| Re: Conventional Wisdom [message #37642 is a reply to message #37641] |
Wed, 11 March 2015 18:10   |
 |
cajuntec
Messages: 1251
Registered: November 2009
Location: Williamsburg, VA
|
Top Contributor
Forum Admin |
|
|
I'm curious to see what difference seating depth makes, as I haven't got to that point with any of my rifles yet.
I clean and sort all my cases by headstamp. I set up my Hornady trim station and put each and every piece of brass through it - every time. When doing work ups, you can see that the first two load steps generally don't need trimming at all. The third step usually takes a full turn and it's trimmed. The fourth step will take a turn + a bit (continue to two full turns to even out), and the fifth step will sometimes take almost two full turns of the handle to remove all the excess, so I sometimes have to turn the handle a full three turns - depending on how close to max I was loading. Then all get the same chamfer and deburr. That way, they are all starting out the same length, same headstamp, same cleaning.
But here is where I just caught myself as I was typing (I just edited to add this paragraph) - if I'm trimming some (higher powered load steps), but not others (lower powered load steps), I'm thinning out some brass, but not others. Will that make a difference? Hmmm.... Never though about it until now. But then again - all of my reloads after I settle on the best load have produced wonderfully, so maybe the thinning of some doesn't have as much effect as thought by some. Maybe it does. Maybe people get to a point in their shooting where THEY are the limiting factor.... not the brass thickness.
However, that's as far as I go. I don't neck turn, and I don't weigh my cases and/or bullets. But I weigh every charge. More for peace of mind than anything, but accuracy comes into play, and that is a very close second reason. My accuracy has improved drastically with just about everything I shoot since I started reloading, and I have always (with the exception of some pistol rounds) weigh every charge on a Redding balance beam scale. The third reason I do it is because I find it peaceful. There is just something about the procedure, and being that anal-retentive that appeals to me.
The reason I haven't gone to neck turning or weighing bullets / brass is because I believe my reloads shoot about as good as I am going to get them to shoot. However... I have been tempted to play with seating depth... just to see if I can get better any better groups with the original best load out of my step tests.
All the best,
Glenn
If at first you don't succeed... buy newer / better equipment!
[Updated on: Wed, 11 March 2015 18:15] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Conventional Wisdom [message #37970 is a reply to message #37613] |
Sun, 29 March 2015 09:25 |
Alibi
Messages: 17
Registered: January 2015
Location: R.I.
|
Forum Newbie |
|
|
Hello,
I was reading the various posts on the site; find them very interesting. I read your post about looking for accuracy. I am just starting to experiment with the Encore rifle, so I cannot comment too much in that area; however as for the reloading aspect I can. My experience has been to keep all of the components as identical as possible. I weigh everything, cases, drop every powder charge exactly to the tenth, and also weigh my bullet heads. I also measure all of my cases to ensure that they too measure the same overall length. I have found that bullet heads have varied .2 to .4 grains. Once all of my components are weighed and found to be equal, I then look for a common/middle ground powder, not the one that gives the highest velocities, not one that barely gets the round out of the barrel, not one that needs to be a compressed load, but a middle ground powder. I load for the 35 Whelen and like the IMR 4064 powder. I will look at the "maximum" load data, drop the load by a half-grain and start from there diminishing the load by .5. I make up loads of four in increments, dropping each load by .5 grains per group. From there I will go to the range and start shooting my loads starting at the lowest load and working my way up. After each group of four, I will clean the barrel, let it cool and then go to the next group of four until I have reached the load that is .5 grains lower than maximum. One thing I am extremely careful of is to watch the primers to make sure that they are not cratering or flattening out. Usually I will find a load that will work well in my rifle with that particular powder/bullet/primer combination. Hope that this is helpful, Raoul
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Conventional Wisdom [message #37995 is a reply to message #37985] |
Mon, 30 March 2015 17:53 |
|
cajuntec
Messages: 1251
Registered: November 2009
Location: Williamsburg, VA
|
Top Contributor
Forum Admin |
|
|
What I find funny is that people keep meticulous records, do powder steps, take measurements until they have headaches from reading calipers and micrometers, etc, etc, etc... and then they go to the range to shoot their loads and will do 5 of one, then 5 of another, then 5 of another, not realizing that the more they shoot, the more fatigued they get - especially with a larger caliber. After a few rounds of steps, they aren't shooting at their peak, and therefore some of the later loads might not group as well as the first couple of steps. Or, vice versa - they show up excited and jack up the first load step really bad because they are geared to go. Then they "settle in" and relax for subsequent load steps.
A friend of mine suggested shooting at 5 separate targets with 5 steps, but instead of shoot 5, move to the next target, shoot 5, repeat... He suggested shooting one of the first group at the first target. Then one of the second group at the second target. Then one of the third group at the third target. And so forth...
So you aren't tiring out by the last group, or getting over-excited on the first. THEN see which of the 5 groups were best. In all actuality, you can start seeing by the third shot on each target, which ones are shooting tighter groups. So if you tire by the 4th set of shots, at least you got 3 good ones in each of the targets.
Requires more concentration too... as you aren't just shooting 5 in a row at one target. You really have to pay closer attention this way to ensure you know which load step you are shooting at which target.
Just more food for thought.
All the best,
Glenn
If at first you don't succeed... buy newer / better equipment!
[Updated on: Mon, 30 March 2015 17:55] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: Conventional Wisdom [message #38000 is a reply to message #37995] |
Mon, 30 March 2015 19:30 |
wwkmag
Messages: 588
Registered: January 2013
Location: Maine
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Be patient with your shooting, this does take a while. I like to let my barrel cool between shots. Very seldom do I get 2 or 3 shots at a deer .
I want to be sure where the first shot goes.
WWKMAG
[Updated on: Mon, 30 March 2015 19:31] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Conventional Wisdom [message #38005 is a reply to message #37995] |
Tue, 31 March 2015 06:42 |
rchatting
Messages: 499
Registered: August 2011
Location: Middle Georgia
|
Forum Regular |
|
|
cajuntec wrote on Mon, 30 March 2015 17:53
He suggested shooting one of the first group at the first target. Then one of the second group at the second target. Then one of the third group at the third target. And so forth...
Glenn
This also helps to even out the temp of the barrel with the different loads. Helps to rule out the barrel getting hot causing issues as you get to the last load to try.
|
|
|
|
] 
Thompson Center Encore Classifieds
Search
Help
Members
Register
Login
Home
