PHOENIX PHIL
AH ambassador
So last summer I bought a M70 Lightweight Super Grade from @Deep Six here on AH. As it was in the heat of the summer time, I didn't get out until a few months later to the range with it. Initial results for accuracy were okay, not great, but okay. But as I've done so many times before I handed of the rifle to my gunsmith for his accuracy package (float the barrel, bed it and set the trigger weight at about 3#).
So today after a couple of light loads to take me from starting load to about where I'd expect to start homing in on a load for the rifle. I have found with North Forks that using the Nosler online load information is a very good start. Typically when Nosler specifies a powder to be the most accurate in a particular caliber and bullet weight, it holds true in my experience. And this feeds over to the North Forks typically.
As it turns out, yet again, IMR 4350 looks to be the go to powder. And it looks like it will be very forgiving. I have just started earnestly on load development, but already this looks very promising. And the loading seems also very forgiving. The load with results in pic below was the smallest charge. The next two loads were increased by 0.5gr and 1.0gr from the starter. Those two loads resulted in groups that were only slightly bigger, like 1/8th of an inch.
The bullets were seated to SAAMI length of 3.065" COAL. I haven't yet started to try and play with seating depths to either improve accuracy or increase velocity. I will give that a go next, but I'd be happy if this is as good as it gets. The squares are 1" btw.
@rookhawk, hopefully this will give you a place to start with the NFs.
So today after a couple of light loads to take me from starting load to about where I'd expect to start homing in on a load for the rifle. I have found with North Forks that using the Nosler online load information is a very good start. Typically when Nosler specifies a powder to be the most accurate in a particular caliber and bullet weight, it holds true in my experience. And this feeds over to the North Forks typically.
As it turns out, yet again, IMR 4350 looks to be the go to powder. And it looks like it will be very forgiving. I have just started earnestly on load development, but already this looks very promising. And the loading seems also very forgiving. The load with results in pic below was the smallest charge. The next two loads were increased by 0.5gr and 1.0gr from the starter. Those two loads resulted in groups that were only slightly bigger, like 1/8th of an inch.
The bullets were seated to SAAMI length of 3.065" COAL. I haven't yet started to try and play with seating depths to either improve accuracy or increase velocity. I will give that a go next, but I'd be happy if this is as good as it gets. The squares are 1" btw.
@rookhawk, hopefully this will give you a place to start with the NFs.
