Testing Reloads for Accuracy: Order to do it?

[tlsdad]

I tried doing some searching here on this, but the information was scattered over dozens of posts: I am hoping to get it in one spot!

So recently I have decided to take the level of reloading I am doing farther to get better long range accuracy. Up to now I have mainly been concerned with quality components and best powder/bullet combination for accuracy. I would like to get into ensuring brass consistency more and checking other particulars of reloading.

My questions are:

When do you start experimenting with jump to lands, crimp and other particulars?

If I have consistent brass (let's say Lapua) using excellent dies (let's us Forster for example) should I then somehow measure my chamber to see how far out a bullet in the case would be if it touched the lands?

I assume I would want to reload a case at "book" length with multiple powder amounts in small increments to find the most accurate load (this is where I often stopped); but then after that would you work on crimp first? Jump to lands first? Both at the same time? Or is that order of process all wrong?

Ingnoring quality and types of brass, primer, powder and bullet is there a method I am forgetting?

In an effort to help further searches by other CGN members I would prefer to ignore rifle type/design & caliber, assuming length of the finished round does not need to be made for a magazine.

There are resources out there, I know... there will also be a lot of opinions here too... But I also know CGN has some damn good F-Class and other competition shooters with phenomenally good opinions.

Thank you!

Great question. As a newbie i look forward to the onslaught of wisdom!!

 

[Keithjohn]

covered in other post

 

[Aniest]

Thank You

First, thanks to those that have instilled wisdom here!

This was today's tightest group with the least amount of vertical deviation... other than when I pooched my breathing on the one trigger pull that I am not going to exclude form the photo... (Note I have not done any "sight in", am aiming dead center of the black dot, and not ever adjusting for windage and elevation at this time).

...for a 4 shot group at 300 meters showing about .766 outside edge on a .308 bullet, and I assume means a sub 1/2" group. Again, excluding the one personal error.

The next 0.1grains increment was taller, along with all of the rest of the groupings also being more vertical deviation. There was a decent breeze coming in from the right at 60degrees (2 O'clock) to the bullet path that was hitting side and back stops to create some ugly swirls down range.

So far so good... Thanks again.