Load development: 100 to 200 yards

[fattybinz]

I’m relatively new to handloading and I’ve been developing a load for my Ruger American predator in 223. Using once-fired norma brass, benchmark powder, 50gr Hornady vmax bullets. I found some chargeweights that showed promise at 100: 25.8 and 25.9 grains shot .7-.9moa at 100. Then tried out a few different lengths and found a few that shot .5-.7 at 100. I then moved to 200 yards and those same loads doubled in size to around 1.12-1.35moa.

I guess people will probably say I should have started at 200 to begin with. Is it normal for loads that do great at 100 to start opening up at 200 and beyond? I’m confident that it wasn’t the conditions or my shooting. No wind, and my shooting technique is pretty good/ I’m wondering if I should start over, but this time do load development at 200? Or should I stick with the 25.8 and 25.9 chargeweights and just play with the length to see if that improves accuracy at longer ranges?

This load will mostly be for playing around and hitting steel at 200-400 yards. I’d love to get consistent .6moa results at 200.

Other info: 1:8 barrel twist. Here and here are photos of groups:

 

[sbhooper]

On your 200-yard group, are you talking moa, or inches? If you shot a 1.12-1.35-inch group at 200, then you shot a tighter group, percentage-wise, than at 100. If you are referring to moa, then at 200 yards you are just over 2 inch groups. Still not bad and the difference could be your hold and not the load. If you are sure that it is not your shooting, but is the load, then you can screw with it a bit.

 

[Dan O]

For a off the rack factory rifle your doing pretty darn good. I wonder if you will ever better what you have?

Dan

 

[fattybinz]

On your 200-yard group, are you talking moa, or inches? If you shot a 1.12-1.35-inch group at 200, then you shot a tighter group, percentage-wise, than at 100. If you are referring to moa, then at 200 yards you are just over 2 inch groups. Still not bad and the difference could be your hold and not the load. If you are sure that it is not your shooting, but is the load, then you can screw with it a bit.

Yes, I mean moa: .5-.7 moa at 100 and 1.12-1.35 moa at 200. "the difference could be your hold and not the load"...can you explain this?

 

[fattybinz]

For a off the rack factory rifle your doing pretty darn good. I wonder if you will ever better what you have?

Dan

I'd like to think it can get better. It was shooting factory ammo (Norma tac-223) really well, .7 moa consistently, with the occasional half inch group. I shot through 400 rounds like that. I bought a bunch more and it didn't shoot anywhere near as well. Wonder if it was a different lot or something. Point is, if it can shoot that factory ammo that well, I was hopeful to be able to find a load that shot that well or better.

 

[Brian in Montana]

One MOA at 200yds is approximately 2". If your there or under, I'd say you're doing alright.

 

[sbhooper]

Yes, I mean moa: .5-.7 moa at 100 and 1.12-1.35 moa at 200. "the difference could be your hold and not the load"...can you explain this?

If you are changing how you hold the rifle, squeeze the trigger, or how you lay it on the rest, it can change things for you. Usually, if the rifle shoots less than moa at 100, it will do the same at 200. You are the one that makes the difference. Don't ask me how I know!

 

[fattybinz]

If you are changing how you hold the rifle, squeeze the trigger, or how you lay it on the rest, it can change things for you. Usually, if the rifle shoots less than moa at 100, it will do the same at 200. You are the one that makes the difference. Don't ask me how I know!

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm doing my part. I was shooting my tikka t3x lite in 7mm rem mag during the same range visit and was shooting 1/2-2/3" 5-shot groups. That is without a muzzle brake. The ruger american is in 223...and I have a muzzle brake one it...so it shoots like a 22. Same bench, position, and equipment as when I shot it at 100.

 

[std7mag]

I'm seeing 3 that are vertical stringing with one flier in both groups.
Suggesting some of it load related, some of it shooter.
Shoot 10 rounds over a chrono. What are your Extreme Spread and more importantly Standard Deviation?

 

[midwesthunter]

Maybe I am miss understanding something, but are you expecting better groups at 200 vs 100? It sounds like your group size is staying the same in relations to MOA.

 

[FLS]

Are you shooting off of a bipod?

 

[ImBillT]

Lots of loads on a node will shoot lights out at 100yds with terrible velocity spreads. By 200yds the node won’t completely make up for it anymore. Many a benchrester shoots two different loads at 100yds and 200yds. A great load at 200yds will pretty much always be great at 100yds. Sometimes there’s one that’s slightly better at 100yds, that sucks at 200yds. I usually tune at 100yds because wind drift and sighting error are minimized, then if things don’t fall apart at longer ranges, I’m good to go. Of course, you could just suck at shooting past 100yds.