Attn Handloaders you need to try this load.

General Firearms Reloading & Ammunition
1

This load has worked great for me and in my friends guns as well.

I shot this group today and its my best yet with my Noveske.

The load data is in the pic. That is a max load in the book so I stopped. But there were no pressure signs. I stated at 21.5.
Its an expensive powder by very accurate for me. I did trim all the cases. I loaded it out to 2.260. 21.8 grains N135 77 grain SMK, Federal Match Primer. Lake City brass.
I also did some chrono work. If anyone is curious.
4-13-10

Noveske N4 21.8 grains N135 77 grain SMK

  1. 2491
  2. 2513
  3. 2464
  4. 2505
  5. 2488
    Average 2492
    Spread 49
    Power factor 191

Noveske 55 grain ball with H322

  1. 2713
  2. 2661
  3. 2682
  4. 2689
  5. 2665
    Average 2682
    Spread 52
    Power factor 147

Tap 75 grain duty ammo

  1. 2554
  2. 2506
  3. 2658
  4. 2620
  5. 2581
    Average 2583
    Spread 152
    Power factor 193

GAP 308 Federal Match 168 grain

  1. 2631
  2. 2668
  3. 2672
  4. 2636
  5. 2621
    Average 2645
    Spread 51
    Power factor 444

GAP handload 175 grain TAC powder

  1. 2323
  2. 2328
  3. 2346
  4. 2287
  5. 2337
    Average 2324
    Spread 59
    Power factor 406

GAP handload R15 168 grain Amax

  1. 2431
  2. 2452
  3. 2423
  4. 2453
  5. 2454
    Average 2442
    Spread 31
    Power factor 410

Wilson CQB 1911 45 acp with 200 grain SWC reload 4.8 grains Bullseye

  1. 838
  2. 838
  3. 840
  4. 846
  5. 865
    Average 845
    Spread 27
    Power factor 169

Factory 230 grain HST (standard pressure load)

  1. 867
  2. 870
  3. 862
  4. 876
  5. 887
    Average 872
    Spread 25
    Power factor 200
    Guns used below.


2

Pat

That’s a very good group. I purchased my Noveske N4 shot a couple hundred rounds thru it then put it up. Ill try your load work up. What’s your weather data and altitude.

D Williams

3

We are at sea level (coast) Temperature was 38 degrees. Humidity that day was 90%.
Pat

4

One group is not enough. Is that accuracy repeatable?

5

The average for this load is also very good.
Pat

6

I shoot 77 sierra OTM’s for my precision load in my Noveske 17" SS 3 gun rifle. Its sub moa all day.

Im glad others are seeing success with this bullet as well.

7

Yep, been loading something similar for years.

VV N135 22.5g 77g SMK .50 to .75 consistently out of a Compass Lake 18" barrel

Until that day,
Darkop

8

I do need to up the load a bit. It works great in my Noveske but in my Larue rifle it does not lock the bolt back on the last shot. Any pressure signs at 22.5 grains?
Pat

9

No pressure signs, but the primers are a “Little” flat but not flowing. I use this load for 75g Hornadys and 77g SMK’s.

I have not seen any difference in accuracy between 21.8g - 23.0g At 23.5 I was popping primers.

Until that day,
Darkop

10

Thanks I am going out to the range now to test your load and one at 22 grains.
Pat

11

It worked great. Thanks again Darkop
Here is the range report
Range report 4-24-10 and 4-25-10

On Saturday I went to Kenai again to work on some long range work and to help a friend out who is also going to the match. I loaned him my TA 33 from my Colt so he can have an optic with a bullet drop compensator at the Larue match. He used his Leupold CQC last year and was not able to hit much past 200 yards.

I also worked with my Larue Stealth and my Noveske. I had another friend with me who was shooting his RRA and Meopta in preparation for the match as well. Here are some of the pics.

My truck is still filthy from the week before when I got stuck.

We had a nice heated area to shoot from when doing our bench work.

Here is a group I fired with my Larue using 21.8 grains of N135

Another one I fried at 100 yards.

We were fighting a strong head wind while shooting. I was doing fine until the end of the and found my 500 yard target only was hit twice. The rest went off target to the right. Not sure what happened.

I also had some troubles with my Larue cycling my 21.8 grains of N135 load. It would not lock back on an empty mag either. This made me think my load was a bit too light. It worked ok in the Noveske. I did some internet searching and found the max load according to Vitavory is 22.5 grains. The next morning I loaded up 100 rounds at 22 grains and 100 at 22.5.

I went to the range and sighted in my Benelli M4 at 80 yards using 2 ¾ Breneke Green Lighting mags. I fired 5 rounds off the bench and as expected it hurt like hell but it grouped well.

Me and a friend worked on shotgun drills for a few hours in preparation for the match. When he left I began to work with my reloads. I chronoed the loads first in both my Noveske N4 and my Larue Stealth. I also chronoed my 55 grain ball practice ammo.

Here are the results.
Noveske 14.5 inch barrel

21.8 grains N135 77 grain SMK

  1. 2442
  2. 2429
  3. 2419
  4. 2443
  5. 2426
    Average 2431
    Spread 24 fps

Larue 21.8 grains N135 77 grain SMK 20 inch barrel

  1. 2481
  2. 2511
  3. 2538
  4. 2507
  5. 2523
    Average 2515
    Spread 57 fps
    Velocity over the Noveske 84 fps

Noveske 22 grains of N135 77 grain SMK

  1. 2485
  2. 2460
  3. 2464
  4. 2451
  5. 2447
    Average 2461
    Spread 38 fps

Larue 22 grains N135 77 grain SMK

  1. 2562
  2. 2649
  3. 2557
  4. 2530
  5. 2609
    Average 2512
    Spread 57 FPS
    Velocity over the Noveske 51 fps

Noveske 22.5 grains of N135

  1. 2516
  2. 2529
  3. 2505
  4. 2505
  5. 2512
    Average 2513
    Spread 24 fps

Larue 22.5 grains of N135

  1. 2637
  2. 2600
  3. 2589
  4. 2619
  5. 2629
    Average 2614
    Spread 48 fps

Speed over Noveske 101 fps.

Noveske with 55 grain Ball reloads.

  1. 2703
  2. 2677
  3. 2744
  4. 2703
  5. 2776

Average 2720
Spread 99 fps

Larue with 55 grain ball

  1. 2882
  2. 2900
  3. 2834
  4. 2740
  5. 2821
    Average 2835
    Spread 160 fps
    Velocity over Noveske 115 fps.

After I was done measuring the bullet speed I fired 5 5 shot groups with the Noveske using my original load of 21.8 grains then 22 grains and then the max of 22.5 grains.

The average group size with the following loads below
21.8 was 1.21 inches
22 grains 1.28
22.5 grains 1.29


So basically the accuracy was unchanged as the velocity went up.

I the tested the Larue with the same loads and boy was I impressed. I have never had groups this good before.


My average with this load in the Larue is .637. I am very happy with that. The only problem is I need to pump it up a bit because it still was not locking the bolt back on an empty mag. I tested some factory tap to see if it was the mag and the tap locked the gun back with authority. I also need 2750 to work perfectly with my scopes bullet drop compensator. So I will carefully work up a load for the Larue.

I shot from a simulated low port again with my Noveske. This time I used my 77 grain Match ammo. I had no problems hitting the target. I don’t think I will bring any ball to Larue.

For craps and giggles I fired 5 5 shot groups with my ball practice load in both my Noveske and my Larue.

As expected ball sucks compared to match bullets.

The Noveske averaged 2.036 and the Larue averaged 2.43.

I need to go to Kenai to use their long range at least one more time to confirm my 500 yard dial in.

12

Pat, if your not seeing any pressure signs I would keep increasing the load in .2g until your groups open up.

You should be getting lock back of the bolt at 2600fps. What magazine are you using?

My Noveske 16" N4 Chrome lined barrel shoots about the same as yours. But my stainless Noveske barrels are way more accurate than the N4’s. A couple of days ago I shot a couple 1" groups with a Noveske 10.5" stainless, with Federal GMM 77g. I was blown away!

Nice range there in Kenai. I haven’t seen dirt and brown since October. I’m still snowshoeing out to the 220 yard line. Can’t wait for the snow to melt so I can get up to the pass and get some dope numbers past 300 yds for a couple of rifles.

Until that day,
Darkop

13

I am using a 20 round P mag for the bench work. It locks back in the Noveske and it did lock back in the Larue with hotter Tap ammo.(2780)
Pat