ES vs Accuracy

jakelogsdon

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Feb 1, 2020
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Wound up having to use a Federal 215M primer on my 300RUM to get the ES down. Took me a while to figure that out
 

tdhanses

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Sep 26, 2018
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Thanks for posting this, when I first started into reloading I focused on getting the tightest groups and once that was done I would chrono it, hadn’t really Gave ES much thought back then. Now when I reload I don’t even put up a target, I chrono everything and once I get to an acceptable ES then I’ll move to shooting targets.

Great video!
 

jakelogsdon

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The best I could come up with on my 300 ultra was 40 fps. using a 178gr ELDX. used like 4 different powders, 2 different kinds of brass, 2 different primers then had a guy at the reload shop finally get some federal 215M primers and got it down to 12fps. I was about to give up.
 
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Ryan Avery

Ryan Avery

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The best I could come up with on my 300 ultra was 40 fps. using a 178gr ELDX. used like 4 different powders, 2 different kinds of brass, 2 different primers then had a guy at the reload shop finally get some federal 215M primers and got it down to 12fps. I was about to give up.

It always amazes me how much primers can change an ES.
 

nrh6.7

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Great video and something I have been wondering about lately. So in seeing how a 1/4 min gun with a higher ES shoots makes me wonder if it is even possible to (consistently) shoot paper at 1k yards with factory ammo. Is that really possible? Almost sounds like LR shooting is reserved to handloading, or are there factory loads with very low ES?
 
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It's pretty easy to see these types of results as well in ballistic calculators. Just plug in various velocities and see what the long distance down-range variance is. There's no secret in minimizing the variables and keeping the constants constant. Wind is the voodoo variable
 

tdhanses

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Great video and something I have been wondering about lately. So in seeing how a 1/4 min gun with a higher ES shoots makes me wonder if it is even possible to (consistently) shoot paper at 1k yards with factory ammo. Is that really possible? Almost sounds like LR shooting is reserved to handloading, or are there factory loads with very low ES?

I had an ES of 13 with Berger ammo, so yes it’s possible. With Hornady match I got an ES of 23 which still isn’t horrible.

I like Ryan’s thought process of having an ES of 25 or lower.
 
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Ryan Avery

Ryan Avery

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I had an ES of 13 with Berger ammo, so yes it’s possible. With Hornady match I got an ES of 23 which still isn’t horrible.

I like Ryan’s thought process of having an ES of 25 or lower.

I have a really consistent 5/8 MOA 300 PRC when shooting Hornady Match 225 ELD-M factory ammo. I shot an MOA target at 1000 yards 106 times last summer and hit it 91 times. The ES over the lab averaged about 27. Some of those misses were bad wind calls.

IMO we way overthink this.


700 yards with that 300 PRC
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600 yard shot with a 3 MOA wind hold... heart shot with the 300 PRC
 
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netman

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I’m liking Shawns YouTube videos! I subscribed and now want more. Anyone that knows him tell him to get busy making more videos...and tell him Thanks!!!
 

JigStick

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Aug 26, 2016
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Pittsburgh
ES values have risen with the development of the electronic powder dispensers. They just don’t trickle slow enough when close to the target weight. I’ve gotten ESs down to 5fps using a harrels thrower and hand trickling in the last few kernels. Just depends what’s “acceptable” for your liking
 
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