I’ve been posting a lot lately but my brain is a sponge right now and you guys always provide the knowledge. I wanna talk about all the different things folks do when reloading for maximum precision accuracy. What I’m gonna do is list some things I’ve seen folks do and ask for your input on the topic. What I would like is some sort of proof/data that a certain step has made a measurable difference in accuracy. Right now I’m chasing the accuracy goal with my GAP-10 but I will be having a precision bolt gun built soon. Here goes…
Turning case necks
Using bench rest primers VS standard primers
Using competition seating dies over standard dies
Crimping and not crimping
Loading to be just off the lands or kissing the lands
Uniforming primer pockets
Deburring flash holes
Bumping shoulders VS resizing to factory specs
Please provide input on any or all of these steps and if you’ve personally observed increases in accuracy by performing them. If you would like to add something I didn’t list, feel free to do so.
How about bushing style sizing dies also.
I’ll have one maybe tomorrow and then I’m going to compare it to a standard die.
I’ve seen no advantage with BR primers but I rarely shoot past 200yds and they might help further out.
In my experience with bolt guns these are the things that give the most accuracy bang for my time and dollars:
Sweating the load development to begin with (getting powder, charge, bullet right for the gun)
Hand weighing charges
Getting bullet jump right (which you just have to find depending on bullet and what the gun “likes”)
Fireforming brass and then only sizing the shoulder back a couple thou
Trimming brass to length.
Uniforming/deburring flash holes
spending time with the chrono and running stats on consistency
Maintaining lot traceability of my brass (segregated by headstamp and production lot, and only fired in one gun).
Consistently using the same primer (I think I have room to improve here as I haven’t experimented to determine effects on my loads in my guns)
Have gotten guns well below .5 MOA with just the above measures.
Items below are of marginal utility (to me) but used by top drawer benchrest/accuracy shooters. Use them to squink out the last few marginal %:
turning necks
benchrest primers
weighing/checking volume of brass
primer pocket uniforming
High dollar brass (lapua etc).
bullet weighing/sorting/uniforming
There is WAY TOO much discussion possible in all of those topics. That said… I load match for several bolt and auto guns… and I do not turn necks or mess with flash holes. Stick to one kind of GOOD brass and you can avoid that stuff for the immediate future.
Another thing… If you’re looking to LEARN about making great ammo… AVOID the retards on ARFcom. They don’t know shit. I’ve perused their loading forum and there’s like 1 or 2 guys who know anything, and they don’t reply very often.
Go read the forums on accurateshooter.com. They’re not really geared towards NEW loaders, but you can learn a lot over there, and come back here and ask questions. I don’t even start too many topics over there, and I’ve been loading for a long time.
Redding dies will fit in your tool head. (I’m assuming that’s what you mean… I don’t think you can convert a Dillon die to Redding Micrometer adjust) I think I have a Forster micrometer seating die, but they’re both about the same… I’d be fine running either.
The value in micrometer adjustability is realized when you load many different bullets. You can quick spin the die to desired OAL without the imprecision of the die lock nut adjustments… It’s just faster to back the die off with the Mirco, and slowly work your way down to desired seat depth.
The VLD is going to have a stem that’s shaped for seating VLD bullets. You shouldn’t be playing with those yet… too early in your loading career. Stick to SMKs and that eliminated your “off the lands” issues completely. Load your ammo to standard/mag length and don’t worry about jump.
Who is Biged? Believe me… I went undercover brother over on ARFtard for a month… There is a lot of bad info flowing.
And it’s hilarious… if you start posting good info, they lock your account because they know you’re someone who was banned. (I’ve done this several times… posted like a Saint… and BAM! Account deactivated… NO explaination. )
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