Bullet sorting??

I would even start out with 10 loads (without being too anal about microscopic differences - so yes, same brass, same bullet, same powder etc) and clamp the rifle and shoot it to see "what it's doing".

I clamped my 243 (Weatherby VGII) during my barrel break in. It shot 5/8" groups with the "cheapest on the shelf" 80 grain Federal blue box soft points. That told me what the "rifle" was capable of with "junk ammo".

Then I started shooting it with the same stuff. I figured, until "I" could match the clamp in accuracy there wasn't a whole lot of sense fiddling with 1/10's of a grain of powder, primers, seating depth, case weight etc etc.

You can build the perfect round if you horse around enough but if (you) can't shoot well enough to take advantage of all that extra work then is it really worth your time? At least initially...
 
I do honestly appreciate your advice, but please re read your posts before you hit send.....

I need experience reading wind and mirage, I'll acknowledge that, but I think I have reasonable control of the shooting part....these are off a bipod with a rear sandbag.
 
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Nice to see somebody posts more than one group in the same shot. Good shooting.

I've found bullet weight differs between brands. AMAX<SMK<Berger.
 
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galamb said:
I would even start out with 10 loads (without being too anal about microscopic differences - so yes, same brass, same bullet, same powder etc) and clamp the rifle and shoot it to see "what it's doing".

I clamped my 243 (Weatherby VGII) during my barrel break in. It shot 5/8" groups with the "cheapest on the shelf" 80 grain Federal blue box soft points. That told me what the "rifle" was capable of with "junk ammo".

Then I started shooting it with the same stuff. I figured, until "I" could match the clamp in accuracy there wasn't a whole lot of sense fiddling with 1/10's of a grain of powder, primers, seating depth, case weight etc etc.

You can build the perfect round if you horse around enough but if (you) can't shoot well enough to take advantage of all that extra work then is it really worth your time? At least initially...
Click to expand...

Reading your posts in this thread makes me think you haven't read anything OP has written.
 
Thank you.

I'm gonna give all this stuff a go. You all have my word I'll report honest results.....

Did some more reading and it seems that YoDave's comments are very pertinent - lots say the weight is far less impt than ogive to base consistency.

Those groups above were done with unturned brass, and COAL measured from case base to bullet tip. I'm a little worried that this buggering around is gonna make it worse.

Bsand - let us know what happens with your sorting.

Below is a spontaneous Friday afternoon a couple weeks ago when a buddy wanted to see my .338, and the other pic is my first day with my MPOD... It's not stellar, I know, but I think I'm worthy of trying some advanced stuff.....

I've stopped shooting 3 shot groups cause they "don't count".... 5 minimum, 10 if I'm feeling like a tough guy.....
 
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Problem with COAL or COL measurement is that the tips can vary wildly. Especially on the SMK's (non-tipped).

Measuring ogive is much more accruate and what really counts. It's what gives you accurate dimensions of lands, etc. when determining your jump/jam, etc.

Getting the device you have on order will help you sort that out.
 
You had a superb start with your new f rifle... shoot it further and if the accuracy maintains... DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING... and enjoy.

It is so easy to drive yourself insane testing every possible combination and parameter. As an academic excercise and self empowering, testing all parameters is great fun.

BUT for F competition, consistency is what you are after so you can focus on wind reading. Barrels do not last all that long and the best performance happens in the first 1000rds for pretty much every chambering so you can have fun testing but if that leads to a tired barrel at a match, not so much fun.

Address one variable at a time... muck about and see if good or not. Then move to the next.

I have been tuning the "easy" to tune 308 win for the last 4yrs... there are alot of rabbit holes to venture down especially with new gen super high BC and heavy bullets.

Just remember to develop a protocol to work up a load so you can track what is helping and what is not. I do the same procedure for brass prep, bullet seating, and load work up with every new barrel and new rifle. That way I at least know that I am not missing or overlooking an important step.

Once a baseline is established, I can tweak against known accuracy.

enjoy the journey..... you are far from the end :)

Jerry
 
Consider using a proper rear bag vs a monopod on a heavy recoiling rifle.

It will help.

Assume you had a piece of carpet or similar under the MPOD feet? That is a great start but leaving the monopod at home will tighten things up.... I betcha.

Jerry
 
Thx Jerry...

Is there ever an "end"?? Seems to me to be a lot like brewing.....you can never know everything!!

The monopod was on my 6.5x47, and was just was happened to be with me that day. I agree fully that my rear bag is better. I have a SEB (bought it before I know you). The .338 work was using my fist as a rear rest.

The MPOD was sliding on the hard poly of my Caldwell easy-bench, but good reminder for me to get a bit of carpet for prone.

My f-class isn't here yet, hopefully in next couple weeks. I have the Misses pretty excited about it too, so hopefully it'll be something we can do together.
 
There is no end, but there a pattern or progression if you will. As per the old target shooter's saying....
Beginners talk about guns.
More experienced shooters talk about loads.
Winners talk about wind.
 
Dogleg said:
There is no end, but there a pattern or progression if you will. As per the old target shooter's saying....
Beginners talk about guns.
More experienced shooters talk about loads.
Winners talk about wind.
Click to expand...

The most important 3 lines in precision shooting....

Is there an end? YES..... when you have a process that allows consistent and repeatable results to meet the accuracy and precision needs for the application you want whether in competition or in the field.

Then you start learning to read the wind.

This doesn't mean it all is 1/4 MOA.... if hunting cape buffalo, the goals may be a bit different then someone trying to hit gophers at 600yds or an F class shooter trying to get the V count high enough to win at the Worlds.

The more demanding the end result, the more important all the various steps becomes. Where you will run into problem is trying to cut or simplify steps because of laziness. Most of the time, those steps exist cause that is the best way to reach the demanding end goal

And this is why this process is YOUR journey. The steps and process are all out there... you just have to decide what you want to achieve and how far you need to go down the rabbit hole to accomplish.

Those I compete with don't question the need for a top tier milligram scale or proper annealing or outside neck turning or match barrels or the best components or optics or.......It is part of the cost of hitting 5" circles at 1000yds.

how far you want to take your precision shooting will determine what becomes your "new norm"...

Jerry

PS... I do not do a number of precision prep steps cause I have tested to prove to my satisfaction, they don't matter for me (why you should also test). So this not laziness.... I just choose to only spend my time on things that making hitting that 5" circle better.
 
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I measured base to ogive on 25 rounds, 23 were basically the same (+-0.0005) 2 were within 1 thousand ofthe others. I don't think that this is worth my time. I'll see what the bullet weights do, but if no significant increase in accuracy, so NOT worth my time.
 
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