After reading some threads here and elsewhere, I see people mentioning the importance of neck-tension/ crimping, OAL, and case consistency as playing an important role in the accuracy of match ammo. People have pointed out the variation in powder loads on factory match ammo while still maintaining consistent group sizes. This has me rethinking the dynamics that go into producing accurate ammo for my new mk12. Would I be better-served to introduce crimping, anal-retentive trimming, and brass sorting combined with annealing to produce consistently small groups rather than focusing on charge weights and case prep as the significant sources of variation? I see that many small commercial operations reload with great results and that makes me wonder what they see as being the most important steps to a good product.
- Thread starter gimpy
- Start date
Re: Factory Match Ammo
Consistency is key with reloading any cartridge for accuracy. If you can take the time to make everything work for you why would you skip steps? With reference to powder charge, unless you are shooting for Benchrest groups in the .1's" you can get by with letting 2-3 tenths of a grain variance and still see 1/2MOA or better, but as you increase or decrease your variance drastically you will see a decrease in accuracy. With my "match" grade ammunition that I load, and by that I mean stuff I am going to actually shoot in a match, I take careful measure to everything because I would rather have ammunition that I do not have to worry about. I get enough worrying in combating the wind at 600-1000 yards and inconsistent ammunition is not something I want to add to my list.
Consistency is key with reloading any cartridge for accuracy. If you can take the time to make everything work for you why would you skip steps? With reference to powder charge, unless you are shooting for Benchrest groups in the .1's" you can get by with letting 2-3 tenths of a grain variance and still see 1/2MOA or better, but as you increase or decrease your variance drastically you will see a decrease in accuracy. With my "match" grade ammunition that I load, and by that I mean stuff I am going to actually shoot in a match, I take careful measure to everything because I would rather have ammunition that I do not have to worry about. I get enough worrying in combating the wind at 600-1000 yards and inconsistent ammunition is not something I want to add to my list.
Re: Factory Match Ammo
For prep. I ream flash holes. For production, I weigh individual charges for ammo that is fired in a bolt gun and is being shot for score.
Neck tension is important to accuracy, and I employ a personal method for managing it, but it's all theory, and I'm not ready to say it really works.
I don't trim, I don't anneal, and I most commonly end up retiring my brass because of primer pocket growth before it needs trimming.
I do my load development with the absolutely least amount of handloading steps. What works under such conditions can only work better with more handloading steps, and conversely, I don't want to be dependent on loads that only work right because they employ some arcane handloading ritual.
Obviously, I leave some accuraacy on the handloading bench, but in truth, when I am shooting for score, it's seldom that the ammo lies at the foundation of my inaccuracies. Some day, I may be able to change that, but until then, the best candidate for my primary focus is on my marksmanship technique.
Greg
For prep. I ream flash holes. For production, I weigh individual charges for ammo that is fired in a bolt gun and is being shot for score.
Neck tension is important to accuracy, and I employ a personal method for managing it, but it's all theory, and I'm not ready to say it really works.
I don't trim, I don't anneal, and I most commonly end up retiring my brass because of primer pocket growth before it needs trimming.
I do my load development with the absolutely least amount of handloading steps. What works under such conditions can only work better with more handloading steps, and conversely, I don't want to be dependent on loads that only work right because they employ some arcane handloading ritual.
Obviously, I leave some accuraacy on the handloading bench, but in truth, when I am shooting for score, it's seldom that the ammo lies at the foundation of my inaccuracies. Some day, I may be able to change that, but until then, the best candidate for my primary focus is on my marksmanship technique.
Greg
M
milo 2.0
Guest
Re: Factory Match Ammo
I agree with Greg on this, I go through all the steps.
Not sure if the accuracy is from my handloads, or the inherent accuracy of the gun.
My worst SD, and ES numbers produced the most accurate ammo.
My best numbers, the accuracy wasn't there.
I started loading in 1985, mostly for hunting cartridges, and prarie dog loads, 22-250.
I never could produce ammo that shot as well as what I could buy from Federal Premium.
In 93 I sold all my reloading gear, only to buy it back in 98, when I was going to be a raging 3-gunner, buying 1911's and Ar's like candy. Never did shoot a match! But shot a ton anyway, and it has saved myself money, just by buying in bulk.
Being I have the gear, I can't fathom buying match ammo, if I didn't, who knows.
What gets me, how can this factory stuff be as accurate as handloads. There isn't a factory load that jams a bullet into the lands, all one seating depth, and it still shoots next to a persons handloads, has me scratching my head.
But buying factory ammo for the guns I shoot today, would cost &55.00-80.00 a box, no way.
I still have federal 22-250 ammo downstairs, dated 1990, from cases I bought then, and still don't have 22-250 dies.
I only have dies for this precision long range shit, and for bulk ammo. Go figure.
I agree with Greg on this, I go through all the steps.
Not sure if the accuracy is from my handloads, or the inherent accuracy of the gun.
My worst SD, and ES numbers produced the most accurate ammo.
My best numbers, the accuracy wasn't there.
I started loading in 1985, mostly for hunting cartridges, and prarie dog loads, 22-250.
I never could produce ammo that shot as well as what I could buy from Federal Premium.
In 93 I sold all my reloading gear, only to buy it back in 98, when I was going to be a raging 3-gunner, buying 1911's and Ar's like candy. Never did shoot a match! But shot a ton anyway, and it has saved myself money, just by buying in bulk.
Being I have the gear, I can't fathom buying match ammo, if I didn't, who knows.
What gets me, how can this factory stuff be as accurate as handloads. There isn't a factory load that jams a bullet into the lands, all one seating depth, and it still shoots next to a persons handloads, has me scratching my head.
But buying factory ammo for the guns I shoot today, would cost &55.00-80.00 a box, no way.
I still have federal 22-250 ammo downstairs, dated 1990, from cases I bought then, and still don't have 22-250 dies.
I only have dies for this precision long range shit, and for bulk ammo. Go figure.
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