220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

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troublemech
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220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by troublemech »

Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have been handloading 300blk for about a year now, and right before the great ammo crisis of 2020, I picked up 1000 Berry's 220 grain spire point projectiles. I've loaded their 200 grain with a great deal of reliability at the 1050 fps mark out of my 9 inch AR barrel.

I cannot get these 220 grain bullets to perform!! Using 1680, here are my results with 5 shot builds each:

11.6 gr - 992.8 fps, SD 61.90
11.8 gr - 927.0 fps, SD 78.6
12.0 gr - 945.6 fps, SD 30.01
12.2 gr - 973.8 fps, SD 41.77

Second batch:

12.3 gr - 1026 fps, SD 29.56
12.5 gr - 1014.4 fps, SD 27.84
12.7 gr - 977.4 fps, SD 31.55
12.9 gr - 964 fps, SD 21.20
13.1 gr - 1005.4 fps, SD 31.41

I know I'm not using the best equipment, I use a Hornady single stage press and I trickled powder onto a Frankford Arsenal electronic scale, double checked on a Hornady balance beam scale. I measured speeds with the Amazon cheap Caldwell Chronograph. I also do not allow for cool down, I want useful action based data, not cold rifle data. No suppressor (yet). Always cycles and locks the bolt back, mostly because of the Spikes Tactical Barking Spider 2 muzzle device, which when shot "gutted" will often not lock back or short stroke.

Anyway, I get terrible SD every time, and I can't make sense of the velocities. I want to get to 1050 FPS (sea level, plus or minus 30 ft), but with this data, I have no idea what to do. Any advice would be helpful, for the record none of the brass shows any signs of pressure problems so I know I have wiggle room, and i build to 2.2 COL so I could theoretically fit up to 15.3 grains in the case.
pj-schmidt
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by pj-schmidt »

Accurate 1680: 11gr
Berry's 220gr
LC reform brass
CCI 450 Small rifle magnum primer
2.2" oal
slight flare of case mouth before seating bullet
very light Lee factory crimp (remove flare)

10 Shot group last Friday in my 8.5" SBR:
ES: 35
SD: 11
Avg: 811 ( which was way lower than I expected, now to work up a stronger load )

In contrast I shot the exact same load but with Remington #7.5 primers and the SD was 19.

Not sure if this helps, but since I just did this test a couple of days ago I thought I'd throw it out there.

Phillip
troublemech
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by troublemech »

Philip,

How soon will you be going out to up your powder with 1680? I would be curious if you loaded in the ranges I did to see what your numbers are.

I have 1000 rounds of these and 2 lb of 1680, so I'm kind of dedicated to the combo, hoping to see someone else's data to see if I am having equipment issues (scales, chrono) or if this combo is DOA.

Thanks,

Andrew
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dellet
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by dellet »

With that much powder and that low of velocity, the first thing I would check is bullet diameter. Should be .309" for a plated bullet. Possibly push one through the bore to see if it's loose.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
golfindia
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Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:16 pm

Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by golfindia »

Berrys Spire pt 220:
2.13" oal
Wolf SRM
10.5g Shooters World Blackout
16" barrel
ES: 5fps (1053, 1056, 1058)

Sandard deviation is meaningless for small sample sizes.
troublemech
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by troublemech »

So I took advice and measured bullets, they are .309 as designed. I set one in the chamber and applied a bit of "mortar style" pressure with a solid rod from the rear, it locked up firmly with the lands and after reversing it out back thru the breech, the bullet shows strong rifling grooves. I could not force all the way thru the barrel with the rod I have.

Any other suggestions?
golfindia
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by golfindia »

Did you buy seconds, by any chance?

https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bps-300-300-220gr

Have you weighed your projectiles to check variation?

What standard deviation are you trying to achieve?
300PreSub
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Re: 220 gr Berry's with 1680...can't get reliable

Post by 300PreSub »

I have had similar results with 1680 and found that I had un-burned powder residue in my mag. I was using WSR primers at the time. Experienced lower than normal velocities even with high loads.

Moved to CCI 450 primers and issue was resolved. Had to lower the powder charge due to supersonic velocities after switching and no more residue.

You may have a primer issue.
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