I'll start with the first range report

[CFJunkie]

These range reports are the results of my .223 12 FV shot at 100 yards on June 15th and June 22nd.
Berger bullets are some of the best performers.
The 80 Berger #22422 VLDs are the 2nd best of the 25 different bullet that I have tried just behind the 90 Berger #22423 VLDs.
The 85.5 Berger #22485 LRHTs are the 12th best.

Added a new file that shows the groups actually shot. The first file had a duplicate entry for the first load of the 85.5 Bergers. Sorry for the error.

 

[CFJunkie]

Same day different rifle and caliber:
12 FV .264 6.5mm CM with Shilen barrel
The 140 ELD-M #26331 bullets have been very consistent and have always performed well in both of my 6.5mm CMs with three different barrels.
The 140 ELD-Ms rank #1 in average for the new barrel and have been performing better as I get comfortable with the caliber again.
The 130 gr Sierra TGK #7330 bullets are a bit variable, but have been shooting pretty well lately with the new Shilen barrel.
I have been surprised that the new Shilen barrel likes the 130 grains as much as it does. The Sierra TGK 130s and the Sierra TMK 130s rank 4 & 5 out of 9 different bullets.
The top 7 averages are only 0.01 inch apart after 153 groups
I updated the attachment to show all the groups that I shot.

 

[Alan]

Awesome shooting. Looking forward to getting more reports!

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Im dying to get out and do more testing. After the heat wave i hope to.

 

[ONE-TEN]

Im dying to get out and do more testing. After the heat wave i hope to.

UHG! Heat wave! Here on Eastern Tri-State area we are about to go into a serious heat CAP situation. High pressure keeps the heat in like an oven, and we are gonna ROAST!

I’m in Delaware co. Pennsylvania, and we are going to be OVER 100 for a few days! Now, I lived in Tucson AZ for several years. So, for you South West guys, I know BOTH climates. And I’m not lying when I say 100°+ and our humidity, is WORSE than 110° plus in AZ!

 

[MS50]

Not exactly a report, but an unexpected result. I'm back to work on a 80 eldm load for a recently assembled 223. Put together 3 foulers using pulled 73 eldm's, 22gr Benchmark, unknown seating depth. Just wanted foulers using the same brand bullet and powder. The result is attached. If all else fails, I'm going back to this bullet and load to determine the seating depth and velocity.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

UHG! Heat wave! Here on Eastern Tri-State area we are about to go into a serious heat CAP situation. High pressure keeps the heat in like an oven, and we are gonna ROAST!

I’m in Delaware co. Pennsylvania, and we are going to be OVER 100 for a few days! Now, I lived in Tucson AZ for several years. So, for you South West guys, I know BOTH climates. And I’m not lying when I say 100°+ and our humidity, is WORSE than 110° plus in AZ!

I put the ac in my gun/reloading room.

 

[CFJunkie]

Today's Jun 29th report was a bit better at my 100 yard range. The .223 Shilen really likes 73 gr bullets. Almost no wind.
At least I was more consistent today.

 

[CFJunkie]

Jun 29th range report for Savage 12 FV .264 6,5mm CM at 100 yards.
Tried 130 gr ELD-Ms and they performed well.
You'll note that I shot one horrendous group when I let one round get away from me. Another example of severe "shooter induced variation".
That messes up the average and biases comparisons when I am trying to find out what bullets shoot best.
Without that one 0.303 groups the group average today is 0.200.
With out the other large group, the group average for today's session would be 0.185.

 

[Alan]

Good weather and no wind. Are you planning to go out again this weeked?

 

[CFJunkie]

I try to get to the range every Monday morning.
I have regular RSO monthly duty on a Monday afternoon, but I don't shoot when I am a RSO.
So I will be at the range on July 6th to shoot, good Lord willing.
I plan to shoot my 12 FV .223 with the Shilen barrel with another couple of loads of Berger 73 gr LTBs and my 12 FV 6.5mm CM with the Shilen barrel with a couple of loads of 143 gr Hornady ELD-Xs. This will be my first rounds with the ELD-Xs in the new 6.5mm barrel.
I hope the 143 ELD-Xs shoot as well at the 130, 140 and 147 gr ELD-Ms.

 

[Alan]

Ah yeah, that's good coming from the holiday weekend.

 

[CFJunkie]

Another morning at the range on July 6th with the 12 FV .223 Shilen 26.125-inch 1:7 twist barrel and another two loads of 73 Berger LBT #22420 bullets.
Temps were 75 and 77 for the two loads.
Pretty consistent shooting today, with 7 of 8 5-round groups under 0.200 inches at 100 yards.
Just two thousandths larger session average than the Jun 29th session in post #8.
Standard Deviations were pretty low, attesting to the consistency of my shooting.
Cooled the barrel down between the two loads so that might have added to the consistent groupings.

 

[CFJunkie]

Today on July 6th I also shot the 12 FV .264 6.5mm CM with the Shilen 28-inch 416R 1:8 twist barrel.
Temps were 77 and 78 and, for the first time with this barrel, I tried 143 Hornady ELD-X hunting rounds.
They had worked pretty well with the factory barrel so I thought they were worth a try.

I tried two different charges - one at 40.5 gr of H4350 and the other 40.6 grs of H4350. I am out of H4831SC powder, but am planning to get a new supply, especially since it has performed so well.

I forgot to charge one of my battery powered blowers so the last two groups in each load were shot with barrel temps that were above 140 degrees on the barrel temperature strip. With over 40 grs of powder and outside temps almost at 80 degrees, there was little chance of keeping the barrel cool.
Since the strip tops out at 140, I really didn't know how hot it really got, but it was way too hot to touch.
Even with that complication, the 143 gr ELD-X bullets didn't perform badly, until the barrel got really hot. The shot just a bit less accurately than the June 29 loads.

Next time I will have to be sure to charge both blowers or else I will be ending my sessions with really hot barrels.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Now with the heat wave over. I hope to get to the range this week.

 

[CFJunkie]

Range day on July 13 2026.

Shot four 25 round loads with the 12 FV .223 Shilen Select Match 416R SS barrel in an MDT LSS chassis. Two loads with 80 gr ELD-M #22831s and two loads with Berger 85.5 gr LRHT #22485s.

I can't say it was one of my best days.
After I shot the first load of 80 gr ELD-Ms, I seemed to lose concentration halfway through the second group and shot one group that was pretty far off my average.
And on the last load using the 85.5 gr Berger LRHT bullets, I got anxious with the trigger and jerked one shot way out of the group.

Just for grins, I loaded the first load of the 85.5 Bergers, 0.008 msecs. faster than the Optimum Bullet Time, in an attempt to document the difference in accuracy when being off OBT.
Hopefully, Dave (ONE-TEN) will take note, since he apparently doesn't think there is documentation to show the value of OBT.

The third group - the first with the 85.5 gr Bergers, was shot with an Exit Time of 1.297 msec. (0.008 msec faster than the OBT of 1.305 msec. for this 26.125-inch barrel).
That is 7.4% of one reflection down the barrel, so the 12th reflection was 1.3 inches short of the chamber when the bullet left the muzzle for that load.
That means the shock reflection was 7.4% closer to the muzzle than it would be for the rounds shot at Optimum Bullet Time.

Since that result included several groups that showed Shooter Induced Variations (SIV) that could bias the results (my concentration lapses and trigger jerks), I averaged the nine "on OBT" groups that didn't show any SIV against the two "off OBT" groups that didn't show any SIV and recalculated the differences.
Using all the groups the averages were 0.034 different for a 15.7% difference in averages.
Using the groups without the SIV, the averages were 0.036 different for a 18.1% difference in averages.

Just for information, my data for 7 different barrels over 4 calibers shows that there is around a 0.090 to 0.100 group size increase when the reflection is at the muzzle instead of at the chamber. That is as far off OBT that any load can be, so that would be the maximum difference in accuracy from not being at OBT.
With these 80 gr and 85.5 gr loads, the 10th reflection would be over Pmax.
The 14th reflection would be flirting with a minimum powder load, so the 12th reflection is the obvious preference.

If I was shooting bullets under 69 grains, the 10th reflection would be a possibility for this barrel, and for 60 grain bullets or lighter, the 10th reflection would be in the sweet spot.

 

[CFJunkie]

Am I the only guy who measures stuff and writes range reports?
I expected this forum would be really popular.

Today on Jul 20, 2026, I shot only the Savage 12 FV Shilen 6.5mm CM loads because I was always rushing to shoot them at the end of a session, if I shot the .223 first.
So I loaded three loads of 30 rounds each.
Temps were 73 to 80 degrees and I was shooting 40.8 grs and 40.7 grs of H4350.
Big mistake to try to shoot 90 rounds with the temperatures rising with only one rifle.
I drained the batteries on two rechargeable blowers and still had 20 rounds to shoot.
Barrel temps were a big problem today.

Today I shot 130 gr Hornady ELD-M #25177, 130 gr Sierra TMK #7430 and 130 gr Hornady ELD-M #26331.
The 130 TMKs performed the best overall, but its two best groups each had one out that kept them over 0.200.
The 130 ELD-Ms had one great group with the barrel cool (less than 100 degrees) but the rifle didn't see that low a temperature for the rest of the session.
The 140 ELD-Ms unfortunately had the second blower run out of batteries with 20 rounds to go so the last 4 groups were not really representative.
Even with the barrel really hot after 10 to 12 rounds for each load, the overall average of all loads (0.246) still was less than 1/4 MOA at 100 yards.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Can you post target pics please next time out. I want to get out too. I don't feel good often. Chronic pain sucks.I wont drive when i take percocet.

 

[ONE-TEN]

Can you post target pics please next time out. I want to get out too. I don't feel good often. Chronic pain sucks.I wont drive when i take percocet.

Tell me about it brother! I’m with ya.. Dissbked, can no longer even drive, in horrible, mind numbing pain very near 24/7! It’s only by the Grace of God I haven’t stuck a bullet through my head.

I do miss shooting badly.

 

[SevenFan]

Am I the only guy who measures stuff and writes range reports?
I expected this forum would be really popular.

No, I do too but am still working on finding the right combination with my 7BR.

My load development efforts have been limited because of high temperatures and uncooperative winds. I will post reports of my 100yd cast bullet endeavors as soon as conditions permit.

Keep posting CF, I read all of your posts!

 

[NF1E]

Love seeing your posts CF. I don't measure, at least I haven't yet. I am a proximity shooter. Close is good enough. Whatta Hobby!

 

[CFJunkie]

Guys, I shoot 100 to 150 rounds every session.
If I posted targets of each group one time, I would overrun the limits this site allows for the number of files posted.

For those of you who don't measure, here are a few examples of what measuring does for me.

This shows you why I always talk about the one out that could mess up a group.
The top group was aimed at the bottom point of the diamond, and it was slightly high and to the right. I usually shoot two or three different bullet weights with the same rifle during the session, and I know that different bullets adjust to the barrel twist differently and I don't bother adjusting the scope because the next bullet will have to be adjusted anyway.
The top group was the first I shot and the just cleaned barrel usually shoots slightly high for one or two shots, and it did. Then I shot 5 rounds that landed slightly lower and further to the right.

The second group was aimed at the lower tip of the vertical line, and one of six rounds was the 'one out' caused by my 'Shooter Induced Variations (SIV).' I shot 6 rounds and "X'd out" the one that got away and shot the sixth round into the group. The last round might have dropped a bit from barrel heating. I am interested in the performance of the rifle, bullet, seating depth, jump, velocity, bullet in neck and exit time (matched to the OBT).
My shooter induced variations are recognized but I consider them a bias against the performance of the rifle and the other factors.

The last group was with a slightly heated barrel that usually drops the POI. One of the rounds was pulled slightly left but I didn't have another bullet to try to get another round back toward the aim point.

Here is another example that is posted in another post on this site.

This is the best group I have ever shot (one out of over 14,000 groups I have measured).
I had to blow it up a lot to be able to find the edges of each bullet of the 5. With the new barrel, I have shot about 32% of my groups under 0.200 but only about 8 under 0.100.
This is the only group I have ever shot that is under 0.050.

Here is another example of a post from a different site.

This is report by James of Northland Shooting Supply he published right after I sent him the attached group size. It was measured right after I got my new barrel. The seating depth was a bit shorter than I found performed better with the 80 grain bullets but the group was still a good one. You'll notice that the 80 gr ELD-Ms were just about right on my aim point.
Actually, I try not to have the POI actually hit the aim point because the bullet holes destroy the much smaller aim point and make precise aiming more difficult.

I think you can see why I measure and keep records of my measurements.
I'm sorry, but I am just not going to post the pictures of the 16 to 24 groups I shoot each week.
There are some good ones and some not so good ones, as you can see from the measured group sizes in my posts, but I record all of them. Once I measure the groups, the pictures have no value to me.

My shooter induced variations are included in my range reports, but I consider them a bias against the performance of the rifle and the other factors. That bias makes conclusions about what works best misleading. So when I want to know what is working best and what bullets I should be buying, and what loading data I should be using, I try to eliminate the bias caused by my 'Shooter Induced Variations'.

I generally calculate two sets of numbers - the average for the load based upon all the measured numbers that you see in the range reports - and - the average of the loads that don't contain group sizes that are clearly outside the group sizes that don't contain known SIV. That turns out to be about 70+% of my groups.

That adjusted data is what I use to decide on what bullets, jump, bullet in neck, seating depths and powder charges that work the best. That is also what I use to determine if the OBT is actually the most accurate means of loading.

 

[K80skeet]

Today on July 6th I also shot the 12 FV .264 6.5mm CM with the Shilen 28-inch 416R 1:8 twist barrel.
Temps were 77 and 78 and, for the first time with this barrel, I tried 143 Hornady ELD-X hunting rounds.
They had worked pretty well with the factory barrel so I thought they were worth a try.

I tried two different charges - one at 40.5 gr of H4350 and the other 40.6 grs of H4350. I am out of H4831SC powder, but am planning to get a new supply, especially since it has performed so well.

I forgot to charge one of my battery powered blowers so the last two groups in each load were shot with barrel temps that were above 140 degrees on the barrel temperature strip. With over 40 grs of powder and outside temps almost at 80 degrees, there was little chance of keeping the barrel cool.
Since the strip tops out at 140, I really didn't know how hot it really got, but it was way too hot to touch.
Even with that complication, the 143 gr ELD-X bullets didn't perform badly, until the barrel got really hot. The shot just a bit less accurately than the June 29 loads.

Next time I will have to be sure to charge both blowers or else I will be ending my sessions with really hot barrels.

Try 41.5grs of H4350. That's the best load I have found for 140gr bullets. The funny thing that is the load that Ron Hornady put on the boxes of factory loads with a 140gr Hornady "A" Max bullet.

 

[CFJunkie]

With my 28-inch 416R SS barrel length, that puts the exit time 0.038 short of having the reflection wave at the chamber or 1/3 down the barrel from where the harmonics are minimum. That equates to increasing the average group size by about 0.050. Since my 6.5mm CM is averaging 0.244 for 44 groups that would get my group sizes to almost 0.300.

If the barrel was a 25-incher, it would be just about be right on.

 

[CFJunkie]

Range results - July 27, 2026

Today, I loaded 2 different loads of 140 gr Berger VLD Tgt #26401 bullets for the new Shilen barrel on the 12 FV 6.5mm CM MDT ACC chassis again at the 12th Reflection (1.399 msec.)
However, this time I used two different powders (H4350 and H4831SC) with about the same seating depth and trim length.
I hoped to verify whether or not H4831SC powder performs better than H4350 in this barrel. Indications to date show that it might.
These are the 59th to 60th loads through this barrel, that reached 1,500 rounds down the barrel with today’s session.

Both loads have ample bullet body in the necks (0.182 and 0.189), or 68.9% and 71.6% of a caliber in the neck.
Since this new Shilen barrel has normal free bore, the jumps are in the normal range (0.015 to 0.023) and these bullets can be easily tuned in this regular chambered barrel to keep jumps shorter than 0.025, which seems to get the best out of this particular barrel.
Temperatures experienced were from 74 to 78 with winds at 3-5 mph and with H4350 and H4831SC powders, that difference in temperature would cause less than 0.5 fps difference in velocity from start to finish of the session.

I was surprised at the very low standard deviations for both loads. Std Devs under 0.1 are rare for me. I usually screw-up more than that.
Also a surprise was the difference in average group sizes between the two powders. - the overall averages are less than 10 thousandths different.
Today's load averages differed by 0.041 in the opposite direction from previous loads.
It could be the bullet/powder combination, but that belies all the previous data. And I would have thought that the Std Devs would have been much larger if the bullet wasn't performing with a particular powder.

I had expected the results with H4831SC powder to be better than H4350, but again there was amazing consistency but this time the average was consistently worse than H4350. There doesn’t seem to be any big variation in the loads and the St Dev is again very low.
The H4350 sessions from May 4 through May 18 and from July 6 through today average 0.241.
The H4831SC sessions from May 28 through Jun 29 averaged 0.233 for 12 loads but with today’s one load the average for all 13 loads is now 0.236.

So, for the larger sample, H4831SC still has a slight advantage of 0.006 so I probably need to do more testing with both powders.
Just no explanation why suddenly the H4831SC load did so much worse today than the H4350 load.

 

[CFJunkie]

I just remembered that both of theses powders are new lots that I just got delivered.
I wonder if the difference in lots might have been the difference in performance.
Prior to Monday, the two powder lots I had been using performed differently for their last 10 loads prior to changing lots:
H4350 - 0.239 Best load - 0.188 Worst load - 0.284 Second worst load - 0.275
H4831SC - 0.233 Best load - 0.191 Worst load - 0.268 Second worst load - 0.247

New lot of powder:
H4350 - 0.232
H4831SC - 0.273

The relatively good load with H4350 is close to the average with that powder and is far better than the worst or second best load.
The extreme change in H481SC with only one load might just be another bad load performance within a session since the average is just a bit larger than the worst average experienced with H4831SC. But the most recent load has become the worst load with H4831SC.