Starting to push it - Where next?

[dugby]

(Note: all 308 Win stuff)

I am getting excited about shooting at distance. (out to 1000)

I am looking for opinions on where I should focus my efforts next. My groups are a little over 1/2 moa on average with my good loads. I would like to put a dent in that.

The chamber is .341 neck. 1/12 twist 31" Bartlein barrel

I do NOT do any of the following:
Turn necks
Sort brass
Sort bullets
Check runout on cartridges
Ream flash holes on cases
Keep very good records
Weigh every charge

I do the following:
Try different powders ( H4895 mostly)
Try different bullets
(Sierra 155Palma ,175 SMK, Berger 168) Gonna try some Berger 190's today if time permits.

Try different seating lenghts
Try different charge weights
Try different brands of brass (Lapua and Winchester)
Keep a spreadsheet of which loads perform well in which rifles.
Use a chronograph

Been using Lee dies on a Lyman press.

What are your thoughts on where to focus my efforts or resources? Like everyone else I want to maximize my results and minimize effort/expense.

Thanks,

Dugby

 

[angsniper]

I'd focus my efforts on the "do not" list.

 

[Huckelberry75]

I would certainly weigh every charge, ream the flash holes, weigh each brass and sort accordingly, sort bullets etc. Those are all major factors if you realllly want to dial things in. One you start weighing your brass and checking each bullet on the micrometer, you might be suprise to see the differences. Same goes for your powder charges. Most all powder dispensers will have a degree of +/- from charge to charge. Tinker with it, and you will see.

 

[dugby]

I'd focus my efforts on the "do not" list.

That is a hoot!

Now do you really do every one of those?

I like my time at the range more than the time on the reloading bench, but I am ready to compromise for accuracy sake.

I am going to go back to weighing the charges for a trial. Was really only seeing 0.1 grain variation when weighing thrown vs. weighed. I am pretty picky about how they throw, but that is certainly a variable.

How do you ream the Flash holes?

How to sort brass and bullets? Weight/size? what do you do with the ones that don't make the cut. How do you decide the limits on what you keep?

It would be interesting to take by current "Best" load and apply weighing/reaming/sorting and see if things tighten up any. May be I just can't shoot any better than that.

Thanks

 

[MoBoost]

Runout seems to be the worst "flyer" generator in my experience. Then again, with quality gear "most of the time" bullet gets realigned in the throat - that "sometimes" what really screws you.

 

[338Shooter]

I would at least sort bullets and brass along with weighing every charge. Are you using competition dies that use neck sizing bushings and seat on the ogive?

 

[dugby]

I had thought about investing in some competition dies. do you think that would be worthwhile? which ones ?

 

[abinok]

What distances are you currently shooting?

Ive been shooting long range since 2000, some times more seriously than others. Ive found that the small things, like reaming flash holes seem to show their value more at longer ranges, and that discounting their value based on close targets is easy.

I shoot: 220gr SMKs from 300win mag out to 1300yds,
95gr berger vlds from 243 AI out to 1300yds,
and 180gr Berger VLDS from a 7mm wildcat that is essentially 7mmstw puls about 6gr out to 2000yds.

Weighing charges will lower es, as will reaming flash holes.
Matching primers to your powder will show dividends as well.

What do your groups look like? are they strung vertically? Are you using a chronograph to tune?

 

[dugby]

What distances are you currently shooting?

Ive been shooting long range since 2000, some times more seriously than others. Ive found that the small things, like reaming flash holes seem to show their value more at longer ranges, and that discounting their value based on close targets is easy.

I shoot: 220gr SMKs from 300win mag out to 1300yds,
95gr berger vlds from 243 AI out to 1300yds,
and 180gr Berger VLDS from a 7mm wildcat that is essentially 7mmstw puls about 6gr out to 2000yds.

Weighing charges will lower es, as will reaming flash holes.
Matching primers to your powder will show dividends as well.

What do your groups look like? are they strung vertically? Are you using a chronograph to tune?

Working on loads at 200 yards. I have access to a 600 yard range when I get time. I have a 300 Win mag but want to concentrate on the 308's for a while.

The groups vary in their shape. Most recently I shot a ten shot group at 200 that was about 1" by 1". Another group under better conditions later was more like 1/2" vertical by 1" horizontal. No pronounced vertical stringing. I don't always drag out the Chrono but most measurements of speed don't vary by a lot.

I am going to try weighing/Flash holes and look at some better dies to see if things improve.

Thanks for your input

 

[abinok]

At 200 I wouldn't expect to see vertical stringing due to high ES. At 600 I would. In my experence the biggest problems at long range is ES. Sure assembling straight bullets is important, but with the design of the seater you are using, you can get great runout by seating the bullet in two strokes with a 180 degree turn in the middle. Weighing cases... sure. Weighting bullets, no.
Spending money on dies will show the best result in seating dies.
How are you controlling neck tension?

What literature do you have for precision reloading?

I have a couple of books I could loan you.
For comparison....
This load has an ES of 8fps, and exibits no vertical stringing at 1900yds...
100yds

200yds

300yds

400yds

1900yds

and the 300wm with 208gr hornady amax also with single digit es
at 400yds...

3 groups at 700yds...

and 1018yds