You guys make it look so easy.

warrenb

warrenb

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
Location
Quebec
I started reloading back in February. It seemed complicated and a little scary when I first started researching but once I got going the actual process, making rounds was pretty straight forward. I read the threads on here and thought I could have my guns shooting sub MOA in one to two range trips no problem. :eek:

Finding a good load however is not as simple as picking a bullet, a case, primer and powder and putting it all together.

Its a long story but I think as a newbie I made a lot of mistakes, not in terms of safe procedures but in attempting manage too many parameters at once, most of which could have been avoided. Mistakes which really did not facilitate easy critic of the actual rounds produced.

I thought I'd list mistakes and maybe it will stop other newbies from getting disheartened. My mistakes:

1. I started to work loads for 2 different calibres ( 308 and 243).
2. I decided I could manage 3 different powders and 3 different bullet weights. The 308 varget + 150 grn, The 243 H4895 + 55 grn, H4350 + 87 grn.
3. I started backtracking and playing with seating depths when things did not work out as I expected.
4. I used a plastic MTM rest.
5. I visited the range when it was -15, blowing a gail and during torrentials downpours.
6. I did not realise that hopps number #9 does not clean rifle barrels of copper. Oh yes I'm dumb.
7. I have terrible technique.


In short it me 150 rounds and 3 range trips to get my 308 shooting sub MOA. It took me 250 rounds and 5 range trips to get my 243 with 87 grain vmax to shoot sub MOA.
I am starting again with my .243, 55 grain vmax but I'm confident I can get there now.

One thing I have learn't is that my pump guns can shoot but me, not so.

Also every bit of advice I have recieved here has been spot on.
 
Good on you for being honest !!!
You can work on multiple loads in multiple calibers at the same time....but, you have to keep absolutely MATICULOUS written records. I was one of the worst offenders for not doing it, and trying to remember results that hapened the week before in my head. Nope....just doesn't work.

There's nothing really hard about load development. It takes patience, and time.....and money :D Consistancy is everything....well, almost.

You've got a piece of brass with just a tiny nick in the neck. Not deadly serious, but it counts. You had a couple of flakes of powder that stuck in the funnel. Not serious, but it counts. One case trimmed to length nicely, and the cutter almost, but didn't quite touch the second one....it counts. There's just the slightest ding in the side of a case.....it counts. There's a breeze blowing off and on. Maybe only going from 0 to 3km. Not serious, but it counts.

Inaccuracy is a cummulative (sp) thing. All the little things do add up to unreliable results. If you KNOW something is different between your cartridges...bullet seating effort, depth, whatever, you've got to toss that particular one out of the load development batch. This can be frustrating, but there are enough things you can't control working against you without adding your own wild cards into the mix.
 
My accuracy has most definitely improved, but it's more a case of reloading allowing me to shoot a lot more. I did all my load testing for my 300WM, when I was BARELY capable of holding 1-1.5 MOA. Perhaps I should revisit that. Anyway, it's not so much that reloading is easy, it really is quite complicated, it's just that if you have a good eye for attention to detail, and good safe practices you can make it work very well for you. I find the more attention to consistancy, the better my loads perform. Trim and chamfer all brass every firing, tumble after sizing to get lube out, weigh all charges individually, seat bullet in 2-3 stages, turning it between strokes. Keep at it, eventually obsessiveness can pay off. A year ago, 5 shots on 1 piece of paper, was a good group for me, last trip out, I averaged .7" with a fluky best of .291" This, with my unsorted by # of firing brass (one headstamp, though). Once I'm done with this unsorted batch of brass, I think that's the next thing I'll work on to bring my OCD to the next level.
 
A previous poster brought up an interesting point: How many reloaders keep separate batches of brass according to # of times fired? I thought of this when I was looking at the pics of a reloading room posted a while ago where there were multiple cartridge types involved. Is it important to keep them separated if you are looking for any signs of damage/wear and tossing the bad ones?

I'm not a reloader (yet) but I am curious about such things. I have a very small space where reloading may be possible, so I am trying to determine just how minimalist I can be while still achieving results of factory ammo or better.

As far as cleaning products, I use foaming bore cleaner, I think by Outers. Does a good job. I then follow up with G96 complete treatment both inside and out.
 
GeoTrekr said:
A previous poster brought up an interesting point: How many reloaders keep separate batches of brass according to # of times fired? I thought of this when I was looking at the pics of a reloading room posted a while ago where there were multiple cartridge types involved. Is it important to keep them separated if you are looking for any signs of damage/wear and tossing the bad ones?

I'm not a reloader (yet) but I am curious about such things. I have a very small space where reloading may be possible, so I am trying to determine just how minimalist I can be while still achieving results of factory ammo or better.

As far as cleaning products, I use foaming bore cleaner, I think by Outers. Does a good job. I then follow up with G96 complete treatment both inside and out.
Click to expand...

it doesnt hurt to sort brass. For pistols it's a lesser mean I've been told many times (and have experienced)
but for rifles it's a good idea to sort by headstamp and firings, to keep track of things and be on the lookout for when to trim or when to throw away
some say different brass different load, but I'm not a good enough shot yet to experience this
 
keeping the brass segregated according to number of times fired is easy- you just get those mtm ammo boxes that are 50 or 100 rounds a piece in say 4 different colors ,and make the red number 4- with the m14 it goes green(1) smoke(2) blue(3) and red(4) - very seldom do i fire more than 100 rounds of high power anyway, so that works for me
as to meticulous records, i use ONE rifle at one time, one bullet weight, one powder, one brand of case, and one primer - as it is , the powder that i use ( ww748) calls for a magnum primer , so there's only ONE variable- the powder charge itself- i start at the starting load and work my way up to the max DICTATED BY EITHER THE GROUP OPENING UP OR PRESSURE SIGNS FROM THE RIFLE- one sheet per load, and kept in a small six ring binder- a blue one- then when i've hit that point, with the best group, that sheet gets transferred over to the red binder and that goes in the pocket of the case for that rifle- change any of the other components and the process starts all over again= note{sometimes the publisher of the relaoding manual will give a "RECOMMENDED ACCURACY LOAD" ( lyman for one) and it can and does save a lot of this werke)
or you can just get a bunch of boxes and LABEL them 1, 2, 3, 4 etc, but i like the color idea best
 
For my hunting needs (central Ontario and north) ranges are short. Accuracy, at least the very fine kind isn't a high priority for big game. Thus, I don't pursue sorting, or track the number of firings for that matter on most of my rifle cases.
I can tell you that 44 mag, 44-40, 45-70, and 30-30 cases, last a very long time in excess of 25 firings if you use reasonable loads even 303Br if you have a rifle with a nice chamber, and you are careful.
I do track such things when I get a new rifle, have a problem, or am working up loads, and for rifles with higher pressures like the 308.
Honestly though, once you get good at it, you'll be able to spot a case gone bad from a long way off, and case inspection is second nature for any reloader, each and every time he handles a case.
 
The more records you keep the better off you are. Those who don't know history are condemned to repeat it. My F class brass is purchased from the same lot kept in lots and tracked for # of firings. My hunting brass is just usually from same manufacturer. Depends on what you are going to do with it and how fussy you are. As your experience level increases the trips to the range to sub moa should decrease all things considered. Thats what reloading is about, enjoy it.

Andy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom