Reloading Video - Your thoughts?

[Frenchieboy]

I am just getting into reloading with a good friend and came acroos this video which is said to improve the accuracy of home loaded rounds. I would like the thought of experienced reloaders on this video. Do or have you used this method to guage the OAL for your rifles ammunition and if so how much you have backed the maximum OAL to get the best out of your home loaded ammunition.

[cooter]

I use the same method only I use a seating depth gauge as seen here

 

http://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=HORNADY%5FLOCK%5FN%5FLOAD%5FBULLET%5FCOMPARATOR%5FAND%5FCOMPLETE%5FINSERT%5FSET

 

You can find them cheaper if you shop around.

 

 

These are better as they measure to the ogive, which is the part that engages with the lands, and gives a more consistent result.

 

 

Take a look at AmmoSmith.com on youtube for loads of useful information.

 

 

HTH

Edited May 30, 2013 by cooter

[ste12b]

I am just getting into reloading with a good friend and came acroos this video which is said to improve the accuracy of home loaded rounds. I would like the thought of experienced reloaders on this video. Do or have you used this method to guage the OAL for your rifles ammunition and if so how much you have backed the maximum OAL to get the best out of your home loaded ammunition.

 

Hi Pete,

Unless you are single feeding each round and going out to long ranges it probably is not worth loading beyond the COAL. The guage that Cooter has suggested is well worth it. I use one to get the same COAL based on a datum point, rather than the base to bullet tip. If you want any advise or want to go through it, give me a ring and pop over.

 

Ste

[cooter]

I forgot to add.

 

I used to start at max length then work back towards min length in ten thou increments, fine tuning as things started to work, but I found that starting at the book length, with a mid point load, then working forward, with no change in load, was the best way to find the optimum seating depth.

 

When you change the length, but not the powder charge, you are effectively changing the fill ratio, even though it is not by much, and this is something that can work in your favour, as the lower or higher speed may be what suits YOUR rifle.

 

Once I have the best group with that load I add powder to make it go faster if required.

 

With a new load worked out.

I shoot groups at intervals out to the range I want to work (the more intervals the better), using the same POA and only changing the mag or PX as required.

Measure the POI from the POA on all targets, and put the information into something like OnTarget/Sierra Infinity adjusting the FPS and BC until the output graph matches reality.

This will give you a good idea of fps and actual BC, and provide you with a drop chart for all the ranges you want.

 

At this point it's probably worth noting that a load which bug holes at 100yds may shotgun at 300yds, and it may be that you need to sacrifice a bug hole at 100 for sub MOA at 200 to get the best average load.

 

More often than not I find that the book length is good enough for the ranges I want to work, although two of the loads I use like to be touching the lands (beware of pressure signs when doing this), also beware of powders which are susceptible to changes in temperature as these can be safe in the cold but dangerous above 20 Celsius.

 

 

HTH