Dang guys.
I like to post a story and pics but here's the nitty gritty. 55 Nosler BT,65 Game King,69 SMK,77 Nosler CC,90 SMK were shot. Conditions were varying winds and temps were 45-63.
I thought I’d flesh this out a bit on my first 22-NXS range trip. Weather was nice with variable winds from all directions and between 45 and 63 degrees for the day. Off and on clouds cover through the morning was noted.
24” Tactical Ordnance stainless five polygon rifled barrel. This was one of the proof of concept barrels and does not use the new reamer coming in. It has a long throat but it appears to not be much of a hindrance. I used an A2 lower with my Giselle HS Match trigger. 8X25 Mueller scope.
I shot five bullets and seven powders in combination. Each bullet was shot at three charge weights. I had a total of thirteen nine shot targets shooting at ¾” dots three rounds at each. Bullet choices for the day were 55 Nosler BT; 65 Game King; Sierra69 SMK; 77 Nosler CC and the Sierra 90 SMK. All were loaded in formed 6 MM Hagar brass sized using an RCBS 22 Nosler die with no shoulder bump.
I did shoot these based on powder type so all RL15’s were shot, all 8208’s etc. were shot regardless of weight so temperatures between same same weights varied 118 rounds total were fired and I did not clean during the day.
The 55 Nosler BT’s shot relatively well and over all three powders used. CFE 223 was the Speed King for the day with it hitting 3754; 8208 followed at 3609 with 2520 doing a respectable e 3524. Group sizes were good with the all powders yielding under ¾ MOA at some point. 8208 was the accuracy winner recording 0.660 and 0.850. I was not all that enthused with2520 but I shot those three groups in under a minute as the range was closing down for the day and they were the last ones I had to test. They will be reshot next time though I did get a 0.705 for my fast effort. I seemed to have a bit of horizontal on all powders so it could have been bullet seating or the swirl down range.
Moving up to the 69 Sierra Game Kings was interesting. Speeds dropped of course but each powder shot using 4064, CFE 223 and RL15 I got to look at decent velocities with CFE hammering the other two by almost 300 FPS. I feel this was based on being cautions with powders we had not tried and based on the primers I wasn’t even warm yet. We all know that accuracy is what counts and the 4064 took the gold here. With a nice one of 0.565 taking first I was pleased. The 40 64 shot better every time the powder was bumped. This is a deer bullet in the 22 bore and I would be happy using it. I will do the 55 GK’s on a future trip but I do intend to try this one at higher levels.
I next shot the 69 SMK. A good all around target bullet and it does work well on warm applications also per lots of fellows here. Based on the speeds I was grossly under loaded if speed is your only criteria topping out at 3323 using H 380. Accuracy however was outstanding across the entire nine group spectrum with six of the nine going under an inch. All three powders of Big Game, H380 and RL15 averaged less than one MOA combined. Not bad but across the board the faster they went the better all three shot. I’ll be looking at this one again.
I next moved up into the heavier weight area using the Nosler 77 CC bullet. On this one I shot CFE 23; H 380 and 8208. Speeds were decent running up to 3180 with the CFE. It loves this case apparently. Accuracy was outstanding with only two groups over an MOA with the aggregate for all nine going 0.833 with those two thrown in. 8208 and the CFE both had two of three nicely under an inch with the CFE all under an MOA. I would go with this one if I wanted to take this to the processed trees out yonder.
My favorite effort showing that fast is not always the best.
If you look closely you’ll see the 77’s were as fast or faster than the 69’s and this is what will get some serious looking at on the next trip.
To round out the day I put nine rounds o the 90 SMK over charges of 8208. This is 1:8 twist and under all reason I should have been looking at battleships on the target down range. This is not a magazine bullet in a standard mag though I can make it work in a window. Long and pointy I loaded these to 2.460. I ran out of dots so shot at some staples on the target board after I found out the general impact point on the first shot. The next two went in to 0.993. The bump up was atrocious thanks to a sympathetic trigger pull on my part hammering and jerking the shot low. The range was very crowded that day. The following load was clocked at 2753. I had the first two touching and then opened it up to 1.291 vertical. A bit more speed might suck this one up tight. I’ll find out. Bullet holes were nice and round with no yaw noted so if push came to shove I would say in this barrel they could be used after a roper evaluation but for now the 77’s would get the call in a heartbeat.
So there is the first report. Take away from this is the rifle will shoot relatively well even with me at the controls. The speeds demonstrated at all levels are seriously in the 22-250 level or obviously in reach. No primers looked abused. I’ve always considered those speeds to be the Holy Grail for 22 caliber bullets and I ‘m close to the Promised Land on this one. The 2520 was tiny flattening. I was not seeing any coining to be concerned up and it was non-existent in about 34 loads shot. The bullets were not even close to the lands and this will be corrected. Reamer delivery is next week per PT&G so with luck I’ll have an early Christmas present upper to myself next month once Tactical Ordnance gets a piece of steel on the lathe.
Back to the bench.
Greg
I like to post a story and pics but here's the nitty gritty. 55 Nosler BT,65 Game King,69 SMK,77 Nosler CC,90 SMK were shot. Conditions were varying winds and temps were 45-63.
I thought I’d flesh this out a bit on my first 22-NXS range trip. Weather was nice with variable winds from all directions and between 45 and 63 degrees for the day. Off and on clouds cover through the morning was noted.
24” Tactical Ordnance stainless five polygon rifled barrel. This was one of the proof of concept barrels and does not use the new reamer coming in. It has a long throat but it appears to not be much of a hindrance. I used an A2 lower with my Giselle HS Match trigger. 8X25 Mueller scope.
I shot five bullets and seven powders in combination. Each bullet was shot at three charge weights. I had a total of thirteen nine shot targets shooting at ¾” dots three rounds at each. Bullet choices for the day were 55 Nosler BT; 65 Game King; Sierra69 SMK; 77 Nosler CC and the Sierra 90 SMK. All were loaded in formed 6 MM Hagar brass sized using an RCBS 22 Nosler die with no shoulder bump.
I did shoot these based on powder type so all RL15’s were shot, all 8208’s etc. were shot regardless of weight so temperatures between same same weights varied 118 rounds total were fired and I did not clean during the day.
The 55 Nosler BT’s shot relatively well and over all three powders used. CFE 223 was the Speed King for the day with it hitting 3754; 8208 followed at 3609 with 2520 doing a respectable e 3524. Group sizes were good with the all powders yielding under ¾ MOA at some point. 8208 was the accuracy winner recording 0.660 and 0.850. I was not all that enthused with2520 but I shot those three groups in under a minute as the range was closing down for the day and they were the last ones I had to test. They will be reshot next time though I did get a 0.705 for my fast effort. I seemed to have a bit of horizontal on all powders so it could have been bullet seating or the swirl down range.
Moving up to the 69 Sierra Game Kings was interesting. Speeds dropped of course but each powder shot using 4064, CFE 223 and RL15 I got to look at decent velocities with CFE hammering the other two by almost 300 FPS. I feel this was based on being cautions with powders we had not tried and based on the primers I wasn’t even warm yet. We all know that accuracy is what counts and the 4064 took the gold here. With a nice one of 0.565 taking first I was pleased. The 40 64 shot better every time the powder was bumped. This is a deer bullet in the 22 bore and I would be happy using it. I will do the 55 GK’s on a future trip but I do intend to try this one at higher levels.
I next shot the 69 SMK. A good all around target bullet and it does work well on warm applications also per lots of fellows here. Based on the speeds I was grossly under loaded if speed is your only criteria topping out at 3323 using H 380. Accuracy however was outstanding across the entire nine group spectrum with six of the nine going under an inch. All three powders of Big Game, H380 and RL15 averaged less than one MOA combined. Not bad but across the board the faster they went the better all three shot. I’ll be looking at this one again.
I next moved up into the heavier weight area using the Nosler 77 CC bullet. On this one I shot CFE 23; H 380 and 8208. Speeds were decent running up to 3180 with the CFE. It loves this case apparently. Accuracy was outstanding with only two groups over an MOA with the aggregate for all nine going 0.833 with those two thrown in. 8208 and the CFE both had two of three nicely under an inch with the CFE all under an MOA. I would go with this one if I wanted to take this to the processed trees out yonder.
My favorite effort showing that fast is not always the best.
If you look closely you’ll see the 77’s were as fast or faster than the 69’s and this is what will get some serious looking at on the next trip.
To round out the day I put nine rounds o the 90 SMK over charges of 8208. This is 1:8 twist and under all reason I should have been looking at battleships on the target down range. This is not a magazine bullet in a standard mag though I can make it work in a window. Long and pointy I loaded these to 2.460. I ran out of dots so shot at some staples on the target board after I found out the general impact point on the first shot. The next two went in to 0.993. The bump up was atrocious thanks to a sympathetic trigger pull on my part hammering and jerking the shot low. The range was very crowded that day. The following load was clocked at 2753. I had the first two touching and then opened it up to 1.291 vertical. A bit more speed might suck this one up tight. I’ll find out. Bullet holes were nice and round with no yaw noted so if push came to shove I would say in this barrel they could be used after a roper evaluation but for now the 77’s would get the call in a heartbeat.
So there is the first report. Take away from this is the rifle will shoot relatively well even with me at the controls. The speeds demonstrated at all levels are seriously in the 22-250 level or obviously in reach. No primers looked abused. I’ve always considered those speeds to be the Holy Grail for 22 caliber bullets and I ‘m close to the Promised Land on this one. The 2520 was tiny flattening. I was not seeing any coining to be concerned up and it was non-existent in about 34 loads shot. The bullets were not even close to the lands and this will be corrected. Reamer delivery is next week per PT&G so with luck I’ll have an early Christmas present upper to myself next month once Tactical Ordnance gets a piece of steel on the lathe.
Back to the bench.
Greg
