More testing of the 7.62x39, this time with the Ruger American Ranch

[thaHooligan]

Tried the same load with Winchester brass and with PPU brass and there was quite a big difference. Im pretty happy with those results.

 

[okierider]

Not really apples to apples but I have found both my AK rifles like less than max loads. I have really had good results with the PPU brass and PPU soft point 150 grain over H335 in the AK47.
The AK 74 all I have tried is Hornady brass and Hornady 60 grain v-max over CFE223. They perform well enough that I will not keep looking.

 

[okierider]

Also , thanks for sharing, always enjoy your content.

 

[swampratt]

Nice video again as always.
Now something I noticed when shooting for groups is my barrels have a happy spot in the temperature department.
My older heavy barrel Savage .308 started grouping tighter when it reached 85 degrees and began opening up when
it got about 20 degrees hotter.

Next time you are shooting groups with different loads with different brass or bullets or charge weights do a round robin shooting.

I have multiple points of aim on a piece of paper and shoot 1 Winchester load and then pick another point of aim and shoot a PPU Load. Then back to an Winchester and so on.

This will eliminate favoritism to a warm barrel or cold barrel.

 

[thaHooligan]

Also , thanks for sharing, always enjoy your content.

Thank you sir, I appreciate that.

Next time you are shooting groups with different loads with different brass or bullets or charge weights do a round robin shooting.

I have multiple points of aim on a piece of paper and shoot 1 Winchester load and then pick another point of aim and shoot a PPU Load. Then back to an Winchester and so on.

This will eliminate favoritism to a warm barrel or cold barrel.

Ahh, good to know and good idea. I'm still pretty new to reloading, so I appreciate all the helpful hints and info for sure!

 

[swampratt]

I noticed the warmed up barrel scenario when I would take the same good shooting load on another day and it would shoot worse and the outside temps were the same.
I Took my IR thermometer and started writing down barrel temps.
It had nothing to do with ammo temp and the round was not in the chamber long enough to heat it up.
Chamber get on target and shoot.
All ammo was kept in the ammo boxes in the shade until I needed to chamber one.

I went as far as to take the rifle into the car and turn on the AC and cool the barrel down and cool ammo just to see
if ammo or barrel temp made more difference.

I was ate up with it.
Hand loading is a deep hole you can't dig yourself out of so be warned!

 

[HoLeChit]

I'm excited to see what you get with the sst's. Have a whole mess of them laying around, wanna start loading them up soon.

 

[Jcann]

Just because the Winchester brass didn’t shoot as well doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t shoot as well. Differences in H2O volume, neck tension, and base to ogive can easily cause this to happen. I’ve used three different brass manufacturers for my 260 (Remington, Lapua, and Peterson) and I get great results using the same powder, bullet, and primer with the only difference being powder charge weight and base to ogive length. The only down side being, what works in my 260 doesn’t work well in my sons 260. I’ve found the upper velocity node with Remington brass and the lower velocity node with the Lapua brass in my sons 260. I’m still searching for the upper velocity node for my Tikka but most of my Remington brass has loose primer pockets.

I only shoot Winchester brass in my 7WSM and I’ve basically shot the same load for over 10 years now with the only difference being the base to ogive length. It will still shoot sub 1/2moa

Reloaders crank out plinking ammo while handloaders tune their ammo to their weapon system. Try tuning that Winchester brass to your rifle and I bet you’ll see a difference.

 

[swampratt]

Reloaders crank out plinking ammo while handloaders tune their ammo

Love that.

Try and notice this next time you make a few rounds.
Seating pressures.
Notice how much force it takes to seat the bullet in each case.

I seat slowly and have a very calibrated feel.
If you have a case that seats way easier than the rest you should mark it and when you shoot that in the group of others that seated more firm check and see if that 1 round opened the group.

I get consistent neck tensions and seating forces when I anneal each time.
Winchester cases really need the annealing to keep seating forces the same due to the thinner brass.
But my Lapua cases will group tighter when annealed each time also.
I tried to short cut some of my brass prep but it will show on paper when I do.



That has been my experience.

 

[mouthpiece]

Just because the Winchester brass didn’t shoot as well doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t shoot as well. Differences in H2O volume, neck tension, and base to ogive can easily cause this to happen. I’ve used three different brass manufacturers for my 260 (Remington, Lapua, and Peterson) and I get great results using the same powder, bullet, and primer with the only difference being powder charge weight and base to ogive length. The only down side being, what works in my 260 doesn’t work well in my sons 260. I’ve found the upper velocity node with Remington brass and the lower velocity node with the Lapua brass in my sons 260. I’m still searching for the upper velocity node for my Tikka but most of my Remington brass has loose primer pockets.

I only shoot Winchester brass in my 7WSM and I’ve basically shot the same load for over 10 years now with the only difference being the base to ogive length. It will still shoot sub 1/2moa

Reloaders crank out plinking ammo while handloaders tune their ammo to their weapon system. Try tuning that Winchester brass to your rifle and I bet you’ll see a difference.

@Jcann
Specifically what primers are you using in the Rem brass that has loose Primer Pockets?
Color of box also please?