P14 .303 reloading success - Balistix bullets

[Treeman]

A short while back I finally received a licence for the 303 P14, a much awaited rifle, as I wanted one from the moment I used a Lee Enfield and found its short comings out for myself.
I started out with some S335 and some PMP 174 gr bullets left overs that I had just kept because I had paid for them, The PMP bullets did not work well at all in the Lee rifles. I very quickly found that the P14 was not even family of the Lee, even though they both descended from same rimmed case. The Lee is an attractive Bi Polar chick that serves her purpose only if she gets her own way in every way all day. The P 14 is that lovely brunette horse riding girl with older and younger brothers - easy to make sense of and understanding of things both male and female.
Enough ramblings, I took some powder threw it in some cases and went to the range. The range at 50 m with open sights produced some alright groups and a second trip with the best group modified in some ways gave me a 1 inch group at 50 me. This group was fine for me with my 55 year old eyes and no intention of shooting over a 100 m at a very unlikely stretch - 70 m was the intended maximum distances of use.
I had a load and cases just needed some bullets, my left overs were finito! Guess what ? while I was not looking they stopped making PMP bullets, no .303 174 gr bullets anymore, none to be found anywhere.

I looked around and only 150 gr bullets were available, not what I wanted for 50-70 m shooting. After much self debate I concluded that a 170 gr mono could work for my intended application ? The rifle did once shoot 220 gr bullets in its service history did it not?
I bought a box of 50 x 170gr bullets and loaded them up and loaded them down, I also tried side ways because I was having fuck all luck any which way I tried. I sat for days looking at targets and speeds and got a suspicion that I was plum in the middle of nowhere when loading, I suspected I had started my loads just after one accurate speed/node and loaded towards worse and worse the up other side getting better but stopping before it got good again.
I also had idea, the idea was since I had no Balistixs data on my quick Load, I figured that any bullet at the speeds I was going would have same nodes ? Dunno ?
I shot some velocities and took another 170 bullets nodes applied the info to the Balistixs bullets, I then loaded the balistix bullets to the next load and .............................
balistix by Cody  Allen, on Flickr
top group is 3 bullets at 50m open sights (moer ! I am surprised my eyes can do that)
lower group is two cartridges that were less than perfect when setting up the die or the primer seemed less perfectly seated or whatever the fail reason was.
170 gr Balistix bullet
S335 at 38.5 gr
77 mm col - 3 mm jump
2446 fps
I can live with this me thinks ey?

[Tripodmvr]

Dave, praat met my. I will gladly help. I have all the Balistix info. Just shout and I can send you the files.

[Tripodmvr]

File sent

[big5ifty]

Your result is interesting for me from a monolithics perspective.

First, the P14 you have has most likely seen some use, so the rifling is not pristine anymore.

Second, the 3mm jump aligns with my current thinking on monolithics.

I had tried monolithics in 243 and 308, and could not get good accuracy out of them. I was about 400 rounds down the testing road on those when I gave up and just used lead core bullets.

My .375 RUM shoots Peregrines very well.

I tried to identify why the monos shot so kak in 243 and 308, but shoot well in the .375.

I thought that perhaps it was a bore size issue, the monos are one thou undersized, and if not mated to the bore diameter, possibly affect accuracy. Because my 375 is custom built, I reasoned that perhaps the bore is accidentally matched to the monolitic bullet size. After considering that idea some more, I realised that although it may be relevant, there is one other factor I overlooked - freebore.

My tentative theory now is that the monos need to engage the rifling while running. My RUM has extra long freebore, I specified a bit extra on the reamer. When I load 270 monos, I run out of case neck before the bullet is anywhere near the rifling, and those 270's shoot much better than the 300's loaded just off the lands.

I had succumbed to the pro advice fever, which I'm over now. The pro advice of the F-Class people, who load just off the lands. I realised that their advice is for their platform. A custom built benchrest rifle. Which my 243 and 308 are not. For their bullets, which mine are not. Pro advice is for pros, which I am not.

I will test again in the new year - starting with a 0.1 inch jump.

Bullet jump is actually old news, Roy Weatherby figured out the benefits of long freebore 80 years ago.

[Treeman]

File sent

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Thanks buddy !

I would have phoned you, but, .........................?

[Treeman]

Your result is interesting for me from a monolithics perspective.


Bullet jump is actually old news, Roy Weatherby figured out the benefits of long freebore 80 years ago.

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One thing I always state and then say "just joking!", and then say " or am I " If your mono bullets are not shooting well then you shooting too slow.
Faster, seems to be the answer, I would almost blurt it out every time, "the answer is faster" after faster then perhaps COL for optimizing.

[Tripodmvr]

From your data supplied. Look for 2545fps on the chrony at 5m

[Treeman]

Your propellant is Eno's , I am getting that velocity with 38.5 gr

[Tripodmvr]

Nope, you gave a figure of 2446fps for 38.5. I am now up by 100fps.

[Treeman]

Nope, you gave a figure of 2446fps for 38.5. I am now up by 100fps.

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You and letting facts get in the way of things..................................

[Tripodmvr]

And you facting up facts