Does such a thing exist? EABCO's site is, well, not exactly optimal.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I already own a 97D in 6.5 BRM, and since I'm the type of person who can't leave well enough alone, I'm always looking to improve my loads, or try new bullets/powders/primers.
The trick is that it's really difficult to locate information in general, and loads in particular, unless they come from Eben Brown (note that I mean nothing bad by this, but the EABCO site lists pretty much one real load). On this forum alone there are several threads concerning the 97Ds, and there are other forums out there too, but it's not especially easy to sieve out the info I want.
Does anyone know of a fan site I've missed, or some non-EABCO collection of information on 97Ds and BRM loads? If I tried to start one, is it something people would be interested in, or is the critical mass of people just not there?
Below are some basic stories I have, and I guess I'd like to see other peoples' equivalents (if you think "this guy is stupid/boring/swimming upstream" feel free to say so; I guess I'd like to know it if I stand no chance).
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For the record, I started with 140gr Amax bullets and VVN160 as Mr Brown recommended. Works fine. I've never been able to get the velocity promised, but it's good enough. I've also tried 140gr Noslers and Sierra Gamekings. Recently, I got some Berger VLD "hunting" bullets (on a side note, I find it really hard to believe these are solid enough to kill something, although they look great) which I haven't yet loaded up.
Tried VVN560, but I actually saw LOWER velocities than with N160, which runs contrary to the marketing there. Also, it was verrrry dirty. Lots of fouling.
Tried Ramshot Hunter and found it to be more or less equivalent to N160 in terms of velocity and cleanliness. Standard deviation of velocities has a little higher though, and groups correspondingly looser (though not bad).
I'm inclined to a try out a couple of slightly faster powders. I already have some Norma 204, which I haven't used in 6.5, and I'm interested in the Hodgdon Hybrid 100V, which seems promising.
Any users of Norma or 100V?
What C.O.Ls are people using? Or, more critically, what are the base-ogive measurements people use? Trim-to lengths?
I seem to get more hard-to-remove copper fouling in my 97D than in other rifles. Anyone else see this? If so, what do you like to get rid of it?
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So that's the kind of stuff I'm interested in. Anyone else interested?
Thanks,
John
