RMR 69 gr OTMs

[MarshallDodge]

Oops. Didn't mean to imply dependable subminute. Call it progressing from +-3moa to 3 or 4 shots in submoa with 1 or 2 shots towards minute and a half. Of course I'm also using carefully prepped range pickup as opposed to same lot brass. How much is that contributing towards flyers?

I guess my questions would be are Fed AR Match primers any hotter than regular match or other small rifle primers or are the cups just harder? With internet allegations that you need hotter primers with ball powders, have any of you TAC (ball powder) or No. 41 shooters actually noticed accuracy difference with 41s or "regular" small rifle primers?

The primer is not the problem, at least not at 100 yards.

I went to the range yesterday to do more testing. This time I took a different rifle, the 22" 1:7 Wilson Remage setup. I can usually get 0.6" groups out of this gun on a calm day with match grade bullets.

Six 5-shot groups to test the seating depth theory.

#1 62 Hornady BTHP- 1.1" including clean, cold bore, 4 into .47"

#2 69 RMR 3GH 2.245 OAL, 1.98"

#3 69 RMR 3GH 2.265 OAL, 1.63"

At this point, I let the barrel cool but conditions started to get really windy as a storm was moving through.

#4 69 SMK- 1.3", 4 shots went into .469"

#5 69 SMK- .78" 4 shots went into .454"

I could probably tune that 69 SMK load to tighten up that outlier in both but I was only using it as a comparison to the 69 3GH.

#6 69 RMR 3GH 2.255 OAL, 2.128"

The 69 RMR 3GH were blems, but had nicer tips than the regular production bullets, and I don't get any better groups with the good ones.

[markm]

I think I loaded a bunch of the RMRs up 3-4 weeks ago. It's been too hot here to shoot for several weeks, but I'll try to shoot whatever I have loaded this weekend. I think it's VV 135 and Wolf Primers.

[MegademiC]

Im getting about 2" 10-shot groups, with 7 of those well under 1".

My skills (lack of consistency) are definately a factor.

[markm]

Damn it. I forgot to shoot a group with these yesterday.

[MarshallDodge]

Damn it. I forgot to shoot a group with these yesterday.

No problem. Jake is sending me something to test. 🤞

[markm]

2 groups from today shot in 2 different bolt guns. Same load of 23.0 V V with Wolf SRM primers.

Top group was the Rem 700, and the bottom group was the Tikka.

[MarshallDodge]

Thanks for the update, markm. You are seeing similar results to what I am seeing. My groups are vertical while yours are more horizontal.

I shot some more 5 shot groups today in the 1:7 Remage-

69 RMR, 23.5 8208, 2.255 COAL, 2.3" clean cold bore

69 RMR, 23.2 8208, 2.255 COAL, 2.0"

I also tried a load with N540 and had a lot of vertical. At this point, I was wondering if something was wrong with my gun, so I loaded up five 77 SMK blem/N540 rounds. That yielded a 0.6" group that was all windage.

After a barrel cooldown, I shot a 1.2" group with some old 75 Amax that I had pulled down and reloaded, then a 0.74" group with some Nosler 77 CC blems.

After that I shot 3 more 69 RMR groups- 1.7, 2.1, and another 1.7"

Next I am going to try seating to 2.35 and see what happens. I noticed that the Hodgdon reloading site has this listed as the COAL to use with 8208XBR and the 69 SMK, so I figure it may be worth the test.

[joedirt199]

I wonder if these are a little on the soft side and need to be run slower than other 69 gr bullets. I remember when they suggested not running their 55 gr bullets super fast as they would lose stability vs hornady FMJ 55s. I have some loaded up for testing at 2.24 OAL with some CFE 223 to see what happens. Just need to get to the range.

[markm]

I wonder if these are a little on the soft side and need to be run slower than other 69 gr bullets.

I'd guess that they're harder with double the zinc of a SMK. But I'm not a metal guru.

[triggerjerk]

I'm still strugglung with my last 500 69ers. Have/had 2 different lots of 1000 ea. It took maybe 600rds and RMR coaching to approach moa at 100 in an AR that consistently does 5/8-3/4 moa at same range with Hornady 62 hpbt (smks moa in the gun at 600 if no wind or coffee). FMJ shooting comparable or better in 2 other rifles than RMR has shot in them. In process I was asked lot number as there was allegedly a bad lot. Nope. This second lot shooting evenly spaced 1-1/2moa for 5 or it shoots tight 4 at/under moa with a flyer well outside moa at 100 (could still be adverse shooter influence....). Was given target oal of 2.240 by RMR which helped in 1st lot. Trick is that in second lot, I'm getting 10 thou shorter oal from a seater that has just been sitting untampered with in the press the whole time.

I need to quit whining and go shoot em out to 6 and see how they compare to those Hornydys/smks at range....