Re: Fine tuning a load, what to try next?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tim K</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I worked up a load I like for my stock Rem 700 VS in .308. Testing revealed groups of 1/2" for 4 shots at 100 yards.
Lapua Brass
SMK 168's
43.5g Varget
Federal Primers
COAL 2.810"
I measured the chamber, and I'm roughly 0.125" away from the lands at this COAL, so I have no hope of getting very close.
I don't really want to change powder or bullet for economic reasons (I already own both in good quantities), but I'm wondering if additional fiddling might yield additional improvement. I think the only things I can vary are COAL (can go a bit longer)and charge weight. I determined the current load by testing charges in 0.5g increments. Is there any value in looking at smaller jumps? </div></div>
Tim,
Yes, five shot groups are better than 4. But for arguing sake let's just say you got 1/2" groups out of 5 shots.
Is a 1/2" group "good enough"? Yes, and NO. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is benchrest competition, NO, it is not accurate enough. But your shooting a stock, off the shelf, standard Rem 700 rifle. It is not the right tool to do serious benchrest competition.
On the other hand, if punching paper or steel for fun, some local tactical comps, rifle training for tactical style shooting or general hunting. Then improving your accuracy by 20%, to 0.40", if it is even possible with the tools you have (your rifle, your load, and your shooting skill), would yield marginal benefits, from the amount of effort required to get another 20% better.
If you COAL is max'd out due to mag box length, you cannot make your load longer, without making a change to your tool (rifle). So if your load, which is safe and accurate, and it functions in your rifle, from the mag box, and it averages 0.5", or 0.6", for 5 to 10, 5 shot groups; then your are good enough for most of the work that rifle was intended for.
Diddling with the seating depth, by making it shorter or longer; adjusting your powder charge by .1 or .2 grains; or fiddling with your brass, by shorting, weighing, and meticulous flash hole uniforming; weighing and sorting each bullet; only makes sense when the shooting your doing requires such precision, and your tool if fit for that level of precision function.
If not, it eventually becomes time to call it close enough for government work, load in quantity, and get quality trigger time. When you as a shooter gets more consistent, and can maximize the tool that you current have, then you can upgrade your tools.
Trigger control, breathing control, and finding your natural point of aim, and doing all of it consistently, in all weather conditions likely to be encountered, is vastly more important, than wasting the time and resources in turning a true 0.50" rifle, into a 0.40" rifle, one time......
Again what are your goals as a shooter? And what accuracy is enough to attain them? Only you can decide.....
