Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2
Agreed. I will also make the comment; it is often repeated that every gun is different and two otherwise identical guns will show a wide variance in what they like. I can categorically say I have never found this to actually be true. Example one 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, Privi or WW brass, federal small pistol primers, 40 grain Vmax, 1.80 COAL. I have shot that exact load in over 30 22 Hornets. Every single one shot the load under 1 MOA, some did .25, some .75 at 100 but all were great to plenty acceptable. I could shrink the groups on some playing with seating depth but I never changed the charge weight.
Next example Sellier and Bellot factory 7x57 ammo. Have used it in 5 different rifles. Shot it at targets making brass, worst one shot .75 with it. Privi factory 30-06 165 grain, used in 3 rifles, all shot it under an inch. Weatherby Select 100 grain 257 Bee ammo, 2 rifles, one Mark V one Vangaurd, one shot it .3 other shot it .45. Except for the Hornet groups all others were 3 shot groups at 100 yards.
The same holds true for most Factory loads. The ammunition makers go to a lot of work to land on a load that will work pretty well universally. Can you find one that shoots tiny groups if you test enough ammo, yes, will the very best be different between guns, maybe but often not. Like O1 said, pick the weight and style of bullet you want, start with it. If it will give you the accuracy you want, close enough. Only move on if it won't, ammo is too expensive to chase .25 in a hunting rifle. Most guys can't hold 1 MOA under hunting conditions anyhow, let alone .5.
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I have go to loads that work in a variety of rifles, and yet they don't work at all well in some rifles. The same with some factory loads. Many years ago, two hunting partners bought the exact same model of Remington 700, with close serial numbers, and I ended up with a different load for each one, because my go to load worked well in one rifle, but the other one didn't like it at all. I actually worked up loads for two different 7mmremag rifles for current hunting partners last year, and the result was the same, I ended up with different powders and different bullet weights. And after a friend bought a new 6.5CM , I tried the load my own 6.5CM liked, and again, I had to change the bullet, as his rifle didn't like the load. Then another friend ought a 6.5CM, and his rifle loves the same load as my 6.5CM.