Sorting Loaded Ammo

[Scouts_Out]

Hey Guys, I'm new to precision loading and trying to get a feel for my new equipment. This morning (bored) eyeing the beauty of the bench full of new toys, and wondering just how to use some of this stuff I had the bright idea of trying to check the base to ogive length of some loaded ammo I bought for breaking in the new 260 (which should be here within a week!!!,) my question is, how accurate of a measurment am I getting with a loaded round (considering variations in the case)?

In case you are wondering these rounds were Southwest Ammunition 260 Rem, 142s with Lapua Brass, (I am Very impressed by the way, concintricity showed between .0005 and .002 with the vast majority of the 40rnds I looked at being around .001...) I can't wait to shoot them but am scared I won't be able to load rounds this good for a while..

Anyways, what would be the most efficient way to ensure I get a consistant ogive to land gap... Thanks Guys!

 

[insight3b]

Re: Sorting Loaded Ammo

Really no way to tell until you get the rifle and measure its throat.
You could group them into 'like' batches now but thats about it

 

[Scouts_Out]

Re: Sorting Loaded Ammo

Thats what I did... I went ahead and marked them, and wrote down all the measurements but I don't think it will help a bit since I'll be braking in a new barrel and have no idea of the powder used....

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Sorting Loaded Ammo

This is, I believe, the right time to discuss priorities.

Hand reloading is, for me, a necessary evil. Others will make their own determinations about whether or not it is also a satisfying pastime. For me, it is not; it is merely a necessary means to an end (I.e. getting out there onto the range and maintaining my marksmanship skills).

My basic reloading mantra is that I do what is absolutely necessary to convert a fired case into a shootable cartridge, and the other smaller refinements are nice, but I leave them to the others.

That does not mean I do not do case prep, and I do take care to ensure that what I do is done with necessary diligence. I measure resized case lengths to ensure they are not a safety hazard, ensure that only clean cases enter my dies, swage primer pockets if needed and ream interior flash holes on the first reloading. I will drop and weigh individual powder charges.

Beyond that, my reloading process is essentially done in progressive mode on my Dillon RL550B.

I'm not a haphazard sloven, and I do consider handloading as an essential paver in the road to accuracy. I have also investigated a whole lot of the extra little tricks and techniques.

My overall conclusion is that they all help to some degree, but that at some point, and that point is fairly early on, their benefit does not outweigh the offsetting random background noise that is caused by issues like uncontrollable environmental variables, and human marksmanship errors. Nobody does it perfect every time, and Mother Nature is Murphy's truest friend.

In truth I have (with one exception) none of the rifle improvements and strikingly superior marksmanship skills that make such measures truly productive.

K.I.S.S...!!!

Greg

 

[Scouts_Out]

Re: Sorting Loaded Ammo

I see what you are saying Greg, and I do realize I would get out-shot with my gun and ammo in a supperior shooter's hands, but I sort bullets for my .45 too.. I don't feel like I will address my problems unless there's nothing else to blame it on

I have just enough discipline to realize I'm lazy!

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Sorting Loaded Ammo

Nothing wrong with that; and it's why I leave it to others to make their own determinations. If you can make something work for you, I say "Go for it". There's no good reason not to.

I just prefer using my limited time at the range, not the bench.

Greg