Some things do matter for consistency. Are they necessary for your hunting rifle? Probably not. Good bullets and a good barrel are needed for good accuracy, but consistency is in good preparation and practice. I believe good brass is necessary, I don’t clean cases, I lube the inside of necks with Hornady 1 shot and don’t brush it out after running them over an expander mandrel, I anneal in a controlled manner after every firing, and I weigh charges on a digital lab grade balance. In addition, I full length resize. Here are five different loads I’ve shot recently while testing. Small sample sizes, but the point is there.
Again, is all this necessary for finding a good hunting load in your rifle? I don’t think so. But it’s fun to make ammo that is consistent and accurate.
I think a chronograph is key to hand loading and I’ve used one and owned several since I was in high school. A long time ago now. Without a doubt, this new Garmin is an absolute game changer in the chronograph market. If you can justify one, go buy it.
