RE-LOADING Match AMMO

[moots]

OK, What is the secret? Everyone I ever talk to says something different about how they re-load match ammo and prep brass and throw powder, etc....

What is the system to get quality match ammo?

 

[SIG700]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

The secret is that that you don't re-load it, you hand load it. Just keep everything as consistent as possible. To me, this means weighing every charge, every bullet, making sure every casing got the same treatment, etc.

 

[223ai]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

Tate -

Get a good press (I like forster co-ax, but it really matters little), get good dies (forster or redding), get a charge master for stick powder or throw a ball powder from a Redding BR3, get a decent scale, and load from there. You don't need to do much fancy prep, diminishing returns and whatnot. I also firmly believe that weighing bullets and brass is a complete waste of time for the type of shooting that we do.

It's a big investment up front, but it's worth it, in my opinion. You can run that FN much better with ammo that you tuned to the rifle...not that you need it. It's also cheaper to shoot your own stash, vs buying factory.

See you in NM, hopefully.

JP

 

[223ai]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

Also, read this as it's very helpful and complete:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=96660#Post96660

 

[2Shots]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

I guess the secret is everybody does different things. I think whatever it takes for you to get quality reliable ammo you can depend on in any condition, temperature and gun position to make it so to speak "bullet proof reliable". I know some guys use factory loaded rounds so they take the human error out, some use new brass never fireformed so its reliable, some use worn out brass and leave it. You need to figure out what you need to do to have complete confidence in your ammo and gear.

 

[FCS]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

Give me a call Tate, we'll go over gear and steps to get you some tuned up ammo for your rifle.

 

[steve123]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Moots</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK, What is the secret? Everyone I ever talk to says something different about how they re-load match ammo and prep brass and throw powder, etc....

What is the system to get quality match ammo? </div></div>

Hi T,

This is what I have done.

Settle on a chambering that you are going to stay with.

Buy a large number of brass all the same lot#.

Buy your own reamer (.003 neck expansion and reasonable fit to this particular lot of brass) and have custom dies made to closely match that reamer for minimum sizing. Doing so extends brass life because the brass will expand only as much as the chamber will allow and will be sized down just enough to fit back into that chamber.

It'll be 6 years soon since I bought 1000 Lapua 6.5x47L brass. I sold 200 of it with another rifle, lost about 75 of them, just recently got 1 loose primer pocket, probably the 1 I experimented with "115's at 3250fps" but all the rest of the primer pockets are still tight. Lost count how many times they've been fired but I'm on my 4th barrel including the rifle I sold, 5th barrel is getting ordered soon.

Knowing that I'll be shooting this brass for many years I benchrest prep it(turn necks just enough for a 100% clean up), ream flash holes, then weight sort into 50 round bins.

I use only temperature insensitive powders and non VLD ogive bullets.

With bullets kissing lands I do a double ladder test(google it) finding the upper node. I've found that 400Y is best for accurate rifles because some rifles are capable of putting shots through the same hole at 300Y. Pick a calm day and let your barrel cool between every 2 shots.

Adjust seating depth first in .005" increments then in .002" and powder charge in 10ths till I'm satisfied the rifle will shoot no better and the SD's are acceptable.

I weigh each charge! Google Scott Parker tuned scale, Youtube it as well.

 

[Ramius]

Re: RE-LOADING Match AMMO

There are a few articles/stickies in this forum that will help you out.

Handloading for Competition by Glen Zediker is also full of stuff that have cost me many many hours of time and stress when I was chasing the perfect reloading procedure.