Self-Study Critique

This study was a first attempt to assess temperature sensitivity of three powders used for F-TR .308 rifles compared to Varget. Although much was learned from this first study, it could have been improved by:

· Establishing temperature data every 5 or 10 degrees Fahrenheit between 34 and 99° F. This would improve the accuracy of temperature curves which currently rests on data at 18-25 degree intervals.

· Use an Auto-Trickler with analytical balance to measure powder charges to reduce charge variability and decrease standard deviation.

· Neck turning may also have significantly reduced velocity variation and standard deviation. However, I didn’t have enough neck-turned brass on hand to run the test.

· Five-shot, rather than three-shot replicates, would have decreased standard deviation and increase confidence in the mean value. However, this was avoided in this first test to keep shot strings at the level of 12, rather than 20 to avoid barrel overheating