Reloading for accuracy/consistency help

[JeffRaines]

Hey guys

So here’s my dilemma - I’m not brand new to reloading, however I obviously still have a lot to learn. I have a two year old so it really cuts down on my available free time. I purchased a Browning LR Stalker in 7mm Mag a few months ago and it’s awesome. It’s got a 8 twist barrel as well. I want to start trying to shoot the 175-180s out of this rifle.

When I reload, what my loads suffer the most from is inconsistency. I’m often seeing 50fps or more spread. One of the things I was going to start doing is measuring from the ogive vs the tip which is how I’m measuring now... but I know that’s not the entire picture. There’s neck tension, run out, neck turning, and other stuff google searches turn up. It’s a lot to take in, and I’m not sure how much of it applies. I know it all applies technically, but for someone who’s would like to start shooting at steel to 1000 yards and maybe 600 or so yards on game, what percentage of that actually applies to me? What should I be focusing on?

I use hornady dies, I also picked up a neck sizing die as well. I have a hornady single stage press. I use a RCBS balance beam scale for powder.

Thank you.

[boneaddict]

Consistency, treating each round the same.  I assume you use the same brass and once you have a load you are working on, you keep that.  I measure each grain of powder, no shortcuts.  Shoot, tweak your load, shoot again. Dial in to the exact recipe that works the best.  Thats the way I was raised and thats the way I still do it.   If you switch primers, brass, lead, anything, you basically need to start over. 

[Jonathan_S]

IME the biggest variables that alters ES are the:

1) powder type
2) powder charge
3) primer type

Not necessarily in order

[BULLBLASTER]

 
Consistency is key.
Start with quality components and measure every charge and confirm every round bto length.

Like the Jon said primer types can and will affect Es and sd.

[Jonathan_S]

By buying consistent brass, weight sorting when necessary, and carefully measuring powder, I have got all my hunting rifles well below 20 ES

I'm far from being the PRS/BR kind of reloader but I get decent and consistent velocities

[JeffRaines]

By buying consistent brass, weight sorting when necessary, and carefully measuring powder, I have got all my hunting rifles well below 20 ES

I'm far from being the PRS/BR kind of reloader but I get decent and consistent velocities

This is what I'm looking for - I don't plan on shooting competitively. However, to reach the ranges I want to reach with any consistency I know I'm gonna need to do better than 50+ ES. I don't expect to hit single digit, but within 20 would be perfect.

[hogslayer]

I few other things to add that I have noticed.  If shoulder bump isn’t consistent it can effect your es.  Also is the way you clean your brass.  I hardly ever “clean” brass other than some 0000 steel wool on the outside of necks and a nylon brush on the inside.  Pay attention to seating force on bullets. 

[JeffRaines]

I few other things to add that I have noticed.  If shoulder bump isn’t consistent it can effect your es.  Also is the way you clean your brass.  I hardly ever “clean” brass other than some 0000 steel wool on the outside of necks and a nylon brush on the inside.  Pay attention to seating force on bullets.

I have a tumbler and use SS media to clean the brass

[h20hunter]

A balance beam will not give you the consistency in powder charge you need. Speaking of powder my 7 rem mag loves reloder26 and shoots berger vld hunting bullets with great accuracy.

[Jonathan_S]

Honestly I used an old and very precise balance beam that I later compared to a $300 digital scale.  No difference I could find.

[Yondering]

IME the biggest variables that alters ES are the:

1) powder type
2) powder charge
3) primer type

Not necessarily in order

Add neck tension and seating depth to that list. Consistent annealing of your brass is a significant factor, and you'll likely find the second firing after annealing is more consistent than the first.

OP, I gotta say though, it sounds like maybe you're chasing the wrong variables first. Start with an OCW (optimum charge weight) test, round robin style, to select the charge in the middle of a node based on horizontal position on the target. Then fine tune for accuracy by testing different seating depths, again round robin style.

At that point, you should have a very stable load that's relatively insensitive to minor velocity variations. This is the point where chasing ES/SD is productive to improve your long range precision. Chasing ES before you do those things is a waste of time IMO, and doesn't necessarily result in the best accuracy.

[birddogdad]

all things loaded consistently, and by lots . Next that will help most is NECK TENSION . setup your dies with proper expander balls or bushings or both.... (if you run those) to set 2 or 3 thou. same every time on the squeeze.. remember hardened cases affect this as well. If your going to go long, i would look into annealing processes. you should be able to get close to inside 10 for SD/ED. Remember its a bearing surface, clean area, amount of coverage (length trim), wall thickness and hardening/working metal ect .. it all plays...

oh i will also say for a 7mag at 1Kyds.. you will kill everything you aim at with a  30 SD too.. they shoot pretty flat..... not gonna be that much off.... +- 30fps at 1K should run about 1 moa, (maybe a bit more) dep on BC. Good starting point for a beginner but ABSOLUTELY tightening that up is where its at! I have been working very hard to this end with my hunting 7 mag and am now single dig.... not a forgiving cartridge either!!!

[BULLBLASTER]

all things loaded consistently, and by lots . Next that will help most is NECK TENSION . setup your dies with proper expander balls or bushings or both.... (if you run those) to set 2 or 3 thou. same every time on the squeeze.. remember hardened cases affect this as well. If your going to go long, i would look into annealing processes. you should be able to get close to inside 10 for SD/ED. Remember its a bearing surface, clean area, amount of coverage (length trim), wall thickness and hardening/working metal ect .. it all plays...

oh i will also say for a 7mag at 1Kyds.. you will kill everything you aim at with a  30 SD too.. they shoot pretty flat..... not gonna be that much off....

An sd of 30 would mean an Es of 60+ fps. That difference would be fairly large on target at distance. 

[hogslayer]

The very first thing I would try is fire some rounds and don’t clean them in the SS media.  I have found they clean all the carbon out of the necks and make things really inconsistent.  Leave that carbon in there and just run a nylon brush through it.  You’ll be surprised. 

[jasnt]

Honestly I used an old and very precise balance beam that I later compared to a $300 digital scale.  No difference I could find.

same results here. Balance style are the most consistent. Unless it’s covered in dust or getting some wind from a fan or open window.

To the op.  This may help you out a bit
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX2aeFXzRrvfwdl-35vchJhAMdptqoykW