Finding an accurate load.

[old man]

What effects Accuracy the most, Bullet, primer, case, powder or load charge. Or all of the above. in what order should the components be changed?

 

[p_ham]

In my experience...bullet, powder, load charge. Get a high quality bullet, in a weight/ length that is recommended for your spin rate. Powder is personal preference but there is a reason some powders are more popular than others. Don't worry so much about primer and case weight unless you are shooting benchrest.

It is important to pointout, however, that different brands of case have different capacity and can affect pressure.

If you have a bullet and powder you want to use, start at the minimum charge and do some ladder testing to find the charge that shoots best. I like to load at max OAL while doing this. It would be best to read a couple articles on ladder testing as it is fairly long winded.

What cal are you loading for?

 

[Lefty315]

I've found that bullet and load charge seem to be the two biggest factors for me. I'm loading for hunting rifles so anything that'll shoot under an inch consistently at 100 yards and carry that out to 300 is solid in my books. I have had rifles that didn't like a particular bullet worth a darn but would shoot something else just fine.

I know that different powders can change group size and add velocity. But if a load is within a "velocity window" I'm good. If I want my '06 to shoot .300 Win Mag speeds I'll get a different gun.

I have been able to narrow my rifle powders down to only using IMR 4350 and H 4895. Between those two powders I load for 15 different rifles, all within the accuracy I'm looking for and velocity is on par with what the cartridge was designed for.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I've found that bullet and load charge seem to be the two biggest factors for me. I'm loading for hunting rifles so anything that'll shoot under an inch consistently at 100 yards and carry that out to 300 is solid in my books. I have had rifles that didn't like a particular bullet worth a darn but would shoot something else just fine.

I know that different powders can change group size and add velocity. But if a load is within a "velocity window" I'm good. If I want my '06 to shoot .300 Win Mag speeds I'll get a different gun.

I have been able to narrow my rifle powders down to only using IMR 4350 and H 4895. Between those two powders I load for 15 different rifles, all within the accuracy I'm looking for and velocity is on par with what the cartridge was designed for.

IMR 4350 is pretty amazing stuff. I only load for two rifles, but it seems like you can do no wrong with that powder...

 

[old man]

In my experience...bullet, powder, load charge. Get a high quality bullet, in a weight/ length that is recommended for your spin rate. Powder is personal preference but there is a reason some powders are more popular than others. Don't worry so much about primer and case weight unless you are shooting benchrest.

It is important to pointout, however, that different brands of case have different capacity and can affect pressure.

If you have a bullet and powder you want to use, start at the minimum charge and do some ladder testing to find the charge that shoots best. I like to load at max OAL while doing this. It would be best to read a couple articles on ladder testing as it is fairly long winded.

What cal are you loading for?

300wm

 

[Millsworks]

Those .300 seem to always like bullets in the 165-200gr weights, and push the heavier 200gr pretty flat out.
My best accuracy and speeds have been with the Reloader 22+23 powders.
But lots of good powder types out there for that cartridge.
You probably have a 1 in 10 twist rate barrel, but it's good to find out if you don't know.
I have found the .300 one of the easiest to get good loads worked up for.

 

[JLS]

I do the following:

1) Select the bullet I want to use
2) Check several different manuals to find the most accurate load the tested and look for a common powder
3) Develop my ladder test
4) Once I find the nodes in the load development, I'll bracket each of those and find my most accurate load

I've changed primers from large rifle to large rifle magnum with ball powders. I usually set my seating depth by the magazine box.

What was the cause of the chambering issues?

 

[Doublecluck]

Bullet, seating depth, powder, If you change cases or primers start over..

 

[mtmuley]

I pick a bullet, then go with velocity for powder choice. After that, adjust seating depth if needed. Most of my hunting loads in all rifles were established a long time ago, and all components were purchased in bulk. (I have 5000 215 primes for example) I do experiment from time to time though. mtmuley

 

[Don Fischer]

What do you call accurate? I like to get down to one inch and I find the bullet weight I want by group size. All the thing's mentioned play a part, some in a mall way other's....... One thing I have always found necessary in my rifles with three exception's is bedding of the rifle itself. I check that right away. For me, a couple dollar bills or one folded in half lengthwise need to pass between the stock and barrel without hanging up anywhere. And with the guard screw's tight, If I loosen the front one slowly, the barrel should not rise in the stock at all. If you have a rifle with that up lift on the barrel, I remove it. I have never found a rifle with it to shoot well enough, but other's have. If the barrel moves up at all either at the muzzle or right in front of the action, you have a receiver bind. there are those rifle's that will shoot well even with those problems, about all rifle's shoot better well bedded. My three exception's as far as bedding goes are, a Mod 70 feather weight and two Mossberg Patriot's. Never touched the bedding on them although I plan on trying one of the Mossberg's.

I think you should find most any factory rifle out of the box will be accurate for hunting, say 1 1/2" groups with factory ammo.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Many ways to skin a cat (or so I have heard). old man, no disrespect intended, but based on your other basic reloading thread questions, you may be better served to merely read-up online, find a local mentor or visit a dedicated reloading forum (and use the search function). Several knowledgeable people here in the realm of reloading for sure but you will speed up your learning curve by focusing your efforts in a more concentrated manner. A local mentor being the best option. JMHO.

 

[Rancho Loco]

Rifle effect accuracy the most, and that's where I start.

First thing I do is shoot some blue box federals, if it shoots those well, I figure the rifle doesn't need much attention and I should be able to find a load pretty easily.

If a rifle doesn't like blue box, in my experience, it's got some issues that need looking into before it gets fed any hand loads.

 

[noharleyyet]

^^^...good advice.

 

[RookieHunter]

I know you weren't looking for the obvious but...

...the shooter. There's a reason you get a week of snapping in before you get bullets in boot camp. Poor trigger control, breathing and/or improper sight alignment and picture, either with iron sights or a scope can be as much as several minuets of angle at 100yds. The above is the reason why accomplished shooters continue to practice. Often times we, myself included, spend our time at the wrong bench.

Now choosing from your options I'd say extreme consistency round to round with "all of the above".

 

[old man]

I do the following:

1) Select the bullet I want to use
2) Check several different manuals to find the most accurate load the tested and look for a common powder
3) Develop my ladder test
4) Once I find the nodes in the load development, I'll bracket each of those and find my most accurate load

I've changed primers from large rifle to large rifle magnum with ball powders. I usually set my seating depth by the magazine box.

What was the cause of the chambering issues?

Had to push shoulder back.

 

[old man]

Rifle effect accuracy the most, and that's where I start.

First thing I do is shoot some blue box federals, if it shoots those well, I figure the rifle doesn't need much attention and I should be able to find a load pretty easily.

If a rifle doesn't like blue box, in my experience, it's got some issues that need looking into before it gets fed any hand loads.

there is one factory load the gunsmith said it shoots well but he doesn't know exactly which federal is was, the gunsmith tweaked the riffle all he could. I tried Fed 180 NPT, Sako 180 hammer heads and browning 180s with no luck.

 

[old man]

I pick a bullet, then go with velocity for powder choice. After that, adjust seating depth if needed. Most of my hunting loads in all rifles were established a long time ago, and all components were purchased in bulk. (I have 5000 215 primes for example) I do experiment from time to time though. mtmuley

Hang on to those primers everybody has been out of them for months, don't know the reason.

 

[old man]

Many ways to skin a cat (or so I have heard). old man, no disrespect intended, but based on your other basic reloading thread questions, you may be better served to merely read-up online, find a local mentor or visit a dedicated reloading forum (and use the search function). Several knowledgeable people here in the realm of reloading for sure but you will speed up your learning curve by focusing your efforts in a more concentrated manner. A local mentor being the best option. JMHO.

I have been getting a lot of good info from the net. I have had no problems finding a load for my 308 which i have been loading for many years. i only seem to have problems with my SAKO 300s . this is the second one that dosn't shoot well and trying not to go broke finding something it shoots well.

 

[Rancho Loco]

If its that finicky, I'd send it down the road. Life's too short..

 

[p_ham]

I have been getting a lot of good info from the net. I have had no problems finding a load for my 308 which i have been loading for many years. i only seem to have problems with my SAKO 300s . this is the second one that dosn't shoot well and trying not to go broke finding something it shoots well.

My Sako A5 in 300Wm has a Douglas barrel on it. Rebarreling is always an option. I mostly shoot 200gr out of it, either Partitions or Gamekings. I use Reloader 22. It'll hold an inch at 200.