bullet weight variance.

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hawk-i

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So I'm working up a load for my Tikka stainless varmint chambered in 300 wsm.

I'm using Hornady 178 ELD-X bullets and I decide to weigh them...holy crap they weigh from 177.8 all the way to 178.5.

Should these be returned to Hornady or is this normal for them.

By comparison the berger 168gr classic hunters where within .2 grains.
 
0.7 grain weight fluctuation represents barely 1/2 of a precent variance. Not much to worry about.

Of course, closer the better, but I would shoot them anyways.
 
I usually sort the bullets in "weight groups" .1grain apart (see 1.)
Then I load the groups in ascending weight order to keep the variance low.
The weight difference between the lightest group and the heaviest one is usually superseded by other natural factors as temperature, pressure and wind.


1. Except for Campro which go in 1 grain groups that I may never bring myself to shoot.
 
Just got off the phone with Hornady and they say this variance is acceptable for their bullets.

Time to change up bullet makers.
 
I guess it is all about what you are using these bullets for. If it is a hunting situation within 600 yards, the variance is not
worth sweating over. If you are using them as a "match" bullet, then you may want to sort them, or change to a different
bullet. Since Berger is in business to make match bullets, [I do not consider Berger to be a hunting bullet, regardless of what
Berger labels them] they have closer standards to adhere to. I shoot Berger in competition, and they are generally very good
for that purpose, but I have sectioned 3 different Berger bullets, and the Jackets are far too thin to call them a hunting bullet.
Sure, I'm opinionated, but that's based on 5 decades + of hunting and shooting. :) Regards, Eagleye
 
Ok so being curious now I weighed a box of Hornady 7mm 139 GMX bullets....variance .9 grs

Weighed a box of 7mm 140 Barnes Tsx. ..variance .2 grains

Seems Hornady has a QC issue.

I've got a shyt load of Hornady bullets that will now be weight separated. ...more time at the loading bench I guess if I want to shoot Hornady.
 
Using typical 308 numbers, a 1gr variance will result in about 0.9" shift in PoI. At 1000yds. I think you have nothing to worry about.
 
I had the same issue with Accubonds. So I sorted a few boxes by weight only to find that the ogive was as well different on several. I finally quit worrying about it.
 
Here's my findings from weight sorting not only the Hornady 105 Amax but also weight sorting the CCI 450 Magnum primer, weighing powder to the 1/10 th of a grain using a AND FX-120i scale
Set up was using a Farley Br
6mm%20Dasher%20105%20grn%20Hornady%20Amax%20Weight%20Sorted.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
6mm%20Dasher%20105%20grn%20Hornady%20Amax%20Weight%20Unsorted.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]front rest and a Edgewood rear bag filled with heavy sand

Bullet : 104.92 - 105.37 , 500 bullets weight sorted to 0.080 grns lots
Primer : 3.38 - 3.74 , 1000 primers weight sorted to 0.080 grn lots
Powder : weighed to exact
Seating Depth : exact ( final depth done at the range )
Distance : 100 yards
Rifle : Rem XR100 chambered to 6mm Dasher

I confirmed load, on first target and shows velocity, SD and ES, based on weight sorted components, the second target shows group of 2 bullets sitting next to each other, they are from the weight sorted as a basis, the other 3 are from unsorted bullet, primers, powder charge and seating depth are the same as the weight sorted bunch

My conclusion is it is sometimes worth the effort to weight sort depending on what you want your results to be, I wish I knew what variables have the biggest impact on a given load, but I don't

I do know all my guns are very specific in what they like and don't like

Oh and please don't judge me based on how my measurement reads, I already know my period should be in front of the zero
 
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Alpheus said:
Using typical 308 numbers, a 1gr variance will result in about 0.9" shift in PoI. At 1000yds. I think you have nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

This would be true if there were no other variables such as barrel harmonics. ..add that into the mix and you might be off by meters at 1000 yards.
 
hawk-i said:
This would be true if there were no other variables such as barrel harmonics. ..add that into the mix and you might be off by meters at 1000 yards.
Click to expand...

If you're shooting meter-sized groups at 1000, bullet weight variance is the least of your problems.
 
Just bought a box of these myself and the weight variation is the same as o.p.
Had some berger bullets on hand for comparison and they are match grade as advertised.
I'll still load up those eld-x and see how they fly but I don't imagine they will be a keeper for me.
Looking at nosler rdf going forward though.
 
meathook said:
Just bought a box of these myself and the weight variation is the same as o.p.
Had some berger bullets on hand for comparison and they are match grade as advertised.
I'll still load up those eld-x and see how they fly but I don't imagine they will be a keeper for me.
Looking at nosler rdf going forward though.
Click to expand...

Except the eldx is a hunting bullet the rdf is not.
 
hawk-i said:
So I'm working up a load for my Tikka stainless varmint chambered in 300 wsm.

I'm using Hornady 178 ELD-X bullets and I decide to weigh them...holy crap they weigh from 177.8 all the way to 178.5.

Should these be returned to Hornady or is this normal for them.

By comparison the berger 168gr classic hunters where within .2 grains.
Click to expand...

Bergers cost much more then Hrn

Bergers are used in many types of competition where peak accuracy at LR is desired

Hrn typically suggests a 1/2 MOA accuracy level in their stuff.

Since you are sorting anyways, group them into 0.2 or 0.3gr batches and shoot them ... how do they compare at 300yds?

Then you know what is needed to get them to perform as desired.

Did I mention that Berger are some of the least expensive bullets I shoot?

Jerry
 
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