Category Archives: Chronographs and Radar

Browning X-Bolt Speed – Nosler 168g ABLR w/ IMR 4831 Groups – Updated 2/2/23

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As you may know, I have been working up hand-loads for my moose hunt and finding the Nosler 168g ABLR reaching over 3000 fps with IMR 4831. But the question is, with what accuracy or groups?

Well, I shot this group below and it looks like a tight 3/4″ except for the flyer. I shot the third shot in the upper right target and extrapolated its position on the string below. Why I shot that upper right target? Because I wanted a smaller target as a focal aim point.

But it needed to be repeated in the second target below for me to validate it. The trigger is a heavy 4 lbs. but I was able to get used to where it breaks. The thin mountain barrel does heat fast and after 3 shots to warm it, it begins to string. 

I repeated the same shots a week later with all the same components at 100 yards. The first 3 shots group 3/4 ” from a cold barrel and the 4th shot drops an inch. I know that a lighter trigger may also help. But overall, I was very pleased with the cold shots for hunting purposes.

Tests continue Using my Labradar

I loaded some 168g ABLR’s with hot H1000 Powder to compete with the IMR 4831. See below low left and right 100 yd 3 shot cold barrel groups with extreme spread of 78 fps an 2 inch groups. The IMR 4831 wins!

I did shoot 168 ABLR today for a third bench rest group for the IMR 4831 and Statistics. Below this group was 1 1/4 inches. Shown below with associated Labradar Stats with Extreme Spread of 14.34 fps and a Std Deviation of 8.17. Very nice indeed!

Labradar Report for IMR 4831

Device ID LBR-0028541                                      
                                                             
Series No 4                                             
Total number of shots 3                                 
                                                             
Units velocity fps                                         
Units distances yd                                         
Units kinetic energy ft-lbf                                
Units weight grain (gr)                                    
                                                             
Stats – Average 2937.25 fps                                 
Stats – Highest 2946.69 fps                                 
Stats – Lowest 2932.35 fps                                  
Stats – Ext. Spread 14.34 fps                               
Stats – Std. Dev 8.17 fps                                   
Shot ID V0 V25 V25 V50 V75 V101 Ke0 Ke25 Ke25 Ke50 Ke75 Ke101 Proj. Weight Date Time
1 2933 2893 2893 2852 2814 0 3207 3120 3120 3034 2953 168 2/2/2023 13:01:22
2 2932 2882 2882 2841 2801 0 3207 3098 3098 3011 2925 168 2/2/2023 13:02:44
3 2947 2907 2907 2868 2829 2788 3238 3151 3151 3067 2984 168 2/2/2023 13:04:08

 

Interestingly, I did note that a drop in outside temperature affects ignition and velocity. Last week I shot at 37degrees F and MV avg was 3003. Today at 26 degrees F,  MV avg was 2937 a drop of 70 fps. At 600 yards that equates to a drop of 4 inches on a moose. I’ll keep that in mind!

More Soon…

© Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

 

Reloading the 7mm Remington Magnum for my Browning X-Bolt w/ New Norma Brass

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I purchased Norma Brass this January for reloading my new Browning Rifle for moose hunting. There were no other Brass manufacturers available on the Internet, that I could find at the time… but glad I bought them.

I purchased a lot of 50, packed in plastic bags and boxed. How did they weigh-out? 

Accordingly, I weighed 10 case random sample and did a Standard Deviation, Average and Extreme Spread. 

Std Dev.  0.74 grains

AVG Wt. 214.83 grains

Extreme Spread of 2 grains in the ten cases. That is excellent!

 

 

 

I took a photo of the flash hole from inside this unsized case. Notice that there is no apparent burr. Some manufacturers like Norma drill the flash hole instead of punching. Drilling is better!

I found this informative review below of Norma Brass on line. 

Norma 7mm Rem Mag Brass Review

 

Adding the primers with my press was much more difficult as they were new and difficult to seat. The good news is that these primer pockets will firmly hold the primer and make reloading the case less susceptible to loose primers. Norma says the brass can be reloaded  up to 10 times according to the above article. 

I used my RCBS Rock Chucker Press, RL-22 powder and loaded Nosler 7mm 175 grain AccuBond Long Range. The bullets are boat tail thus I thought it would make it a bit easier to press the bullet.  They still pressed hard but did not hurt the case.

I shall chamfer the inside of case necks on the next batch to make the bullets press easier. 

I shot enough to zero at 100 yards (groups 1 1/4″) then chronographed them at 2615 fps. I expected a much faster bullet. I was hoping for 2900 fps says Nosler data with 1:9 twist and 24 inch barrel. My barrel is 1:9.5 twist with a 26 inch barrel. Accordingly, I will experiment with powders to see what I can safely wring out of these bullets. Inspecting the fired case and primers look normal. 

The trigger still pulls heavy for me (4 lbs) and soon I will have a Timney to swap out the factory trigger. 

I also loaded some Nosler 168 grain ABLR’s with IMR 4831 and they chrono’d at around 3005 fps and grouped at 3/4 inches at 100 yards. I liked that load!

This round may turn out to be better for long range moose than the 175 ABLR.

More Soon!

 

 

 

My LabRadar Arrived in the Nor’east Blizzard – Update Test 1

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See end of Article for Update.

Watching the snow fall in mid-morning March 13, 2108, UPS was out making deliveries like Santa at Christmas time and at my doorstep was a package I was expecting. It was the LabRadar Chronograph which uses Doppler radar to determine the speed of your bullet. Instead of watching the snow I could check out the LabRadar unit and install new firmware off the web. It was easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a special adapter trigger, it can read arrow speed too. Error rate is 0.1%. It can read incremental speed at some yardages as your bullet travels down range. I purchased the bench mount base ($40) so it is stable.

I purchased the carry case for another ($40) the total cost puts folks over $600 but some folks can share it and split the cost of ownership. Since I do lots of testing it made sense.

The archery trigger cost is $45 dollars.

Upon validating package contents, I read the user manual and went on “youtube labradar channel” and saw the many video’s.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWLcaC5zBL-ZcdLZS9BRmKg

 

This unit is a great “easy to set up” tool for those of us who reload our own ammo or desire to know which powder/bullet combo is better for either hunting or competitive target shooting and calculates Standard Deviation of your string.

Soon as the snow lets us we can get to the range and see the LabRadar in action.

I called them to say we received it. The carry case was on back order but informed that it just shipped.

UPDATE

Test Day 1 March 16, 2018 Temperature 30 degrees. Used AA batteries. Shooting 6.5 Creedmoor with 142 grain Sierra HPBT with 45 grains Superformance powder.

First thing I did was to turn on so I could see the blue LED and select a new string, arm the unit so LED is Amber and fire a shot. It said that the Doppler could not find my bullet. Ok, got to be sure that the unit is pointing at your target.  Must have been off a bit. I selected a new string and adjusted and fired. Vel; was 192 meters/sec. Oh my, must change that to fps so I went into the menu and made changes. Accordingly added a string 3 and ARMED unit and fired my rifle three times. Vο= 2570 fps V=2540, V=2535 fps and gave me some down range velocities and energies that I did not set yet.

The unit worked nicely. The book says to use a tube or straw to point the unit for best results. See new image below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Doppler Radar for Chronograph; LabRadar – Coming Soon

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If you are a fan of Applied Ballistics LLC; http://appliedballisticsllc.com . They recommend LabRadar for chronographing your bullet velocity.

http://mylabradar.com

I have used the older style chronographs where you place the Chrono. about 10 to 12 feet in front of the muzzle and shoot through a wire like triangle.

The LabRadar is much more expensive e.g., over $500. but if you are testing like me or you are always wanting to know bullet speed and STD DEV. of your shooting string and want to import your data via SD Card, then this may be a winner.

We have contacted LabRadar to see if we can test and write about it for you. It can even give limited down range velocities as the radar tracks the bullet or arrow. We shall see what they say….

They say that a  number of them are out being tested and would be several  months before i can get a magazine sample.

So we have purchased one based on the many reviews we have seen to date and on the recommendation of Doc Beech of Applied Ballistics!

Coming Soon!