Reloads, just how anal are you?

[Harvey_NW]

In the last 8 or so years I've gone from beginner, to full tilt down the rabbit hole watching benchrest and F-Class videos, to where I am today. Once I understood the statistics, it was easy to see that all of those voodoo extra steps (OCW/ladder testing, seating depth, neck turning, primer pocket cleaning/uniforming, etc.) made no measurable improvement to the precision of my loads in both custom and factory rifles. I now do the painless load development, and use the KISS ideology for the process.

Establish a safe charge loaded to mag length, bottom edge of bearing surface at neck shoulder junction, or ogive .040" off the lands.
Load and shoot 10 shots, if it's 1.2" or less group ES, I'm done. If not, I test a different powder or bullet.
Zero, validate, true.
FL resize/decap/expand like the traditional die is intended to do, but only bump shoulders .002-3".
Tumble to remove lube.
Trim ONLY if needed
Chamfer, deburr, nylon brush necks (case prep station is a worthy investment for this part).
Prime.
Graphite lube necks.
Charge.
Seat.
SHOOT.

 

[Pharmseller]

You said anal.




P

 

[Nimbus73]

BTW to the OP could you post what scope you are using? Has you rifle shot sub moa with factory ammo?

By Bergara 6.5prc is wearing a Tract Toric FFP 4-20x50 moa reticle, 270win is wearing a Leupold VX3 3.5-10x50, my newly barreled Rem 600 243 win has a Sightron Big Sky II 3-9x42. My 6.8spc had an Eotech holographic w/ a 3x magnifier, is now wearing a Pulsar Thermal XG50. And my dad's old Rem 700 30-06 has a Leupold VX3 3-9x40.

My Bergara is a sub moa rifle. My 30 year old Rem 700 270 still shoots about 1" or better. I had my Rem 600 243 rebarreled in June and I have it shooting on average 3/4 moa. My best so far on it is .6moa. My Stag 6.8spc will shoot moa or better.

 

[Pharmseller]

In the last 8 or so years I've gone from beginner, to full tilt down the rabbit hole watching benchrest and F-Class videos, to where I am today. Once I understood the statistics, it was easy to see that all of those voodoo extra steps (OCW/ladder testing, seating depth, neck turning, primer pocket cleaning/uniforming, etc.) made no measurable improvement to the precision of my loads in both custom and factory rifles. I now do the painless load development, and use the KISS ideology for the process.

Establish a safe charge loaded to mag length, bottom edge of bearing surface at neck shoulder junction, or ogive .040" off the lands.
Load and shoot 10 shots, if it's 1.2" or less group ES, I'm done. If not, I test a different powder or bullet.
Zero, validate, true.
FL resize/decap/expand like the traditional die is intended to do, but only bump shoulders .002-3".
Tumble to remove lube.
Trim ONLY if needed
Chamfer, deburr, nylon brush necks (case prep station is a worthy investment for this part).
Prime.
Graphite lube necks.
Charge.
Seat.
SHOOT.

Wow.

Lots of unnecessary steps.




P

 

[Harvey_NW]

Wow.

Lots of unnecessary steps.




P

Like?

 

[Tahoe1305]

This is a great topic. Like a few others I have adjusted how I reload over the last 18 years or so of doing it.

On one hand eliminating the variables (being anal in my mind) is kinda the cool part of reloading. That said it takes time and my time has increased in value over the years (kids, job, busyness, etc).

Now a days it really depends on my end use. This is 90% of the time hunting. I don’t need a .5 moa setup to be a good hunter IMO.

I try and get a 1 MOA 5 shot group and call it good. This is almost effortless with fairly quick reloading. I start close to lands and within ~1g of top book load. I do a quick ladder with maybe 5 loads. Pick the one that performs the best and go. I do the least I can to load those and get sub 1 MOA.

That normally entails a bit of case prep (similar lengths/weights), charges within .1g, CBTO within .005” and decent shooting.

 

[Nimbus73]

Well, In a way, for the last 30-35 years, I have been setting myself up to reload. My dad told me a long time ago to keep my brass in case I ever want to or knew someone to reload for me. So I did, and over time I had a couple of shoe boxes of spent brass. Fast forward to when I bought my 6.8spc about 2006. I kept that brass also. My preferred ammunition was made by Silver State Armory. I accumulated a few thousand rounds. Some for SHTF, but a lot for hunting. My favorite round was a 100gr TAC load Accubond. I also have a bunch of Barnes TSX ammo. Well, when Nosler bought SSA, they did away with most, if not all of the good stuff SSA put out for a 6.8. Additionally, Nosler quit making the 100gr Accubond in a .277/6.8 caliber. Well my supply started to dwindle and then a I had an episode with some factory Hornady SST ammo getting stuck in my chamber and suddenly the main commercial supply of hunting ammo that I like for that gun is now untrustable in my eyes. After that I decided to get a kit if nothing more than to make hunting ammo I like for my 68SPC. Well, that was it. Here I am with 2 hunting loads for it I love and trust that actually shoot better than what I had, 1 load so far for my 243win I like, and I'm close to 2 loads for my 65pPRC I like and I'm tinkering with two other bullets, and I have a deer killing load for my 270win, but haven't had time to prove it for best accuracy. This has turned into a hobby I really enjoy, and I learn more everyday. I actually would rather load to my best accuracy I can, just to go shoot. Paper punching and studying the loads is my nerd out bubba hobby. Expensive, yes, but so is golf and I'm almost stocked with enough bullets primers and powder, I don't know I I would actually shoot it all up for the next 5 to 10 years. I can shoot the brass I've kept all these years over and over for a while without having to buy new brass. So hey, for now my good enough is 1 moa or better. I know I can achieve some better, but realistically with my aging eyes, shooting skills, reloading skills and firearms I don't know how much better I could be. If I ever get to that point of demanding that much more precision, I will have to see what I can justify, because I feel I would rapidly approach a point of diminishing returns for minute improvements.

 

[Nimbus73]

You said anal.




P

Lol. ANAL, as in ANALytical.

 

[roadrunner]

I used to care. I would group bullets by weight and then load each with a small variation of powder for each. I messed around with setting depth. I would do full length resize 4 times rotating the brass 90 degrees for "perfect" shape. I would make slight adjustments depending on shooting conditions prior to a hunt and verify before heading to the hills.

Anymore, I just follow the specs to the most accurate powder and load in a bullet manufacturer's manual, set depth to the recommended COAL and don't lose any sleep over it.

I do make the measurement at the ogive still as a QC check every now and then...

 

[Harvey_NW]

Well, In a way, for the last 30-35 years, I have been setting myself up to reload. My dad told me a long time ago to keep my brass in case I ever want to or knew someone to reload for me.

If you're looking for the simplest way to achieve decent precision, scrap all that brass and invest it into new lots for whatever rifles you're planning to load for with quality stuff like Lapua or ADG. Good brass is a key component.

 

[Pharmseller]

Lol. ANAL, as in ANALytical.

Sure, buddy.

Sure.




P

 

[Pharmseller]

Like?

FL resize. I neck only. Therefore no lube. Therefore no tumbling unless it’s my brother’s brass. He thinks shiny stuff shoots better. Whatever.
Chamfer/deburr/nylon brush, graphite.
I don’t do any of that.
But I don’t shoot past 600 yards, so maybe it matters waaay out there.




P

 

[Harvey_NW]

Fair enough. But..

FL resize. I neck only. Therefore no lube. Therefore no tumbling unless it’s my brother’s brass. He thinks shiny stuff shoots better. Whatever.

Eventually you'll have to FL size and bump shoulders back, which means your brass is in a constant state of change each firing. I find FL sizing after fireforming to be more consistent. Don't care how clean it is, just that all the lube is removed.

Chamfer/deburr/nylon brush, graphite.
I don’t do any of that.

Chamfer/deburr is necessary to not induce damage to the jacket and cause drag variability. Graphite is to prevent bullet weld, which I've experienced.

But I don’t shoot past 600 yards, so maybe it matters waaay out there.

Last week I trued my solver after adjusting powder charge in fireformed brass, my vertical dispersion was sub 4" at 1,012 yards for 4 shots. I've never tested your method, but what I do has been working for me. To each their own.