Post by GLSHOOTER on Feb 21, 2016 14:57:28 GMT -8
Recently I was tasked with evaluation of a custom shooting platform using a chassis and a BHW barrel. I was to use factory match ammunition and report performance on target. I had three varieties of ammmuntion loaded with 168 BTHPM bullets. These were the Sierra Match Kings and the Nosler Custom Competitions. No issues there but I had to do one thrown together handload to see what it would do. After all I am a handloader.
This rifle is a 308 1:11 22" heavy stainless Black Hole barrel threaded for a muzzle device. The stock is an Element Chassis, designed to use AI magazines, was fully adjustable to make it fit the shooter. The action is custom BAT made up for BHW and this project. It utilizes the Savage style barrel nut assembly for changing ease. I don't know who furnished the trigger but the spiral fluted bolt looks like a PT&G. It has a bolt release on the left of the action and a Remington style safety on the right. The bolt knob was enlarged for speed and reliability under stress. Bolt movement and sensation was as smooth as glass during hard operation. Feeding was flawless. I mounted a VorteX 6.5X20X44 for the testing. Total weight with the scope was right on 12.8 pounds which is inline with my previously used precision rifles in this chambering.
A few pictures of the rifle:
I don't run suppressors so off to the desert with hearing protection in hand and a bag of ammunition. I had three factory loadings available for testing and the aforementioned handload. Chices were the Remington Premier with a 168 SMK, Winchester Supreme with the Nosler 168 CC and the Gold Standard Federal Gold Metal Match with the 168 SMK. My handload was comprised of Federal cases/primers, H4895 powder and the 168 SMK seated to the standard 2.280.
I got the rifle sighted in with two rounds of the Remington and proceeded to run my testing. Environmentally the conditions were excellent with temperatures varying from a 81 atthe start to 87 at the conclusion. Bright sun with an eddying wind at no more than five miles per hour. Mirage was present and I think I only got caught once by it. That would naturally e in the middle of the one ten shot string I was interested in.
Ten shots with each type of ammunition with an extra ten for the FGGM were fired for a total test of 50 rounds. After shooting two groups with each I was satisfied I had a pretty repeatable sample. The order of shooting was Remington, Federal, Winchester and then then the handload. The ten shot group of the Federal was shot as the last rounds of the afternoon. No attempt was made to clean between varieties of ammunition as I wanted to stack the cards against the barrel as much as I could.
All groups shot are posted up below. Range was 100 yards and labels are CTC measurements.
Overall the rifle shot extremely well for me. The trigger was easy to work with. The ammunition performed well with acceptable results. I should have shot more of the Remington for my own edification but I do get tired concentrating a bit earlier than I did 30 years ago.
Historically I have had less than stellar results with the Winchester previously in other precision rifles yet this one thrived on it. As I mentioned I think the mirage grabbed me on the FGMM ten shot group. For me these groups were about representative of my professional shooting career over the years utilizing factory fodder in rifles built by AI, SIG, Hart, HS Precision and McMillan. The handload showed promise and with a tweak here and there I believe it would rival my other groups.
One thing of note that was only shown as I compiled this data that looking closely you might see that POI did not vary appreciably in all nine groups. This last observation speaks volumes in the world of PR shooting and in a tactical environment. I wish I had ten days to go out and shoot a cold bore target for consistency but alas you don't always get to keep what you test for long. I am already lobbying to get this one back and get it room in the safe. I've rarely run into a platform that performed so well for me at a reasonable price.
Greg
This rifle is a 308 1:11 22" heavy stainless Black Hole barrel threaded for a muzzle device. The stock is an Element Chassis, designed to use AI magazines, was fully adjustable to make it fit the shooter. The action is custom BAT made up for BHW and this project. It utilizes the Savage style barrel nut assembly for changing ease. I don't know who furnished the trigger but the spiral fluted bolt looks like a PT&G. It has a bolt release on the left of the action and a Remington style safety on the right. The bolt knob was enlarged for speed and reliability under stress. Bolt movement and sensation was as smooth as glass during hard operation. Feeding was flawless. I mounted a VorteX 6.5X20X44 for the testing. Total weight with the scope was right on 12.8 pounds which is inline with my previously used precision rifles in this chambering.
A few pictures of the rifle:
I don't run suppressors so off to the desert with hearing protection in hand and a bag of ammunition. I had three factory loadings available for testing and the aforementioned handload. Chices were the Remington Premier with a 168 SMK, Winchester Supreme with the Nosler 168 CC and the Gold Standard Federal Gold Metal Match with the 168 SMK. My handload was comprised of Federal cases/primers, H4895 powder and the 168 SMK seated to the standard 2.280.
I got the rifle sighted in with two rounds of the Remington and proceeded to run my testing. Environmentally the conditions were excellent with temperatures varying from a 81 atthe start to 87 at the conclusion. Bright sun with an eddying wind at no more than five miles per hour. Mirage was present and I think I only got caught once by it. That would naturally e in the middle of the one ten shot string I was interested in.
Ten shots with each type of ammunition with an extra ten for the FGGM were fired for a total test of 50 rounds. After shooting two groups with each I was satisfied I had a pretty repeatable sample. The order of shooting was Remington, Federal, Winchester and then then the handload. The ten shot group of the Federal was shot as the last rounds of the afternoon. No attempt was made to clean between varieties of ammunition as I wanted to stack the cards against the barrel as much as I could.
All groups shot are posted up below. Range was 100 yards and labels are CTC measurements.
Overall the rifle shot extremely well for me. The trigger was easy to work with. The ammunition performed well with acceptable results. I should have shot more of the Remington for my own edification but I do get tired concentrating a bit earlier than I did 30 years ago.
Historically I have had less than stellar results with the Winchester previously in other precision rifles yet this one thrived on it. As I mentioned I think the mirage grabbed me on the FGMM ten shot group. For me these groups were about representative of my professional shooting career over the years utilizing factory fodder in rifles built by AI, SIG, Hart, HS Precision and McMillan. The handload showed promise and with a tweak here and there I believe it would rival my other groups.
One thing of note that was only shown as I compiled this data that looking closely you might see that POI did not vary appreciably in all nine groups. This last observation speaks volumes in the world of PR shooting and in a tactical environment. I wish I had ten days to go out and shoot a cold bore target for consistency but alas you don't always get to keep what you test for long. I am already lobbying to get this one back and get it room in the safe. I've rarely run into a platform that performed so well for me at a reasonable price.
Greg