Reloading: Do the little things matter?

[Pathfinder76]

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.

[elkhunter11]

I use good brass , keep it trimmed , but I don't anneal after every firing. I rarely clean cases, using my tumbler and steel pins to clean cases for friends who don't look after their cases as well as they could. I use Imperial sizing wax on the outside, and the graphite on case necks. I use Redding dies, and usually bushing dies, and I load with a Chargemaster . I do use a chronograph to make decisions while loading, but I don't use it during every loading session. I use groups to evalute loads, more than I depend on ES and SD, I care more about how a load actually performs, that how it should theoretically perform.

[densa44]

These are the guys to listen to. Now if you want to try for my record of the most stuck cases, ignore Elk's advice of using die wax and graphite.

Maybe they will tell us how thery find the nodes (most accurate loads) for their rifle

Great post..

[catnthehat]

I was taught that consistency is the key to accuracy.
I quit tumbling cases years ago, but I do make sure they are clean , using a Scothbrite pad.

Cat

[Dick284]

You can chase numbers for sure as they are extremely quantifiable, and have their place for sure.

You can buy top end gear, do all the tweaking and tuning as well.

One must also understand that the biggest variable in the accuracy equation is the shooter! That’s right boys and girls all the Gucci this or glitzy that, means very little if the nut behind the bolt is actually the jerk behind the trigger.

What do we need for accuracy in a hunting rifle? It’s neat and cool to anneal, neck turn, use bushing dies and measure powder to the .001 of a grain, heck I’ve been down that road many a time, but the facts are…..

Very few here are into high level competitions, where all the high priced gear and tuning makes a huge difference.

Run what ya like, but at the end of it all, there’s often far less high profile and costly items we can dwell on to bring us better satisfaction.

[Backwoods Runner]

We’ll put dick. Most people cannot out perform the equipment they have in hunting situations.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Dick284

You can chase numbers for sure as they are extremely quantifiable, and have their place for sure.

You can buy top end gear, do all the tweaking and tuning as well.

One must also understand that the biggest variable in the accuracy equation is the shooter! That’s right boys and girls all the Gucci this or glitzy that, means very little if the nut behind the bolt is actually the jerk behind the trigger.

What do we need for accuracy in a hunting rifle? It’s neat and cool to anneal, neck turn, use bushing dies and measure powder to the .001 of a grain, heck I’ve been down that road many a time, but the facts are…..

Very few here are into high level competitions, where all the high priced gear and tuning makes a huge difference.

Run what ya like, but at the end of it all, there’s often far less high profile and costly items we can dwell on to bring us better satisfaction.

I have the gear I have because I shoot a lot. I was at the range last night. I’m back from the range this morning already. All alone I might add. In fact I haven’t seen anyone at the range since September. I can guarantee you that the guys I am not seeing there aren’t annealing cases, aren’t measuring to the .001 of a grain, aren’t shooting $3 brass, don’t use bushings, aren’t trimming their cases to the same length every time, aren’t using a chronograph (in fact in 20 years of going to the range I go to I’ve never seen another chronograph). Most do drive a nicer vehicle and their three months worth of payments will buy most of the “expensive” gear I use for the above steps though.

Now days the most expensive reloading stuff I own are the components. And that is the dead truth.

[prarie_boy1]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

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.
IMG]

Great post out of curiosity what is your preferred method of annealing?

[Pathfinder76]

I use an AMP.

[RickF]

In my experience the annealing every time, and loading straight ammo, are most important.

In two rifles I own which will average under 1/2 moa for 10 shot groups, super consistent powder charges don’t show up as much on target. A tenth up or down is as accurate as weighing to the kernel. In those rifles I throw Varget through a 30 year old RCBS measure, I don’t weigh each charge.

Mind you, those are both 8 1/2 pound all-up silhouette rifles, so I am only shooting groups to 500m/550yds. At longer ranges no doubt minimizing vertical through reduced velocity variation becomes more important.

[wallz]

Thats some great numbers.

I trim when needed, anneal every time, then full size, then tumble, weight with a manual scale and measure every seated bullet.

My 50 round string today was an ES of 32.2, SD of 7.2 with an average of 2950.1 fps. 139 gr scenars, with RL16, Federal 210 match primer, in a 6.5 creed. I have found the S&B brass just as good as the LAPUA, and don't see much different numbers between the two. That one I have not quit figured out yet.

Started at 500m and went out to 1400m. That is with 10 shots, reload magazine, and shoot again, and so on with no barrel cool in between shots. Yea, I run my equipment, and this IBI 26" stainless heavy fluted barrel has been awesome.

I also did get a good five shot group with a new 450 bushmaster load. 290 grain, copper tipped barnes T-EZ Bullet. ES of 14.2 and DS 5.0. My new moose/elk load.

Surprisingly a good 70 round string with 22 lr, RWS ammo. ES of 28.1 and DS of 6.1. Printing some nice groups at 100m.

For me most of my loads were set up before I had a crony, but now I can verify them, and just have another way of tracking things. That said I did recently finally try Retumbo in my 6.5 PRC, and she finally signs again. Moving the 156 gr Berger EOL at 2921 fps in a 22" barrel.

[fps plus]

Many years ago I jumped down this rabbit hole . This is what I found with a rifle that was a known for its accuracy.
Annealing only help with velocity spread but didn’t change accuracy . Of course for long range it would but not short range .

Case prep was a not a big factor .

Of all the things I tried the biggest factor that I found was bullet run-out . Check your run out and not all reloading dies are good at keeping minimum runout .
I found that with certain dies one needed to partially seat the bullet , rotate the case 180 degrees and seat some more.

There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to eliminate as many variables in the process.
And just when you think you have it all figure out???Welcome to reloading and shooting .

[hansol]

For field shooting, none of that stuff matters.

The weak link is (1) the shooter, and (2) wind calls.

ES and SD aren't what cause you to miss.

Benchrest is a different world, and doesn't translate to first-round hits in field conditions at all.

[elkhunter11]

Although 1/2moa accuracy isn't required for the vast majority of big game hunting, it does leave more room for shooter error on the 400-500 yard shots. And for shooting the heads off of ground squirrels at 200 yards the difference between 1/2moa, and moa is significant.

[bat119]

shooting off a rest is much different then off a fence post or leaning against a tree in the field, prone works alright if the grass isn't too high, the .05 MOA only works if the rifle is held steady although the more accurate the better.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by bat119

shooting off a rest is much different then off a fence post or leaning against a tree in the field, prone works alright if the grass isn't too high, the .05 MOA only works if the rifle is held steady although the more accurate the better.

I carry a triggersticks tripod, which greatly improves accuracy in the field. .05moa really means nothing in the field, but .5moa is 2-1/2" at 500 yards, and that is significant.

[Pathfinder76]

As we strive for mediocrity we will indeed achieve it.