how to tell if a load / bullet has potential?

[HawkCreek]

I didn't have much luck with AB's when I (briefly) tried them. But until I read this thread I hadn't heard that they liked a little more jump. As most of my luck has been seating bullets long to get a much shorter jump I never thought to try seating them deeper for more jump.

[CaNINE]

AB like to jump a bit in my experience.  After velocity node is established try 40, 60, and 80 thou off lands.  Betting 60 is your sweet spot

All my accubond loads like this range of jump

[Karl Blanchard]

I shoot the 165's in my 30-06 and they are 80 off (imr4350)

200gr in my wsm are 80 thou (h4831sc)

180 and 150 in my 30-06 are both 60 thou (imr4350)

140gr in the wife's. 270 60 thou (imr4350)

Those are the ones I can for sure remember off the top of my head.  160's in the .280ai i still need to measure.  I stuffed them in to mag length and shot to pressure.  It was a 7 shot moa group so hit the middle of the node and shot a 5 shot group under. 5 so said screw it she's done!  Never even felt the need to touch seating depth

[jasnt]

I do not subscribe to the "my gun doesnt like them" theory.  I've never not been able to make a bullet shoot in a gun.  The load isnt always optimal and may be a PITA to find but there is always a charge/seating depth combo that will work.  I've done load development on easily 100+ rifles and have never been proven wrong.

20 thou off the lands in .2gr increments up to pressure over a chronograph.  Find the velocity node.  Go to the middle of it, then tune seating depth.  Once your happy you can go back and tweak powder to pinch some more velocity out of it if you so choose.

AB like to jump a bit in my experience.  After velocity node is established try 40, 60, and 80 thou off lands.  Betting 60 is your sweet spot

you got more Patients than I do.  If I haven’t found a good load in 50 rds I try a different bullet.    My old 300wm I tried hard to get sgk’s to shoot.  Went through 2 100ct boxes trying to get moa.  Switched to the Berger and never seen more than .7 with every load shot.   I like the easy ones.   First 243 I could not get 75gr vmax to shoot after 3 boxes shot and several powders tried but the 58gr,65gr, and 87 vmax’s shot great.       I was still wet behind the ears in those days too

[Karl Blanchard]

Like I said, just my experiences.  Some can be a real PITA but if a guy brings me a bullet and a rifle and wants a load worked up I'll find it.  Besides ABLR, I've never needed more than a box for any of em 

[wooltie]

I bet I probably could, eventually, get the AB to group somewhat.  I tried proven powders at proven charges in varying seating depths out to 1.20" jump.  I've used imr4350 up to max book, in increments of .020" jump, but did not see groups tighten or appear to group.  Just randomness. 

In contrast to SGK, for example, I'd see MOA groups (100 yars) at .020" jump across 4-5 charge weights, each charge .3g apart...basically those 4-5 charges all impacted at the same 1" group on the target.

That performance compared to the AB makes me think that the ABs just don't shoot well, or like you said might require more tweaking to make em work.

Not sure if the SGK would be strong enough to pass through bears at 2-300 yards, given an ideal broadside shot.

Thanks for all the input.

[BULLBLASTER]

A Sierra game king will kill whatever you point it at at 200-300 Yards.  if that shoots well I would send em.

[jasnt]

A Sierra game king will kill whatever you point it at at 200-300 Yards.  if that shoots well I would send em.