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Lapua 123 grain Loads

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britrifles View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 06 2019 at 2:08pm
Shamu, one factor may be the bore diameter.  The F51 barrel in my Savage is practically new.  My Parker Hale .30300 bore gage will not enter the breach or muzzle ends of the barrel.  I suspect it is about a .302 bore.  This bullet with the wide cannelure may not stabilize in a larger bore as it enters the rifling.  Just my guess....

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 06 2019 at 6:57pm
Very possible.
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 britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 27 2019 at 4:31pm
I shot the Lapua 123 FMJ today in my Long Branch No. 4 Mk 1/3 with BSA barrel that gages .30325.  

Load details:

Case - DAC ‘56
Primer - WLR
Powder - 42.0 gr Varget
Bullet - Lapua 123 gr FMJ
COAL - 2.945 in to bottom of cannelure 

With this slightly longer seating, the cartridges would feed reliably from the magazine.  10 shot groups fired prone with sling on the order of 2 to 3 MOA.  Notably less recoil than my standard 174 gr bullet match load, but slightly less accurate.  



Note the wide “cannelure”, exposed above case mouth.  Not much of the bullet is in the neck. 



Shooting prone at 200 yds at The CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park.  




Not the best group, but still acceptable for the CMP Vintage Military Rifle matches.  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 28 2019 at 8:22am
I wonder if you can seat them deeper, as that seems more accurate, & then get a spare mag & tweak the lips for the short bullets?
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 (1) Thanks(1)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2019 at 7:19am
Shamu, I made the classic error in experimentation.  I changed more than one thing at a time.  I lowered the powder charge by 2 grains, set the bullet out further, and fired it in a different rifle.   
 
I've looked closely at the bullet, I think deeper seating won't do much as the cannelure is quite wide and the bullet ogive begins at the upper edge of the cannelure, so I don't think there is any further neck tension to be gained by deeper seating. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sidneyw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 28 2019 at 5:25pm
Originally posted by Shamu Shamu wrote:

A while back I tried some 125 Gr loads using bullets for the AK because its the bigger diameter not 7.62mm.
They had to be seated way out to feed from the magazine well, & they didn't group well for me.

I am trying to use the AK pulled 122 grains and use the same power.  Not knowing what powder they use, and less than 60% case capacity would bring.  I will be shooting 100 yds or less for fun.


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