How to Improve?

[Joefrazell]

View attachment 444035

This is my first custom rifle and I am shooting my own reloads. These rounds puts me at roughly 70 down down the barrel.

This is the first time I have tried to zero in this rifle, so I was playing with my scope in between groups.

Shot at an indoor range, at a 100 yd. 4 of the groups, which I circled, were shot at the red dots. The other two groups were shot at the corners of the large white lines. The last shot, the single "group", was put shot at the intersection at in the circle.

With my loads I am +- .05 grains. While shooting, I noticed that chambering and ejecting rounds they were a little tight or sticky. So I'll adjust my seating die a little. I am shooting Berger's, so I hope that should rule out bad bullets.

By no means am I a pro shooter, but I am not a rookie either. However, I am very much a rookie at reloading.

With all that being said, like the title says, how can I improve my accuracy? I know that question is very broad and is hard to answer without knowing me, my rifle, or loads. But I will take any and all suggestions.

Thanks guys.

What's your rest setup look like? Bipod and rear bag?

 

[WyoRifleman]

I use squares to aim at; I put the vertical part of the crosshair on one side and the horizontal on the bottom - much more precise than trying to quarter a circle.

What have you tried in terms of powder type and charges? Seating depths? How far from the lands are you?

I know I'm off in my lands. I went home and played with some on my rounds and I need to adjust the depth for sure.

As fas as loads, all I have done so far is play with the velocity, no accuracy. So I'll for sure make some new loads and try the accuracy.

 

[gohring3006]

Your barrel is going to go thru changes until you get a couple hundred rounds thru it. That's why I posted that you should stick with the lower right load until you get it stable.
I wouldn't waste time and ammo chasing something that probably won't be your desired load. If you do work up a load and run with it now, you'll be back on here asking why your load fell apart and your velocity increased.

 

[Seymour]

As its been said not sure what you mean by +- .05 grains? If one phase of your ladder test is +- .05 grains I think it will be difficult to measure speed or accuracy consistently. But again not sure what you mean. In some of my rifles as little as +- .02 grains makes a big difference. I assume 7ss is the Sherman short, if so did you purchase your brass from Mr. Sherman or forming your own?

 

[waveslayer]

Personally I'd have someone else shoot your loads, the vertical stringing I'm seeing is shooter error...

Also more load data is needed

 

[Bob Wright]

I see a lot of vertical as well. Some of the vertical could be trigger squeeze. Some of it could be on the hairy edge of an accuracy node. I would re-shoot an upper end accuracy node within 3 grains of high to low pressure in .2 grain increments. It's not really showing left to right as much as up and down.

 

[dok7mm]

Everyone starts to learn reloading. I would suggest you find someone to get you started. There are plenty of fine reloaders in Wyoming, find one. It'll save you money and time.

Get tools for measuring base to datum and base to ogive. A good scale makes a difference and a chronograph tells you a lot about what you are doing.

The first 200 rounds will expand your brass and get your barrel to settle. Use your tools to measure brass & use that to make adjustments to your dies. All the Sherman cartridges have specific chamber sheets. If you don't have one, get a copy from your smith or Rich.

If you don't have an inch torque wrench and you mounted your scope base and ring screws, the vertical groups you shot could be the problem.

Get you a notebook and write down everything that you reload or shoot.

You will get good and not so good info, as you go along. Find an accomplished local reloader to help and you'll learn much quicker face to face.

 

[Damage Inc.]

I know I'm off in my lands.

You can't be both off the lands, and in the lands….

 

[Reelamin]

I may have missed it posted earlier. My experience is the only way I can really discern anything with a rifle for any tuning, adjustment, form etc. FIRST I have find the load the rifle likes the best and verify it several times for a base line expectation.

 

[WyoRifleman]

You can't be both off the lands, and in the lands….

Typo, my lands are off. I should be 1.810, my loads were 1.94x

 

[WyoRifleman]

Thanks for all the input you guys! I know I haven't responded to most of you but a appreciate it all.

 

[WyoRifleman]

As its been said not sure what you mean by +- .05 grains? If one phase of your ladder test is +- .05 grains I think it will be difficult to measure speed or accuracy consistently. But again not sure what you mean. In some of my rifles as little as +- .02 grains makes a big difference. I assume 7ss is the Sherman short, if so did you purchase your brass from Mr. Sherman or forming your own?

When I am loading my rounds, I measure my powder +-.05 gains on my scale.

With my ladder test, I did half grain increments, two rounds each.

7 Sherman Short is correct, and I did but the brass straight from Rick. No forming on my end.

 

[WyoRifleman]

How did it shoot during meticulous break in?

All the groups are twice as tall as they are wide. To me… that says something is up mechanically with either the rifle/mounts/optic, or the shooting technique used. It's not necessarily the load per se.

Practice may iron some of this out… as my changing rests or rifle hold.

It shot well during the break in. I don't have a bore sight, so I eyeballed it to 50 yards and hit paper right away, which was awesome. It shoot consistent.

I had a friend, who is on this page, help me do the scope mount and he has some awesome rifles shooting sub moa easily. So I don't think that is the problem here.

The more I am reading, embarrassingly to admit, I think it is me more than my rounds or gun.

Like Tiny Tim, said I think it is going to be a recoil management. Not because my rifle is to light, but because I was shooting off my bipod on a slicker surface. No sandbags. Again, embarrassingly, most likely me.

 

[Koda_]

When I am loading my rounds, I measure my powder +-.05 gains on my scale.

What scale do you have that measures within +/- .05 grains?