First day on the range with first time reloads

Mine MS is similar in vertical mvmt and little effect in group size outside of shooter competence. With that I now do accuracy test with MS starting with .5 steps. Find the group size tends to trend with ES/SD. Then move to .1 around best ES/SD.
Makes senses as trajectory is function of muzzle velocity/BC.
J996 said:
Mine shoots about 1" high at 100 yds with the Magnetospeed attached. It does not affect group size much but I always do accuracy testing first, then once I'm happy I attach the magnetospeed and fire 10 to see what the velocity of that load is.
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bsand said:
I've gotten 15-20 reloads annealing every 5, neck sizing with Lee collet die. Never had one fail, but could see incipient case head separation plus new rifle so I retired the batch.
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How few pieces of brass do you have?

I think in the future I will buy 1,000 pieces for every caliber. I don't like having to get behind the press every couple of weeks.
 
Ryan.M.Anderson said:
How few pieces of brass do you have?

I think in the future I will buy 1,000 pieces for every caliber. I don't like having to get behind the press every couple of weeks.
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I had about 100 lapua and 150 FGMM cases at that time. Right now I have 100 once fired lapua, 100 brand new lapua and 200 FGMM brass.
 
So i got back out to the range today to continue testing. I changed it up this week, i bought all new lapua bass. So i dropped my load down to 43.0gr to start and worked up 0.1gr at a time. Ending at 43.5gr (which is what most people run for SMK 175s). I extended the range out to 200M instead of 100M like last time. Hoping to see the vertical dispersion better this way. So here are my results. I think a lot of the spread was shooter error this outing. The lady was getting hungrier by the bullet so i had to squeeze them off quick which wasnt ideal. End results weren't horrible, but i know it can do better.
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Overall all groups were sub MOA at 200M. But i know the rifle is capable of sub half or less proved by my first attempt last week. So Im thinking about running with the first group with 43.0gr. First four shots were amazing (below 1/4 MOA) and a flier for the fifth. (Im thinking it was me)
What are your guys opinions on what i should do next? This whole reloading thing is a blast, but im still so new to it. Any thought and advice are appreciated as always.

Matt.
 
You're not likely going to want to make that much ammo at a time unless you're shooting hybrids ( maybe..., if you're lucky). You need to re adjust your load every hundred rounds or so as you're throat moves.



Ryan.M.Anderson said:
How few pieces of brass do you have?

I think in the future I will buy 1,000 pieces for every caliber. I don't like having to get behind the press every couple of weeks.
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Mystic Precision said:
OP is shooting Sierra 175gr TMK

You are shooting 185 J's.

BIG difference in loading.

Jerry
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I

I Have been shooting 185 gr. Berger JTs using 44.5 grs. Varget. No issues.....

I have been told some well known custom rifle builders and F-Class competitors are using 45.0 grs. Varget with the Berger 185s.....But their Lapua brass is toast after one firing........

For 175 gr. SMKs, 44.5 grs. Varget is a well known go to loading.......Been shooting this load for years......
 
3of30 said:
Should I cook up like ten of each and shoot two five round groups of each? Or do like 20 of each? Wish I had a chrono lol
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My next step would be to make 10 at 43 gr, 10 at 43.4 gr, 10 at 43.5 gr and 10 at 44 gr (you had good results with 44 grains in your first outing). Then fire four 10 shot groups.

The vertical on 43.4 and 43.5 looks interesting, I think you got some horizontal dispersion in there because you were in a hurry. It's worth revisiting. A 10 shot group at distance will give you a more accurate representation of what's going on than a 5 shot group.

In the example below, 9/10 rounds have 1.5" vertical dispersion the horizontal is shooter and wind, load is good to go.

 
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J996 said:
My next step would be to make 10 at 43 gr, 10 at 43.4 gr, 10 at 43.5 gr and 10 at 44 gr (you had good results with 44 grains in your first outing). Then fire four 10 shot groups.

The vertical on 43.4 and 43.5 looks interesting, I think you got some horizontal dispersion in there because you were in a hurry. It's worth revisiting. A 10 shot group at distance will give you a more accurate representation of what's going on than a 5 shot group.

In the example below, 9/10 rounds have 1.5" vertical dispersion the horizontal is shooter and wind, load is good to go.

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The reason I didn't try 44gr is because that was originally in federal brass. Switching to Lapua I was nervous starting that high, and most people seem to be sticking to the 43.5gr with lapua brass. I did really like the look at 43.0.
 
Skullboy said:
I

I Have been shooting 185 gr. Berger JTs using 44.5 grs. Varget. No issues.....

I have been told some well known custom rifle builders and F-Class competitors are using 45.0 grs. Varget with the Berger 185s.....But their Lapua brass is toast after one firing........

For 175 gr. SMKs, 44.5 grs. Varget is a well known go to loading.......Been shooting this load for years......
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What brass do you use?
 
Skullboy said:
I use Norma Match brass for my competition loads............

I have used Fed. Match brass and Lake City Match brass in the past. Those cases are relegated to practice loads these days.....
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Yeah but I've heard you just do that boring square range stuff not real practical running around all sweaty kinda competition - for that you would need Lapua :)
 
So i decided to make 30 rounds of 43.0gr, and 10 of 43.5gr. Took them to the range today and gave it a go. 43.0gr still grouped the best. I was shooting in heavy wind so i judged mainly off vertical dispersion. My five shot group at 200M had a total of 1/2 inch dispersion. The 43.5gr did ok, but nothing like the 43.0gr. So I shot 200m, 300m, 400m and 500m and collected the elevation drops for each. Since i do not have a chrono, I uploaded the data into a ballistic computer online and messed with the muzzle velocity until i was seeing the drops that matched what i was shooting. From my best calculations I am shooting these 175gr Tipped Match Kings at about 2700fps and it seems to be pretty damn accurate for me. According to the chart they should stay transonic just past 1000m. Im on to whip up 100 and try my luck out that far. Thanks everyone for all the input and helping out a greeny at the sport. Looking forward to seeing you all on the range one day.

Thanks
Matt
 
What range do you shoot at? I'm in Edmonton tomorrow at Lodonderry Dodge to get my truck serviced. My MagnetoSpeed will come with if you would like to meet up and borrow it.
 
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