Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

[Mark21]

For those of you who have had a custom rig built, do all of you shoot reloads, or do you use match factory ammo?

I have reloaded for 3 years on a progressive (RCBS 2000) for my .223 ARs, but to do .308s right will take a lot of new equipment: single-stage press, ball-mic, hand primer, match dies, perhaps a hand trimmer (vs the RCBS Power trimmer), etc. I am thinking after I factor it all in, I'm prob going to drop $500 before I even put in powder and bullets and brass.

Question becomes -- am I better off putting that towards factory ammo and shooting/learning/start competing? This is not a question of saving money, but one of 1) can any factory ammo I buy take advantage of my build, and 2) at what level of competition can one take FGMM rounds or other brand and not be at a disadvantage to reloaders, all else equal (shooter and gun)? Thank you for any thoughts/input.

 

[KNIGHT11B4]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Ive been shooting Southwest Ammo in my GAP Templar 308 and can honestly say that the ammo has never once held me back. It has continued to perform and keep results high on the score board.

In certain calibers it may hinder your ability to get the maximum out of your rifle.

If it is a caliber that has multiple options for boxed ammo I dont see it being an issue.

 

[Gray]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

KNIGHT hit the nail on the head with his comments. I would definetly try Federal GMM 168 & 175, plus Blackhills 175 and the much talked about Southwest Ammo Flavors before I started to reload for the rifle... All are very consistent, but not in all firearms. Also if you start to reload your in luck because there's only a zillion recipes on the internet for the .308. My 2 cents.

 

[head2h2o]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Accuracy is not the only reason that many of us reload. It does however allow for a greater selection of bullet and powder combinations so you can make up whatever load you prefer.

 

[poison123]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

And the big one....reloading allows me to shoot more per dollar spent. Thats a pretty big deal when you really start shooting 100+ rounds in a given day.

 

[KNIGHT11B4]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Poison123</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And the big one....reloading allows me to shoot more per dollar spent. Thats a pretty big deal when you really start shooting 100+ rounds in a given day. </div></div>

Very good points. I only left this out because it wasnt the main question from the OP.

 

[scotharr]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

FGMM (168grSMK) is $1.20 to $1.75 per round. I can make the same cartridge for $.38 per round. You can verify all these prices on Midway. Let's say you shoot 3,000 rounds per year: that's a savings of $2460 at the current FGMM sale price and $4100 at list prices. Plus, your reloaded ammo will be better: not worse.

So, it depends on how much you shoot and how high your accuracy standards are (which depends on the type of competitive shooting you do). Most competitive shooters reload whether they shoot a custom rifle or a factory rifle.

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

I have been reloading on a Dillon 550B for 4 years. Cranking out 45 acp is easy. Making ammo that is better than FGMM is not easy. After a year of working up 308, I can make ammo that will run about the same or better MV and will have better SD and ES. Does that mean I would hesitate to grab a few boxes of FGMM or Black Hills to shoot competitively? No, I would not. But every round I make is my own little masterpiece. That is my version of zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Mark21:

In most cases, careful choice of good factory ammo (BH, Fed. etc.) will result in uncanny accuracy from custom rifles -- likely as accurate as most individuals can shoot. One thing you should do is ask the builder what he recommends... some builders test and 'qualify' their rifles w. a certain cartridge. Doesn't mean it's the best... but it can be a great baseline.

That said, handloads can definitely help wring an extra little bit out of a rifle. There are a million tricks to taking all the variables out of a cartridge: neck sizing, neck turning, weighing projectiles, primer pocket work, length gauging, varying charge weights, etc. etc. etc. It can take a lifetime to learn. But handloads tuned to a rifle can be amazing. (They can also cause your rifle to shoot a pattern worthy of a Kel-Tek w. a bent barrel... you have to spend a lot of time developing a load.)

I've dialed in a couple of factory rifles to amazing accuracy w. handloads... far better than even factory match rounds. But it is very time-consuming and it requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. And that time investment will potentially take away from trigger time which, IMHO, will do you the most good when it comes to tightening those groups.

In addition to savings (and they can be considerable) people handload because they like to! It becomes part of the whole 'package' of shooting from designing a rifle to making your own cartridge to wringing that last few fractions of an inch out of a group... it's part of the fun!

There is a good chance, too, that after lots of trigger time and shooting factory ammo for a while... you will have that day when you know every trigger squeeze is right on. When the wind is just right. The crosshairs are right where they were supposed to be with every shot... and you'll still shoot patterns, not groups. And you'll say to yourself (rightly or wrongly) "my ammo is holding me back."

Then you will be hooked on handloading!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[fdkay]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

1. You don't need to buy a new trummer

2. Lee match dies are VERY good and reasonably priced and the collet neck sizer results in VERY accurate ammo.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=121744

The scale in NOT intuitive, but it is a very good scale. very sensitive and once you set it, very solid.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=148525

Lyman, RCBS and Hornady all make single stage kits. they tend to be about 300 - 325 bucks.
Still far below the 500.

 

[Mark21]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'd multi-quote your answers, but I don't know if this board allows that; or at least I haven't figured out how to do it.

Knowing that the right factory loaded ammo will not hold me back is exactly what I wanted to know.

I understand well the argument for money savings, and also the "zen" aspects of reloading (with my current job, two kids, two dogs, running a side consulting business, etc -- turning out a couple hundred .223s is my time to "get away"), but these same commitments also take up all my time. It's hard enough just to get out to the range sometimes. But because I'm a perfectionist, in time I can definitely see myself heading down the "precision reloading" path eventually, but I draw the line at neck turning and annealing!

 

[19Scout77]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Do not be fooled, You CAN load quality .308 ammo on a Dillon.

 

[KaneK]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

It sounds like you have a busy life, and if you were to add in the "cost" of your time to reload, it quickly becomes not worth it. At least in my opinion. I only shoot factory 6.5cm through my Surgeon, I have everything needed to reload and even have a few hundred pieces of brass, but not even close to worth my time. YMMV

 

[mbandy13]

Re: Custom rifle: must reload for max precision?

Reloading is the only way to go, if you want to truly get the most out of your rifle. Sure there can be factory stuff that does , and can maybe shoot with your reloads, but you need to test it to find out. The other key is knowing how to reload and work up loads.

Mike