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Post by bigblue on May 13, 2006 6:23:12 GMT -6
For the best reloads, consistancy is said to be the key. I've been thinking on that a bit. Scary huh? I usually measure and trim, if needed, each case. I measure each powder charge and weigh it. I keep track of which production lot the primers and powder came from. I use the same primers, same bullets, and have even weighed the cases and bullets to keep them grouped by weight for better consistancy. Now once I find a load that I'm happy with, I stick with the same process. That got me to thinking, exactly what made that load work? Was it the case length, primer, powder charge? So I think I'm going to take the loads and take them apart one component at a time until I find what makes the load change from accurate to inaccurate. If I find that the case length/weight, didn't matter much, or .2 of a grain of powder didn't change things, or even a different brand of primer makes no difference, I'll know where I need to put my time and where I don't.
Don
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Post by GrampaJer on Nov 17, 2007 9:58:16 GMT -6
Interesting. How important is accuracy, when it comes to bullet loads ?  All this work is good, but what happens in the field.. A hit within a nine inch area in the vitals, will bring down a DEER.. then there is the changing windage, twigs, to interfere, and maybe even temps changing the Scope, site, or even Barrel. Store bought ammo is just fine, as far as I can determine... ;D |
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Post by juliang on Nov 17, 2007 11:29:49 GMT -6
Don, I'm not quite as anal as you are about it, but I come close. There is a great sense of accomplishment in finding just the right load for each rifle. Jer, store bought ammo is fine, if you don't shoot often. I like and am able to shoot a lot so, store bought is just too expensive. Good handloads suited to the particular rifle are a lot more accurate too. I agree that an inch or two at 100 yards while deer hunting is unlikely to be a problem. Imagine shooting at 300/400 yards then that error is multplied 3 or 4 times. Some of us like to hunt smaller game as well!!! Hell, I like to punch paper, the smaller the group the greater the satisfaction.
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Post by bigblue on Nov 17, 2007 22:32:13 GMT -6
Jer,
Your right, for the most part store bought ammo is fine. It is made to satisfy the greatest number of guns chambered for a particular cartridge. Many people will hunt for their entire life using store bought ammo and be completely happy with it and they are making ammo much better today than they did just 20 years ago. If that was the route I planned to go, I would pick a bullet weight best suited to the game I was hunting and buy up several boxes from different manufacturers, hoping to find the best one for my rifle. Handloading takes that a few steps further in that you customize the ammo for your rifle. That's something mass produced ammo can't do. I really enjoy the challenge of making a rifle shoot the best it can. It's like working on an engine to get the best performance or most horsepower.
Don
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All this work is good, but what happens in the field.. A hit within a nine inch area in the vitals, will bring down a DEER.. then there is the changing windage, twigs, to interfere, and maybe even temps changing the Scope, site, or even Barrel. Store bought ammo is just fine, as far as I can determine... ;D