Keeping it simple with reloading

[Barrelnut]

Bumping this up to once again combat all the bad info out there. You cant buy it, it just takes a little work.

Dang, Alex you're probably right about not being able to buy it. But, going out on a limb here, I'm sure any one of those rifles on your page would eliminate a ton of work and ultimately get you to a place unattainable otherwise.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

So in the last 2 years have you had anything you have learned that is making a difference on the target?

We pick up on little things all the time, but in general no. Its the same basic reloading process. You cant get around having an expensive scale. But everything else, you can get there with basic stuff.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Dang, Alex you're probably right about not being able to buy it. But, going out on a limb here, I'm sure any one of those rifles on your page would eliminate a ton of work and ultimately get you to a place unattainable otherwise.

You have to have a well built rifle without built in flaws. But even if you do, you still have to feed it the right load.

 

[QuietTexan]

You cant get around having an expensive scale.

What are you using these days?

To me this is the most under-considered tool most guys own. They don't dive in on false precision, accuracy, and repeatability. Then get bit thinking that 32.2gn is actually 32.2gn, when really they're dropping a 0.3gn spread over 100 rounds.

 

[Huntnful]

Bumping this up to once again combat all the bad info out there. You cant buy it, it just takes a little work.

Hey Alex. From a hunting rifle perspective. What would you expect as a baseline level of precision from a just a known load/bullet (like you would be surprised if it shot larger than "blank" MOA at 600 or 1000) prior to tuning. And then what you expect after tuning?

Say a 9lb 7PRC and an 11lb 300 NMI. I'm sure you've got enough experience with those to have a good baseline?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You want to know how they shoot out of tune vs in tune? I would say theres a base line precision. I always use components that are capable of shooting. You pick the powder that has a good harmonic pattern first. You dont waste time trying to tune powders that are never going to tune up. So if we have a powder the barrel likes and a quality bullet but are out of tune you might see 10+ inches of vertical at 1k. The more flexible the barrel the worse this is. Real think barrels can be 15+. This assumes your loading consistently. When you get them in to tune Im really looking so see a lot of 3s and 4s out of them. Some will give an occasional 1s and 2s but hunting I like to see a lot of 3s and 4s at 1k with a handful of smaller ones because you also get a handful and bigger ones too. But your realistic average is that 3-4. And I am talking 3 shot groups. Some guns do better. I wouldnt be happy from a custom rifle to do worse. But you have to be a consistent shooter, tuner, and know how to read wind. So be realistic.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

So in the last 2 years have you had anything you have learned that is making a difference on the target?

Theres always little things we try but in general no. The basic process done right will still break records, and always will. The groups and aggregates are at a level now that you just will not substantially improve them just based on the fact your shooting so far with so many variables. Some one may shoot a tiny little freak and break a small group by a lot but the aggs just creek down.

 

[Mike6158]

I can't watch the video right now but since I started paying attention to what F Class shooters do at the reloading bench my reloading for "plain ole hunting rifles" has improved and gotten simpler. So have my groups when I finally get everything tuned. That makes shooting more fun to me. I enjoy the reloading process. That's good enough for me.

 

[sturner]

Tag

 

[nealm66]

@Alex Wheeler - How are you feeling about annealing these days?

 

[Huntnful]

You want to know how they shoot out of tune vs in tune? I would say theres a base line precision. I always use components that are capable of shooting. You pick the powder that has a good harmonic pattern first. You dont waste time trying to tune powders that are never going to tune up. So if we have a powder the barrel likes and a quality bullet but are out of tune you might see 10+ inches of vertical at 1k. The more flexible the barrel the worse this is. Real think barrels can be 15+. This assumes your loading consistently. When you get them in to tune Im really looking so see a lot of 3s and 4s out of them. Some will give an occasional 1s and 2s but hunting I like to see a lot of 3s and 4s at 1k with a handful of smaller ones because you also get a handful and bigger ones too. But your realistic average is that 3-4. And I am talking 3 shot groups. Some guns do better. I wouldnt be happy from a custom rifle to do worse. But you have to be a consistent shooter, tuner, and know how to read wind. So be realistic.

Appreciate the info!!

 

[seagate slim]

Tagging in

 

[Alex Wheeler]

@Alex Wheeler - How are you feeling about annealing these days?

What people need to understand about annealing is that it has an effect on neck tension. How much grip the neck has on the bullet. And no you cant just go down in bushing size to get it back. Its part of the tune just like powder charge. You have to try it, may even have to re tune the rifle with the annealed brass to see if it shoots better or worse. For me, I have tested it so much I just dont even try it any more. Some guys swear by it, but I have not found a rifle I could improve by doing it.

 

[mandl]

But if you anneal every time, would that not keep that brass shooting the same, in tune? And I thought the whole idea of annealing was to increase the life of your brass, not to necessarily make your rifle more accurate. My belief was that it was to make your brass neck tension be more uniform from load to load, but this is making me question it? This is very interesting because I know you guys and especially Alex shoot thousands more rounds than I do, and I hold the findings of this forum in pretty high regard.