How many decimal places do you SERIOUS reloaders go to???

I measure .02, equal to a kernel of Varget, using a Gempro 250.
I use tweezers, not my fingers, keeping the oils from my skin, out of my powder.
 
Mystic Precision said:
For me, all load work up is done in fully prepped brass like you would compete with... why do the load development twice?

Get rid of ALL variables and if you look through the noise, there is only 1 way to do load prep. There are a few styles of tweaking but the big job has already been done (you are tweaking around an accurate node). See my website tech section for info on how to get there easily and quickly.

Match shooters use the best components right away so we don't need to wonder if this or that is at fault. Great barrels properly installed. Solid mounts, proper bedding, great scopes, stable rests, wind flags, etc.

When I am vetting a new FTR 308 barrel built to my specs, I can get results in 18rds. Either the barrel shoots the same node, or it doesn't. I have done alot of homework to get to this point so know the components and set up needed. A brand new shooter will have a much longer learning curve but that is part of the learning and part of the fun.

Change 1 thing at a time, take good notes and monitor where each shot goes. You will get it figured out soon enough

Jerry
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My situation is that I have gotten very very lucky with my 6.5 with Lapua brass, varget, and bergers, not annealed, not turned, and I'm wondering if I should bother starting the turning and annealing. I want to anneal to help the brass last longer (they're on there 3rd trip down the barrel now).

When I work up for my .338 and .300 I will start with turning, annealing, right from go, but the 6.5 got it's load made before I started looking into the "advanced" stuff.

-J.
 
Why we use good components... makes life so much easier AND saves money in the long run.

For brass, I can recommend PRVI. What I use now.. works great and takes a beating. A bit of basic neck prep and life is good.

What you are asking is case maintenance.... if you want to retain the goodness you now enjoy, you have to keep the brass the same as it is new/near new - Brass will change with every firing if not maintained.

Annealing and outside neck turning and trimming is what keeps the brass the same.

In time, things will wear beyond your control and then you start with a new batch of stuff but what we are discussing is about keeping the "same, same, same" that puts the bullets into the same hole.

As I said, there really is only 1 way to make precision match ammo. The more corners you cut, the less likely your results will stay stable. Given all the work involved, I have leaned on better tools with more mechanation. Way less time, way easier and less stress.

The more you shoot and the more varied the chambers you shoot, the better the investment in these tools will get

Jerry
 
Gunneegoogoo said:
That was a lucky day, I guess.....

I'm trying to put the pic up, but the app won't let me....

edit:

Got home to my MBA, here's the proof... I know it's only 3 shots. I have another one with 8 of 10 within 3" at 500yds on a day with 20-25km/h cross winds. I love my 6.5!!!

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Thats some shootin there.


Im just at the stage where Im trying to keep the same shooting fundamentals from shot to shot, so I know how hard its to shoot a group like that. heh Just small things can make such a big difference.
 
titch-- said:
Thats some shootin there.


Im just at the stage where Im trying to keep the same shooting fundamentals from shot to shot, so I know how hard its to shoot a group like that. heh Just small things can make such a big difference.
Click to expand...

I have a "sniper guide book" you can borrow if you want. PM me and you can pick it up at our office in Emerald Park. The guy that wrote it is a bit of a Steven Seagal type, but he had some damn good advice in it.

-J.
 
IMG_9086_zps1zjxdbak.jpg

Ok so it was a very nice sunny afternoon with pretty calm winds. Good time to do some testing and thought I would put up this pic to explain as I have gotten a number of PMs.

So the range is 250yds, I am shooting prone with my back up Savage/Shilen FTR rifle. Scope is the Sightron SVSS which I really like

The barrel was put back on to do some testing with a new bullet. Used the loads that had worked previously. Some fouling and sighting in....

Then I went to Group A... first shot at 250yds was low... next 3 snuggled up so the barrel is working with past loads just fine and ready to do more load testing with another bullet. I like to do this type of warm up to ensure the rifle AND driver are working well before worrying about testing and chasing ones tail.

Working up my loads around the best node, group B was the load I was expecting to shoot best... didn't quite work out that way. Not bad but certainly not great.

Group C was 1/2 the size albeit with 4 shots and was the highest load I had today - wasn't expecting this to work so only loaded 4rds. The difference in loads is 0.1gr. I will have to retest this with 0.1gr and compare the results. Hopefully, a smidge more powder will bring this new bullet into the same tight cluster as the previous.

The point is that under good conditions with a good shooting rifle, you can see very small increments of powder change on target.

Next time, I will have load B, C, D, and E all 0.1gr apart so that I can see where the tightest portion of the node is and where things fall apart. So if the rebuttal is this is only 1 group, I repeat all my testing again and again and in ever increasing rds size then at longer distances.

Anything I say is good better hold together for 22rds at 1000yds.

I prefer using charge weights over playing with seating depths... but that is another story.

YMMV.

Jerry
 

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