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No1MK111

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    Posted: June 22 2018 at 10:36pm
I picked up a nice 303 sporter  with a Bishop stock, the barrel was 25 inches  and  was so long and clumsy that I decided to have it professionally  cut to 18.5 inches to make it better handling in the dense forest here on Vancouver Island.
When the  barrel was 25 inches long, the 174 grain hand loaded Hornady's shot  into a nice 1.5 inch at 100 yds.
I tried some 150 Hornady Spire Point bullets, they shot very dismal and a foot low  at the same distance.
After the barrel was cut, I had to re zero the scope due to the barrel chop.
The 174 grainers shot into a 1 inch group again, I tried the 150's again, to my amazement, they shot about an inch below the heavier bullets.
No more large difference in the group size with the two different weight bullets, I am very happy with the results.
The rifle weighs a lot less and is easier handling in the dense woods, no more snagging trees and limbs with an extra long tube.
I am going to chronograph again and compare what velocity was lost, I would rather have the ease of handling and the added bonus of accuracy with both chosen bullet weights.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 23 2018 at 7:52am
Quick guess about 325FPS loss.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 303carbine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 23 2018 at 6:23pm
Originally posted by 303carbine 303carbine wrote:

I picked up a nice 303 sporter  with a Bishop stock, the barrel was 25 inches  and  was so long and clumsy that I decided to have it professionally  cut to 18.5 inches to make it better handling in the dense forest here on Vancouver Island.
When the  barrel was 25 inches long, the 174 grain hand loaded Hornady's shot  into a nice 1.5 inch at 100 yds.
I tried some 150 Hornady Spire Point bullets, they shot very dismal and a foot low  at the same distance.
After the barrel was cut, I had to re zero the scope due to the barrel chop.
The 174 grainers shot into a 1 inch group again, I tried the 150's again, to my amazement, they shot about an inch below the heavier bullets.
No more large difference in the group size with the two different weight bullets, I am very happy with the results.
The rifle weighs a lot less and is easier handling in the dense woods, no more snagging trees and limbs with an extra long tube.
I am going to chronograph again and compare what velocity was lost, I would rather have the ease of handling and the added bonus of accuracy with both chosen bullet weights.

****************************************************************************

Update with chronograph results.
With the factory length 25 inch barrel, I got 2235 fps shooting the 174 Hornady's
With the shortened  18.5 inch barrel, I got 2168 fps shooting the 174 Hornady's 
Both were shot at the same range with the same chronograph, same loads, same distance from the chrony.
67 fps is nothing in the real world. I, like Shamu thought that there was going to be a lot bigger fps difference, pleasantly surprised at the small difference.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2018 at 6:41am
Wow that's nice so little reduction!Thumbs Up
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2018 at 11:18am
I suppose the difference in velocity may depend on what powder you are using. I suspect that you may be using one of the faster burn powder's; is that the case?
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 303carbine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2018 at 11:25am
Originally posted by Zed Zed wrote:

I suppose the difference in velocity may depend on what powder you are using. I suspect that you may be using one of the faster burn powder's; is that the case?

I am using H380 and IMR 4320, just over  starting  loads, nothing hairy.
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