SCJ429 wrote:You are giving up a bit of velocity using 2206, short cut would be a better option but that is where you start running out of room. I have not used those particular SMKs but other SMKs need batching to shoot well. What are you going to use them for?
I never load anything for maximum velocity.
I know AR2213SC gives more velocity for less pressure with very heavy bullets, but I don't have any to try as I haven't generally been shooting the very heaviest bullets in any caliber. I also bought some 240gn .308 bullets though so I will be getting some AR2213SC very soon, and I'd like to try it behind the 147gn ELDM's in 6.5x55mm.
I don't plan to use them for anything more than ornaments, but I'm going to shoot some just to see if they might stabilise. If they miraculously do stabilise, then I might get some more and see what sort of accuracy I can get out of them.
I've already noticed minimal variance in bullet length, but far less than I'd expected with a bullet of this design. More than 50% fall right on 1.7230", with two longer than that, the longest is 1.7245", and the shortest is 1.7135". But all of them are .9170" to the ogive in the Hornady .30-cal comparator. I was thinking it might be worth filing the points down so they're all the same length, but weight variance is excellent, from 196.94gn up to 197.04gn, with about 40% right on 197.00gn. I think they're extremely consistent. If they don't stabilise, it might be worth experimenting by shortening the point by .010" at a time to see how short they need to be to stabilise in my barrel.