000 yds makes the reticle appear to be 0.9" thick. Not as fine as the SFP reticles on my Nikon, but I'll settle for 1" of slop at 1000 yds. I'm really just looking for reasonable tactical accuracy at this stage of the game. If I ever get the right neck dies, and see an improvement on today's accuracy, I might get a bit more intense about squeezing a little bit better out of the rifle. Hopefully, improved accuracy will come before I burn out the barrel. Already have nearly 100 rounds down the tube, and have no idea if it's good for 500, or 1000.
Re: 110BA .338 Lapua Mag. Headspace
The N570 wasn't as accurate as the 4350 and wasn't enough better than RL22 to justify $40.00 (plus iffy availability) as opposed to $20.00 and available everywhere. I'm getting right at 2700fps with 81gr of RL22 and 300 gr moly coated bullets.
Someone on this forum mentioned that SSS had reduced power accu-trigger springs. Sure enough, when I called Lisa she said she'd drop one in the mail for me. That makes three options for better trigger pull. Trim the existing spring (not until I have another one on hand), the reduced power spring from SSS, Rifle Basix (so far not recommended) and the Competition Trigger from SSS. Since I prefer the accu-trigger concept I'll probably go with option one or two, but if all else fails I'll get the Competition Trigger. I've just about given up on the Rifle Basix. So frustrated in fact that I took my Garands to the range yesterday. Love those Rifles!
The SMKs will do well at long range. Just sort them by weight and uniform the meplats. It only takes .001 or .002" to get them as square as the Lapuas and Bergers. Even the SMK .223s and .308s improve with a little TLC.
.9" at 1000 isn't much when you consider the size of the X ring on a 1000yd target. Best groups I've ever seen at 1000 were about 6". Unfortunately they weren't mine