Matt_G
Curmudgeon in training
Now, I know that 98% of you read that title and said to yourself: "Duh! Tell me something I don't already know Matt!"
This is for the other 2% that think if it isn't the latest and greatest, then it must be worthless.
So I was looking at old targets this morning, shot way back in 2006 with my Rem 700 Classic, chambered in 7-08.
I'm trying to get a lot of my paper only data into the computer to make it easier to find things.
Anyways, I noticed that with IMR 4064 powder and the Sierra 168 grain HPBT MatchKing, that the groups were best around 39.5 grains and at 40.0 and 40.5 had opened back up.
So I go to put load data into Reloader's Workshop and grab my 6th edition Sierra manual and notice right off, that for that powder/bullet combo, the max load is 38.0 grains and velocity was 2500 fps.
I'm thinking to myself, WTH was I thinking going that far over max load?
I quickly realized that the 6th edition wasn't even published until 2019, so I obviously hadn't used that manual when loading this ammo.
So I grabbed my 5th edition Sierra (copyright 2003) and the max load in there for IMR 4064 and a 168 MatchKing was 39.2 and velocity was 2600 fps.
Hmmm, must have used the 4th edition...
Grab that one and sure enough, in that manual (copyright 1995), the max load for IMR 4064 and a 168 grain MatchKing is 42.0 grains and velocity was 2700 fps.
Now I don't think that IMR 4064 has changed that much over the years, but maybe I'm wrong.
But I find it interesting that the max velocity with that powder has dropped 200 fps between the 4th and 6th edition, and the max powder charge dropped 4.0 grains right along with it.
Doesn't matter to me, I will keep using that old data, especially since a lot of my powder is that vintage as well.
Damn lawyers...
This is for the other 2% that think if it isn't the latest and greatest, then it must be worthless.
So I was looking at old targets this morning, shot way back in 2006 with my Rem 700 Classic, chambered in 7-08.
I'm trying to get a lot of my paper only data into the computer to make it easier to find things.
Anyways, I noticed that with IMR 4064 powder and the Sierra 168 grain HPBT MatchKing, that the groups were best around 39.5 grains and at 40.0 and 40.5 had opened back up.
So I go to put load data into Reloader's Workshop and grab my 6th edition Sierra manual and notice right off, that for that powder/bullet combo, the max load is 38.0 grains and velocity was 2500 fps.
I'm thinking to myself, WTH was I thinking going that far over max load?
I quickly realized that the 6th edition wasn't even published until 2019, so I obviously hadn't used that manual when loading this ammo.
So I grabbed my 5th edition Sierra (copyright 2003) and the max load in there for IMR 4064 and a 168 MatchKing was 39.2 and velocity was 2600 fps.
Hmmm, must have used the 4th edition...
Grab that one and sure enough, in that manual (copyright 1995), the max load for IMR 4064 and a 168 grain MatchKing is 42.0 grains and velocity was 2700 fps.
Now I don't think that IMR 4064 has changed that much over the years, but maybe I'm wrong.
But I find it interesting that the max velocity with that powder has dropped 200 fps between the 4th and 6th edition, and the max powder charge dropped 4.0 grains right along with it.
Doesn't matter to me, I will keep using that old data, especially since a lot of my powder is that vintage as well.
Damn lawyers...