Where do your priorities lie? A (minor) reloading dilemma...

[Dougfirtree]

I'm having some promising results working on a practice load for my 7mm-08. Currently using Varget and 139 grain SST's. At this point, I've got three charge weights that might be worth pursuing. Given the following data, which would you go after?

40 grains @2.8": 5/8" group at 100, ES is 32 fps POI is 1" higher than hunting load (at 100 yards)

40.5 grains @2.8": 15/16" group at 100, ES is 11 fps POI is 1" higher, 1.5" right than hunting load

41 grains @ 2.8": 1.25" group at 100**, ES is 22 fps POI is basically the same as hunting load
** This group contained a called flier. Pretty sure it could be under an inch. **

Velocities are all ok; slower than the hunting load, but ranging from just under 2700fps - 2740fps. I'd be ok with these and all have the potential to go up with COAL tweaking.

Sooo.... lot's of factors to consider for a practice round. Group size, ES, POI... half of me wants to just re-test all 3 and see if one jumps out, while the other half wants to be judicious with my components and focus on one of them. This is a practice round and would rarely be fired more than 300 yards. What would you do?

 

[BackofBeyond]

I say stick with the most consistent load, so lowest SD and ES. Then zero your rifle for the practice load, shoot the hell out of it, then rezero for your hunting load right before season.

 

[brockel]

300 yards and in I would flip a coin

 

[EastTNHunter]

My OCD self would not let me load a less accurate load if I knew that a more accurate VERIFIED load existed. I’ve been guilty in the past of getting a screaming accurate load on initial development and loading up 100+ of them, only to be able to never duplicate the accuracy with them again. Always verify. 40.5gr load sounds more consistent and accurate, but you can only tell by verifying

 

[DFS]

10 shot groups if you really want to figure it out. Otherwise it doesn’t matter I wouldn’t bother doing it.

 

[mtmuley]

10 shot groups if you really want to figure it out. Otherwise it doesn’t matter I wouldn’t bother doing it.

I've very rarely shot 10 shot groups verifying a hunting rifle. I've killed everything I've pointed said rifles at. Even at non HT approved yardages. mtmuley

 

[DFS]

I've very rarely shot 10 shot groups verifying a hunting rifle. I've killed everything I've pointed said rifles at. Even at non HT approved yardages. mtmuley

I’ve never shot a 10 shot group in my life. I’ve shot coyotes at 800 plus yards. Could I do it on a deer or elk maybe, I would put the odds in my favor. Is it hunting or ethical? Not sure. You have your own hunt talk approved distances.

 

[ImBillT]

I would’t worry about it, and probably shoot the load with max velocity.

A) you don’t have enough data to suggest that one is better than the other. A retest might completely flip which load shoots the better group.

B) you don’t have a a group small enough to indicate that charge weight adjustments are worth pursuing. Horrible loads in accurate rifles using accurate components will produce .5” groups at 100yds.

Bullets, brass, gun, could be almost anything, and is likely a combination of things that is making the rifle shoot about like 99% of all hunting rifles. It’s also likely that if you tinkered with powder charge and shot enough groups that one powder charge would stand out as better than the rest, but I likely wouldn’t chase it. I’d rather prove a rifle was accurate and figure out what was wrong before doing tuning like powder charge and seating depth. The more consistent(smaller groups) a rifle is, the more obvious it is(fewer shots/groups required) to figure out what works and what doesn’t work.

I would likely accept the rifle for what it is(a 3/4-1MOA hunting gun, which is generally not a bad thing at all) or try other things before powder charge. Shoot an easy to tune match grade bullet like a MatchKing, Berger Hybrid or Berger Classic Hunter. Try some high end brass. You might find out the gun is just a 3/4-1MOA gun.

If you want to shoot the SST(and if you don’t expect them to shoot well under .5MOA. I’ve never shot them, but assume they aren’t really a match grade bullet), then heck, I’d just shoot the load that gave me the highest velocity and call it a win.

 

[ImBillT]

10 shot groups if you really want to figure it out. Otherwise it doesn’t matter I wouldn’t bother doing it.

More data is always better. Doesn’t have to be via ten shot groups. Could be multiple 3-5 shot groups. Methods of evaluating accuracy other than group size are more efficient. Distance from center or POI yields useful data with every shot while group size actually only yields useful data with the two worst shots. Still a ten shot group contains more useful data than three or five shot groups because you’re more likely to see the whole spread.

Definitely hard to draw accurate conclusions from single three to five shot groups.

 

[Addicting]

I've very rarely shot 10 shot groups verifying a hunting rifle. I've killed everything I've pointed said rifles at. Even at non HT approved yardages. mtmuley

I’m in the same boat. If I’ve consistently gotten good 3 shot groups on different range days, I will load up a bunch. Then next chance I have to stretch them out I will send 5 shot groups for shiz and giggles.

 

[DFS]

More data is always better. Doesn’t have to be via ten shot groups. Could be multiple 3-5 shot groups. Methods of evaluating accuracy other than group size are more efficient. Distance from center or POI yields useful data with every shot while group size actually only yields useful data with the two worst shots. Still a ten shot group contains more useful data than three or five shot groups because you’re more likely to see the whole spread.

Definitely hard to draw accurate conclusions from single three to five shot groups.

I have a 26 nosler I had built that has shot a 3 shot group that nobody would believe. It’s a solid 1.5” inch gun doesn’t wear a scope if anyone is interested. 3 shots doesn’t prove a whole lot.

 

[mtmuley]

3 shots doesn’t prove a whole lot.

Notched elk tags do. mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

Notched elk tags do. mtmuley

Killing elk with a rifle is about as easy as it gets….once you find them. Minute of elk isn’t a good way to evaluate accuracy and precision in a weapon but yes good enough for elk hunting.

 

[mtmuley]

Killing elk with a rifle is about as easy as it gets….once you find them. Minute of elk isn’t a good way to evaluate accuracy and precision in a weapon but yes good enough for elk hunting.

What else do you want? And what the Hell is "minute of elk"? mtmuley

 

[DFS]

What else do you want? And what the Hell is "minute of elk"? mtmuley

Broadside roughly 24-26 inches at 100 yards.

 

[mtmuley]

Broadside roughly 24-26 inches at 100 yards.

Paper plate is better. mtmuley

 

[N2TRKYS]

Practice with your hunting loads. Seems dumb to waste components looking for an accurate “practice “ load.

 

[Huntmt28]

I don't have time to load practice loads nor do I have the desire to shoot a different load that I won't be hunting with.... I practice with the most accurate load that each particular rifle likes, that's the hunting load.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Practice with your hunting loads. Seems dumb to waste components looking for an accurate “practice “ load.

My hunting bullets (E tips) cost 3-4 times what the SST’s do and are often unavailable.

 

[Mallardsx2]

If you have the resources to be shooting 10 shot groups at every powder charge and bullet seating depth, I want to be your new best friend.... because.... clearly.... you have more components than I do. lol I got a couple thousand primers, and I am not even shooting these days. Fearful that I won't be able to find the stuff again.