Accuracy problems reloading E-tips

[Zellhouse]

Recently ran into problems in getting consistent groupings with using Nosler E-Tips, & was wondering if anyone else has a similar experience? Started a new load in my 25-06 with new Nosler brass, RL19, & 100 grain E-tips. Set OACL to 3.15". Varied powder charges from 50.5 grains to 54.5 as outlined in Nosler 8 manual. Found in my test rounds that the higher the grain count the wider the spread for each 3 shot grouping. Wasn't getting the performance this rifle has provided in past. Decided to try my original powder & vary the OACL from 3.15" to 3.12" using the 100 grain E-Tips. Was able to get very respectable results from the H4350 50.5 grains, 100 gr E-tips, & OACL set to 3.12". Took longer to build this load than any of my other Nosler products. Ran thru about 100 rounds before settling in on my new load. Has anyone else had similar problems in getting an E-Tip load dialed in?

 

[JLS]

I finally gave up trying to get them to shoot in my .280. Tried four different powders, to no avail.

 

[Zellhouse]

Interesting... Tried switching the powder to some I had remaining from the old load. Set case length to 3.15" & varied the powder weight. Used the powder charge from the best grouping & then varied the OACL. Nosler manual doesn't recommend exceeding 3.17 OACL for this load. Thanks for the feedback...

 

[Deleted member 28227]

120 grn Etips shoot great in my .264 win mag. I have them set right up on the lands, and am using Retumbo. My groups consistently shrunk as I upped the powder charge, for whatever reason my rifle seems to shoot best bullets best at max velocities, about 1 MOA.

I'm a novice reloader and not a particularly good shooter.

 

[Bambistew]

No luck for me with 150s in my 308. Multiple powders, charges and seating depths. I gave up and went back to 165 accubonds which shoot very well for me. I do want to go to mono bullets, but so far the E-tips arn't the ones for me.

 

[VikingsGuy]

No luck for me with 150s in my 308. Multiple powders, charges and seating depths. I gave up and went back to 165 accubonds which shoot very well for me. I do want to go to mono bullets, but so far the E-tips arn't the ones for me.

FWIW, multiple examples on HT of folks finding TTSX and Hammers easy to handload. My .308 loves 150gn TTSX over Varget.

 

[Zellhouse]

Thanks Guy's... Appreciate knowing that I'm not only one that has had some problems loading these bullets. This is the 4th type of Nosler bullet I've loaded & certainly an anomaly.

 

[JLS]

FWIW, multiple examples on HT of folks finding TTSX and Hammers easy to handload. My .308 loves 150gn TTSX over Varget.

When i switched to Hammers in my .280 I had much better luck. Final load development was a 10 shot group at 100 yards that measured 0.90"

 

[Zellhouse]

That's impressive... will keep that in mind.

 

[Blaser270]

Next time out, try your best recipe but switch to match primers. I’ve read that they can make a difference.

 

[Addicting]

I tried my best to get them to group, finally gave up and went back to Accubonds. Next will be some Barnes LRX.

 

[Firemedic92]

My 308 loves the 168’s with max charge of R-15 and Winchester primers. My 7-08 loves the 140’s with max charge of imr 4350 all seated to book specs.

 

[brockel]

FWIW, multiple examples on HT of folks finding TTSX and Hammers easy to handload. My .308 loves 150gn TTSX over Varget.

Two different rifles I’ve shot hammer bullets in took all of 10 rounds each to find a load

 

[Zellhouse]

My 308 loves the 168’s with max charge of R-15 and Winchester primers. My 7-08 loves the 140’s with max charge of imr 4350 all seated to book specs.

Both are respectable groups...

 

[Zellhouse]

Next time out, try your best recipe but switch to match primers. I’ve read that they can make a difference.

Am using them in the load built for my .223 Howa 1500. (This is my best shooting rifle. Love the 2 stage trigger). When cupboard is empty on the 25-06 I'll be looking for the match primers.

 

[asdew1880]

Nosler manual recommends (p 70) seating .05" to 0.1" off he lands. The only respectable groups I could shoot the 140gr e-tip in my 7 rem mag was using rl22 and > 0.05" off the lands.

 

[std7mag]

Most of the mono bullets recommend at least 0.050" off the lands.
While not specified, i've found giving a "crimp" helps also.
No, it's not a roll crimp like a revolver, but a taper crimp like a semi auto pistol.

The mono's appearantly like a running start to the lands, the crimp helps "hold" the bullet to allow some pressure to build up.

 

[Zellhouse]

Thanks for the heads up on the crimp. My experience developing this load with E-tip bullets bears out the "shorter is better" regarding OACL. Ended up .05" shorter than the recommended OACL of 3.17" for the E-Tips.

 

[Zellhouse]

Nosler manual recommends (p 70) seating .05" to 0.1" off he lands. The only respectable groups I could shoot the 140gr e-tip in my 7 rem mag was using rl22 and > 0.05" off the lands.

Thanks for the heads up. Honestly, didn't see the note on P. 70. Was using the recommended OACL for E-tips on the load data sheet on P236. Once I found the erratic grouping patterns I backed off the case length in 3 shot groups at .01" OACL differences. What I found was the shorter the OACL the better the grouping. Had I seen the E-tip note it would have saved some time & bullets. Not the confuse the issue, originally tried the rl19 powder to pick up 100 FPS. Switched back to H4350 I had been shooting for past 25 years to try & determine if the problem was the E-tips or new powder. Have to wonder with this added information if I couldn't use the rl19 after all with shorter cartridge length? Still have most of a new 1lb can minus 30 rounds.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I was never able to get Barnes bullets to shoot out of my 7mm-08, but I found e tips pretty easy. As I recall, I'm using the book OAL.