Bench-Talk

Well I took the 257TED to the range a couple of times in the last few weeks. I didn't get any velocity figures on it but I was able to shoot for some groups. On Wednesday I went by Red's Indoor Range to shoot from the rest using the 88 BIB with a load of 29 Grains of H-Bench Mark using the Red Box PMC Small Rifle primers. Groups weren't that stunning. I shot a .229 AGG with a small group of .192. That seems like a good AGG but I have shot a .19 AGG with the same bullet there. I suspect that 29 grains of BM is just not quite in the tunning window. Pressure seemed within reason as I didn't find any craters on the primers. From Past testing I suspect the velocity is about 2925 to 3025 fps or so. The benches at that range are made of plywood and the tops have about 1.5 inches of flex when you put your weight on them so it is difficult to get the vertical out of the groups. They move even at a slight weight shift. On Friday I went to Dietz range and shot some of the Berger 110 Grain bullets using 27.5 grains of AA2015 and the Russian primers. I had about .3 to .5 of vertical and only got 1 group worth measuring and it ran about .35 I don't think there was that much vertical component to the wind that day so I guess this pretty well tells the story about wether the 110 grain bullets can stabilize properly in the 1/12 twist Shilen barrel. The temperature was about 86 F and about 50% humidity. In the past I have shot these bullets into about .25 or so. But I suspect that the bullets are marginally stabilized and the any head or tail wind component takes advantage of that instability. RG and I have talked about that very issue before and he seemed surprised that the gun would shoot the 110 bullets. I am sure that the issue is with bullet stability. Although that is the first time I have ever used 2015. Maybe it is just a skunky powder. But I couldn't really say until I test it with a known good bullet like the BIB 88 .257. I think that the Old Stolle is probably only going to be a 1/4 inch gun, set up the way it is. I might Try to glue it in this summer. But if some one posts on this board and you cant read it because the typing looks like some guy did it with a Heavy Varmint Rifle stuck to his hand then you will know it was me. Ted

 

Hi Ted just wondering what a 257TED is?What case is it based on ?

Thanks Jim 

Hi JIm

The 257TED is bassed on the PPC cartridge case.

It is basically a 25PPC with the shoulder pushed forward .075  with a .285 neck

The case capcity is about 2 grains more than the 6PPC.

I use 6.5 Grendal brass to form the cases.  FIrst I outside turn the necks to .013 thickenss, then I size the necks and fire them.

The rifle is a Stolle Panda with a Shilen 1/12 LV countour barrel.

Jim

If you go to this thread you should find a picture of a loaded round.

http://www.bench-talk.com/forums/p/373/929.aspx#929

I went back and checked my groups from shooting at Reds and found that I had actually shot a .162 Using 28.5 Grains of BenchMark and the 88 Gr bullet. To date that is a pretty good group.

I have had the feeling lately that the old thumbhole Panda just wasn't capable ot getting the most out of the 257TED so sunday I picked up Stiller Viper mounted in an Edge stock from Bob Harrison. The current barrel is a Shilen HV 6mm with a tuner on it. I am going to mess with the tuner for a while but after a couple of weeks of that I am going to get a new 1/12 257 barrel for it and go back to testing the 257TED.