Anyone else frustrated with reloading?

[TimberHunter]

Reloading is not for everyone.

Several times in the last 4 years I’ve “given” up reloading… just to come back a few months later because I’m a stubborn individual and feel the need to figure it out lol


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[willfrye027]

Maybe your seating depth needs some tweaking. Either it has changed slightly due to die setup, or maybe your lands are farther out now from shooting more, so your loads are now farther from the lands and outside of the accuracy node.

How are you measuring COAL or CBTO?

also did you switch any of the lots of powder, primers, brass, etc? I had a good load go to pieces with a different lot of powder—had to adjust my charge weight accordingly.

 

[Rob5589]

.1-.3 variance isn't nearly doubling the size of your groups. There is some inconsistency in your loading. Neck tension, seating depth, charge weight. If that 505 is all over the place, ditch it. I'm also not a fan of the sizing balls on RCBS dies and prefer to size with a Sinclair mandrel. Polishing the ball infers to me that it may no longer be concentric, but I have no evidence to back that assumption.

 

[JakeSCH]

Maybe your seating depth needs some tweaking. Either it has changed slightly due to die setup, or maybe your lands are farther out now from shooting more, so your loads are now farther from the lands and outside of the accuracy node.

How are you measuring COAL or CBTO?

+1

Check the CBTO of your factory loads as well and compare to your reloads.

 

[N2TRKYS]

You should be able to get single digit or low teens ES with regular ‘ol RCBS full length sizing die sets.

 

[hodgeman]

My loads were tested with new and once fired Lapaua brass. Would I need to anneal every firing?


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Not generally with every firing, but in one of my rifles it needs every third loading to get a consistent group.

 

[Wrench]

I rarely see a 270 win that won't shoot a 130 at close to saami length over 56-58grs of IMR 4831.

Sometimes lot variations, die setup, humidity of components and throat erosion cause that pet load to need to be tweaked a bit.

 

[mvrk28]

Expanding mandrel die for opening the necks?


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Correct, I usually f/l size with a bushing die (.03" under loaded round diameter and expander ball removed) and then expand it back out with an expander mandrel.

 

[TimberHunter]

I rarely see a 270 win that won't shoot a 130 at close to saami length over 56-58grs of IMR 4831.

Sometimes lot variations, die setup, humidity of components and throat erosion cause that pet load to need to be tweaked a bit.

IMR 4831 and H5831SC are spectated by about 5 powder on the burn chart. Is there much of a difference between the two in regards to getting the 270 to shoot well?


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[Wrench]

I have done well with h4831....but never not well with imr in the 270win.

 

[452b264]

RCBS FL sizing die that I polished the expanding ball on

Hornady bullet seater due

Lee single stage press.

I’ve gone down rabbit holes trying to buy myself accuracy by ways of more/better reloading equipment but it hasn’t help. There must be something fundamentally wrong with my reloading process


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I use the MEC Marksman its an excellent press that will produce very concentric ammo. The only negative (not for me) is you cant prime your cases with the press. I also put the Hornady lock n load bushing in my press so I can set my dies and forget about them.

MEC Marksman Single Stage Press

As an industry-leading manufacturer of shotshell reloading equipment and clay target machines, MEC brings its knowledge and expertise to the metallic...

www.midwayusa.com

Hornady Lock-N-Load Press Die Conversion Bushing Kit

The Hornady Lock-N-Load Press and Die Conversion Bushing Kit is a great accessory for your reloading press. Simply insert the Lock-N-Load conversion...

www.midwayusa.com

RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool

The RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool is a great tool for the reloader looking for fast, accurate and highly sensitive feel when seating primers. One of...

www.midwayusa.com

The group below has been repeated 8/9 times and my cm holds 1/3 to 1/2 moa out to 600 yards.

 

[TimberHunter]

Little bit additional data… tried some factory ammo in the 308 this morning. Hornady precision hunter 1780 eldx. Shot like absolute garbage… I may have not been 100% on my game when shooting but I should’ve been able to keep it around 1-1.25” if the gun/ammo combo worked.

I haven’t shot much factory ammo with this 308 rifle (the 270 has seen a lot of factory ammo). This opened my eyes a bit to maybe the 308 is just not a super accurate rifle and it’s not 100% my reloading process thats keeping it from shooting cloverleaf groups. I see a lot of 1”-1.5” groups with my reloading and this 308. This factory ammo shot about 3.25” group (I let the barrel cool between shots)

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[1badDart]

This may not apply to the OP but I've found that if I haven't been behind a rifle for a bit it takes me a little while to put everything together, my groups show it. I like to shoot a rimfire for several rounds then switch to whatever CF rifle I'm working with. If I can't make the 52 shoot there is no point wasting components with the CF, pick another day.

 

[Lelder]

Do you know what your trigger pull weight is? It sounds like your loading process is dialed in. A bad/heavy trigger is hard to overcome with even the best ammo

 

[Devilfish]

Little bit additional data… tried some factory ammo in the 308 this morning. Hornady precision hunter 1780 eldx. Shot like absolute garbage… I may have not been 100% on my game when shooting but I should’ve been able to keep it around 1-1.25” if the gun/ammo combo worked.

I haven’t shot much factory ammo with this 308 rifle (the 270 has seen a lot of factory ammo). This opened my eyes a bit to maybe the 308 is just not a super accurate rifle and it’s not 100% my reloading process thats keeping it from shooting cloverleaf groups. I see a lot of 1”-1.5” groups with my reloading and this 308. This factory ammo shot about 3.25” group (I let the barrel cool between shots)

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What's the recommended twist rate for those 178 ELDX bullets? That's not a good group by any standards.

 

[Rock-o]

Were your loads developed in cold temps and you're having problems in hot temps?

 

[BigRutt]

It is always good to bounce ideas of an experienced loader. I don't know if you have access to one or one close by but maybe have them come take a look at your setup and you process your loads. Usually for me finding the lands and backing off on seating usually gets me an accurate load once I find my powder charge node. Helps if you have a chrono to you can see what your gun likes for a powder charge then start messing with your seating.

 

[PA Hunter]

Maybe time to try different powders or bullets or both also seating depths. I don’t own a .270 but I never found a gun I can’t reload better than factory rounds.

 

[TimberHunter]

Thanks all for the info… I took the easy way out on this one and traded the 308 in for a tikka roughtech in 6.5 creed. These were the first 3 - 3 shot groups with factory Hornady eldx and eldm.

Tikkas really are the easy button! I think I’ll be sticking with factory ammo with this rifle and will fiddle with reloading the 270

As reference, I’m usually a 3/4” or so type shooter

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[SDHNTR]

I don’t mind reloading per se, but I despise the experimentation process. I don’t have the time or patience. So I’ve resorted to sending my rifles off to an outfit for load development to find the secret sauce and provide me with the recipe. Then I’ll load my own. I find the trial and error part just a plain ol waste of time, time I don’t have, or time I’d rather spend actually hunting.