Thoughts on Practicing with Cheaper Bullets/Components?

[11aaguilar]

For someone who's still very new to precision rifle shooting and rifle reloading in general, but would like to progress towards competing in PRS/NRL style matches in the next 3 months, what is the general opinion on practicing with cheaper bullets than what you'd compete with? For example, I'm working up a load with Berger Hybrid Targets but I can commonly find SMK projectiles on the forums for a nice discount or other random bullets (A-MAX, ELD, etc). The Bergers are both obviously expensive, and also hard to come by in the classifieds.

Would I be doing myself a disservice or developing bad habits by reloading and practicing with the relatively cheaper projectiles (either sticking to something common like the SMK and/or shooting whatever I can find)? Bear in mind I would be able to shoot more total rounds a year using cheaper projectiles so I'd be getting more practice and reps, it just wouldn't be with the bullet I compete with. Or is the general consensus that it's best to learn whatever round you compete with very well?

As a novice shooter/reloader thank you in advance and I have thick skin so don't mind brutally honest answers.

 

[RegionRat]

More trigger time with a rifle that performs well, especially in wind and at distance, will make you a better marksman.

Even airgun and rimfire practice helps. So your idea is good at the top level.

 

[XLR308]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that idea.
I personally buy the Match Monster bulk boxes from Midsouth that are just repackaged Nosler Custom comps also have bought quite a few overruns and blems from shooters pro shop.

 

[Gohring65]

Practice is definitely a good thing. I would pick a bullet with a similar BC just so I could judge wind consistently. I think I would get screwed up if I was judging wind with one BC and switching to to higher or lower BC. This is only relevant at longer ranges of course.

 

[11aaguilar]

Ok great, I’ll try to stick to a high quality, but cheaper, bullet that’s fairly common that way I won’t have to work up a different load every time. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[JohnWess]

I agree with what Gohring65 said in regards to having a similar BC. It would be too hard for me to go back and forth between different BCs. Also, I wouldn’t be afraid to shoot SMKs if your rifle shoots them well and you are getting good velocities. Nothing wrong with saving money and getting the same performance.

 

[JohnWess]

Interesting point. I have never thought of that. I like the idea. I guess I would just rather have my wind calls be the same across my practice ammo and my match ammo. It is a good idea to get more wind practice though. Can't ever get enough of that.

 

[11aaguilar]

Agreed that’s a nice viewpoint. Regardless of what I’ll be using the BC will probably be significantly less than the Hybrid Target so I think I’ll get a little bit of both. I like the differing viewpoints here though

 

[Dstoenner]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that idea.
I personally buy the Match Monster bulk boxes from Midsouth that are just repackaged Nosler Custom comps also have bought quite a few overruns and blems from shooters pro shop.

if you sre shooting distance then i would only use my match load.

i shoot f-class and where i shot is not available except for match days. But i do have access to a 100 yard range. I have reduced for 100 yard targets i shoot for practice. Indoors at 100 i can shoot anything i want. I shoot full power loads but with cheaper bullets to keep in practice with position to make sure i am approaching the gun the same as a match. This is all on the concrete floor with my normal match mat ( a moving blanket folded in half ). But to not just use up my barrel i take low recoil loads. Those let me make sure my follow through is what it should be and gives me more time on the trigger and scope without just beating up my body.

my normal match load is 6x47 lapua running 115 DTAC at 2933 fps. This reduced load is 55 sierra blitzkings runningwith 20.0 grains of imr sr4759 at something like 2000 fps. This load requires me to come up 1 moa from my match load and will shoot better than 1 moa accuracy so if things start going bad at thr target it is me that needs looking into not my gun or load. I count these reduced loads as .5 a full power load for my round count on my barrel.

HTH

David

 

[XLR308]

if you sre shooting distance then i would only use my match load.

i shoot f-class and where i shot is not available except for match days. But i do have access to a 100 yard range. I have reduced for 100 yard targets i shoot for practice. Indoors at 100 i can shoot anything i want. I shoot full power loads but with cheaper bullets to keep in practice with position to make sure i am approaching the gun the same as a match. This is all on the concrete floor with my normal match mat ( a moving blanket folded in half ). But to not just use up my barrel i take low recoil loads. Those let me make sure my follow through is what it should be and gives me more time on the trigger and scope without just beating up my body.

my normal match load is 6x47 lapua running 115 DTAC at 2933 fps. This reduced load is 55 sierra blitzkings runningwith 20.0 grains of imr sr4759 at something like 2000 fps. This load requires me to come up 1 moa from my match load and will shoot better than 1 moa accuracy so if things start going bad at thr target it is me that needs looking into not my gun or load. I count these reduced loads as .5 a full power load for my round count on my barrel.

HTH

David

That's an interesting approach and if keeps you in form and saves a bit of barrel life all the better.
My main approach to buying the over runs and blems from shooters pro shop is I can experiment and practice with otherwise expensive bonded bullets and partitions for my hunting ammo and it's alot more economical but still shooting a premium hunting bullet.

 

[Romeo458]

For 100yd drills like shooting dots or something I have a cheap load. That way I can work on the fundamentals without spending a bunch. Past 100 I use my good good load.

 

[smoothy8500]

I’m going to go against the grain...

1- it turns my 6mph (wind) Gun into a 4mph gun. This let’s me work more with less wind. It makes me focus on the variation of wind much more and works my wind budget harder....

...most Importantly understanding the wind. Drop is science

Single biggest aid to learning the wind.