Zero 185 JHP

Just picked up some Zero 185jhp. I have WST, Tight Group, and 700X. What recommendations do you have?
Thanks

If you have access to a chronograph, try loading them to 800fps. I would say 4.5 of any of those powders would be a starting point.

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately I don't have a chronograph. Just trying to get a good starting point to save powder and bullets.

4.5-4.7 WST

many use this bullet, the nosler is its equal, check in the sticky topic for pet loads, many in there for these, but most popular is 4.5 bullseye

Try here for some ideas 
http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-data/45-auto-acp/
You want to start with loads giving 700 to 800 fps.

4.4 grains of 700x. Absolutely the best long line load I have come up with and I've been told that 700x is what Zero uses in their loaded ammo. 

I also use 4.0 grains of 700x with a 200grain SWC for the long line.

sixftunda wrote:4.4 grains of 700x. Absolutely the best long line load I have come up with and I've been told that 700x is what Zero uses in their loaded ammo. 

The best barrel tester group I ever shot was with Zero and 700X.. Zero had the group on display at Perry one year from what I have been told.. Jim Collins is the innovator behind the Zero profile, which is not the same as Nosler. The change(s) were to improve upon the accuracy.

We have discussed the 700x here before. It is a great powder but does not meter well when using lighter loads. Just be careful to check how the powder is metering before you load a batch. That is the voice of experience of someone who had to find out the hard way.

Len

You are correct Len. It does not meter well at all.  I use a Dillon 550 and there is a higher variance than using BE or anything else. However it doesn't seem to affect the groups so I just ignore the variance. Last weekend my long line percentage was 95.5%.

I had to pull 200 of them apart because of squibs. I was getting everything from a few flakes to a full charge. Nothing was double charged. The way my Lee progressive meters powder it was a failure to drop into the bushing. Probably because of bridging with the large flakes. All I had to do was go to a larger charge to stop the problem but I still watch it like a hawk now. It only did it about 10% of the time and of course it worked great on the ones I spot checked.

Len

Len,
Scrub all of the components of your Lee powder measure with a dyer sheet. It will fix your inconsistent powder drops.

Jerry Keefer wrote:

sixftunda wrote:4.4 grains of 700x. Absolutely the best long line load I have come up with and I've been told that 700x is what Zero uses in their loaded ammo. 

The best barrel tester group I ever shot was with Zero and 700X.. Zero had the group on display at Perry one year from what I have been told.. Jim Collins is the innovator behind the Zero profile, which is not the same as Nosler. The change(s) were to  improve upon the accuracy.    

What brand barrel was in the test fixture?

Rob, thanks. I think you mentioned that about 6 months ago and I took your advice then. I have no idea if it cured that particular problem because 700x was the only powder giving me problems and only when I went below the .46 collet. I haven't used any 700x since cleaning the powder measure. And unless I totally run out of other powders I never will. Life is to short to worry about the next squib.

Len

ASchlem wrote:

Jerry Keefer wrote:

sixftunda wrote:4.4 grains of 700x. Absolutely the best long line load I have come up with and I've been told that 700x is what Zero uses in their loaded ammo. 

The best barrel tester group I ever shot was with Zero and 700X.. Zero had the group on display at Perry one year from what I have been told.. Jim Collins is the innovator behind the Zero profile, which is not the same as Nosler. The change(s) were to  improve upon the accuracy.    

What brand barrel was in the test fixture?

Douglas 1 X 14 twist