The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Part 1:
Introduction


Part 2:
Arriving at Eley and Setting Up


Part 3:
Control ammo and initial test


Part 4:
Shooting selected ammo 40 shot groups


Part 5:
The Results, coming soon... (need to re-record some video and edit).

Last post on it (unless anyone has questions), I promise.

The results.

Too many years ago...... I & a mate bought 5000 brick of Eley Match between us. We then weighed each round & measured the head space. (the thin graphite lube stuff not the grease covered) The range had a bolt down test firing point & we tested that vs 10X. in 20 shot groups 50m open range, but not a windy day. The weight selected match alone beat the 3-4 different batches of 10X, the headspace & weight selected was better again but by less margin than by weight alone. We split the batch & the 8-12% over/under weight or thick/thin head space were used as barrel warmers. The cost of the residual selected ammo was substantially less than 10X new as well.

My best season that year! then lapua bought out silver boxed 'Finalist' that was better again even out the box (but i wasn't). Lapua discontinued that? why? & boo!, but Centre X is still the best group from my 1813.

I now use it in the 22 Longrange matches & its consistent (if you get the wind right) to 400yds ....... 500 is pretty flaky with any ammo! My best is a 71.4 at 300yds.

hitchphil wrote:Too many years ago...... I & a mate bought 5000 brick of Eley Match between us. We then weighed each round & measured the head space. (the thin graphite lube stuff not the grease covered) The range had a bolt down test firing point & we tested that vs 10X. in 20 shot groups 50m open range, but not a windy day. The weight selected match alone beat the 3-4 different batches of 10X, the headspace & weight selected was better again but by less margin than by weight alone. We split the batch & the 8-12% over/under weight or thick/thin head space were used as barrel warmers. The cost of the residual selected ammo was substantially less than 10X new as well.

My best season that year! then lapua bought out silver boxed 'Finalist' that was better again even out the box (but i wasn't). Lapua discontinued that? why? & boo!, but Centre X is still the best group from my 1813.

I now use it in the 22 Longrange matches & its consistent (if you get the wind right) to 400yds ....... 500 is pretty flaky with any ammo! My best is a 71.4 at 300yds.

Interesting results, though I'm not really surprised.

There were a few inconsistencies when I batched at Eley, so if you can mitigate the obvious ones where they simply don't weigh up, then you're on to a winner.

I'm thinking I might look into the batch I bought a little more thoroughly and see just how inconsistent they are, and maybe batch them by weight.

So they've already been batched to my rifle, let's batch the batch.

The only real issue I have is that I'm not shooting great at the moment, I've been suffering recently with all kinds of bad shooting and I need to get my head back in the game, in terms of accuracy I shoot at 25 yards, so the question is whether it's worth the effort to batch out the batch by weight (and maybe headspace if I can be bothered to spend the cash on an ammo headspacing gauge) - would I really see any difference at 25 yards?

Those long range scores are great though, I can't remember the last time I scored over 70 with a centre fire rifle, nevermind a .22lr!!