Post here if you have had ANY luck whatsoever in getting these to shoot in an AR. Then the rest of us can stop wasting components trying to reinvent the wheel with this bullet.
The Nosler 70gr RDF thread!
- Thread starter TonyTheTiger
- Start date
Does it have to be an AR platform? 16" rem 700 but I loaded up an ocw with the blems from 22.9-24.3 of 8208 in .2 increments in my now once fired lapua brass at what should be .2 off the lands that I intend to shoot Saturday. I'll keep y'all updated anyways.
I had decent luck with them in my 24" 1:8 AR15 but I was seating them .020-.030" off the lands using CCI BR4 and 8208 XBR.
Tested them in 2 AR's with 8208XBR, RE15, Varget and H4895. While they were submoa they were no where near as accurate at mag length as 77smk, 75BTHP, 77cc or 73 ELD-M. In my testing, the new 73 ELD-M shoot amazing with 8208XBR and are cheaper than 70RDF. Win win.
I tried them in two AR's, a WOA 20" and a Colt CAR-A3 24" HBAR Elite. The 70 RDF's did not shoot well in with either barrel. I just got some of the the new 73 ELDM's that I'm going to try next. Both barrels shoot relatively well with 77 Sierras OTM's and 8208 XBR. Very disappointed in the 70 RDF.
If you're just looking for info from AR loads, can you please update the title of the thread?
I too have gotten them to shoot in a bolt gun. But I haven't heard of any AR loads.
I too have gotten them to shoot in a bolt gun. But I haven't heard of any AR loads.
If you have found good bolt gun loads feel free to post them, I'm sure somebody will get use out of them, just not me. I suppose I should contribute something useful to my thread, I've tried the RDF's with TAC and 8208, seated everywhere from 2.28" to 2.35" and have only been able to get .7" 5 shot groups out of my BHW 1-8 twist barrel, with .8" to 1.2" being much more common. I decided to take a break from the RDF's, tried the 73gr ELD's with 8208 next and immediately started getting consistent .5" groups. I thought about revisiting the Nosler's when I get a chance but figured I'd ask here before I waste a bunch more powder on them.
Well today didnt go as well as I would have liked but I think I may have gotten a little clue though. My old load with a RP brass and 69cc was 23.7 gr of 8208 and they ran at 2670fps. I switched to lapua brass for these and tried it close around my old charge the last couple trips. That didnt do too well and I noticed much more primer flow but they edges were still round and no ejector marks or other pressure signs so I figured I should go higher and as you can see it had poor results. Today was the first time I loaded a test down into 22 grain territory but it seems that Im getting closer to my old node with a smaller powder charge as well as the primer flow I was used to seeing, I think the lapua is just producing higher pressures than the rp brass is needing a step down to compensate. For next trip Im going to load up some in .1 increments from 23.1-22.7 and then a few 22.9 to chrono. Then once I feel Ive narrowed it down Ill move onto seating tests. Im not sure I like these better than the old 69cc and Im having a hell of a time trying to see any of the typical up down point of impact variations we look for. Today marks 100 used in tests but I bought 500 of them so Im gonna keep chugging along and hope I can find something Im pleased with.
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The 4 in the bottom right are my 69cc rapid fired to warm the barrel before beginning, shot some more and 23, 22.9, 22.8 & 22.7
I guess my rifle just isnt liking anything to do with these RDFs. The 5 I chronoed of 22.9 averaged 2617 so thats lower than my 69cc load. I have 75 more to go in this bag of 100, I plan to load 25 of 22.9 at various seating depths an will then if I dont see any improvement I guess Ill sell the remaining 300.
I guess my rifle just isnt liking anything to do with these RDFs. The 5 I chronoed of 22.9 averaged 2617 so thats lower than my 69cc load. I have 75 more to go in this bag of 100, I plan to load 25 of 22.9 at various seating depths an will then if I dont see any improvement I guess Ill sell the remaining 300.
Well it seems that seating depth is the issue I was having.Either that or they only shoot nice in pouring rain. 22.9 grains for all of them
Ill need to recheck the actual distance off though to get exact numbers.
~Depth off the lands/length to ogive hornady comparator.
.006/1.895------------------.021/1.880
----------------.016/1.885-----------------
.011/1.890-------------------.026/1.875 [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zsxOvza.jpg?1"}[/IMG2]
Im going to guess that I pulled the one high shot on the top left corner. Now that I have a depth that seems to work Ill re work some powder charges just to make sure. Either way they seem to like just at kissing the lands and definitely hate being off. Perhaps that might make them too difficult to get to work in an AR that has mag length restrictions.
Ill need to recheck the actual distance off though to get exact numbers.
~Depth off the lands/length to ogive hornady comparator.
.006/1.895------------------.021/1.880
----------------.016/1.885-----------------
.011/1.890-------------------.026/1.875 [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zsxOvza.jpg?1"}[/IMG2]
Im going to guess that I pulled the one high shot on the top left corner. Now that I have a depth that seems to work Ill re work some powder charges just to make sure. Either way they seem to like just at kissing the lands and definitely hate being off. Perhaps that might make them too difficult to get to work in an AR that has mag length restrictions.
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I had quite a few groups like your top left. At first I thought it was me, but I had a ton of groups that looked promising except the flyers. I tried shooting other loads in the same shooting session and never had a problem with flyers.
That makes me feel better about it then. Since this is only my 223 and not a match rifle or anything like that I can live with the occasional flyer at the 14 cents a piece I got the blems for. I could shoot two for less than I can one normal priced 69 custom comp so a follow up isn't the end of the world.
Now do I load another full ocw or just focus on this immediate charge weight area?
I guess I had the opposite opinion of the constant flyer issue. If I'm shooting 5-800 yards and 2-3 in 10 rounds is way the hell off I'm going to spend a lot of time chasing my tail, turning knobs and second guessing my wind calls. Hence my decision to abandon the RDF's for the time being.
Well today at the length I though I found was good right barely kissing the lands with 22.9 yielded poorer results than before and 23 grains seemed like the better range of the rest.
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Oh well, cant say they will ever let me stop giving me something to chase. Maybe I will load another .005 off and a few more powder charges higher up to account for the lessening pressure from more jump.
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Oh well, cant say they will ever let me stop giving me something to chase. Maybe I will load another .005 off and a few more powder charges higher up to account for the lessening pressure from more jump.
I bumped it back .005 further and this is todays result, 23 was looking good until the last shot. I dont know if I pulled it somehow or its yet again another flier. I felt good about it but the paper doesnt lie.
I think I may load up 25 jumping .03-.08 as someone mentioned them having success with in another thread, in .01 increments for next weekend.
I think I may load up 25 jumping .03-.08 as someone mentioned them having success with in another thread, in .01 increments for next weekend.
Im thankful that killswitch or someone mentioned jumping them much further in that other thread. I loaded them at 23.2 gr ~.03-.08 off the lands. 1.86 being .03 and 1.82 being .08 off.
Next Ill be loading up 23-23.5 in .1 increments at ~.05 off the lands just to be sure and likely stick at 23.2 @ .05 off.
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It sure is nice getting results. I was starting to think that I was just sucking it up at shooting.
Next Ill be loading up 23-23.5 in .1 increments at ~.05 off the lands just to be sure and likely stick at 23.2 @ .05 off.
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It sure is nice getting results. I was starting to think that I was just sucking it up at shooting.
The new rifle I built and tested these in.
First OCW
Narrowing down at 500
Seating depth at 500
100 yard verification
500 yd verification-called the high one but I expected it to be way further out so...
First OCW
Narrowing down at 500
Seating depth at 500
100 yard verification
500 yd verification-called the high one but I expected it to be way further out so...
Nope, bolt. I ignored the ar aspect but I feel a bullet in a barrel is a bullet in a barrel.
Ok, the RDFs like to jump. Started with a 2.5” group at 2.260” and ended with a1.25” group at 2.245”.... going to make some more rounds at 2.245” with 23.6-23.8-24.0 grains of 8208 xbr, and try a load of 2.240” and 2.235” oacl to see what I end up with.