Weighing Bullets

[BillLarson]

As a LR shooter...always trying to find an improvement in accuracy...... I started weighing bullets on my A&D FX-120 digital scale...... sorting them in .02 grain increments.That way in ammo boxes have matched sets of bullets...... It does make a difference.....

 

[Mikecr]

It does make a difference.....

No it doesn't

 

[J E Custom]

As a LR shooter...always trying to find an improvement in accuracy...... I started weighing bullets on my A&D FX-120 digital scale...... sorting them in .02 grain increments.That way in ammo boxes have matched sets of bullets...... It does make a difference.....

Like everything else in reloading anything that will make more consistent load is an improvement. How much Improvement is sometimes hard to measure but it is there if you want it.

Slight improvements may not show up at short distances and shooter skill or error can mask the difference. so when making any changes it is best to use measuring devices like chronographs and try to lower SDs and ESs. the can be measured if you are willing to spend the time.

For accuracy loads, I check everything including bullet weight. I prefer that everything be identical
in the loads for best results and to prove what the rifle is capable of. (I want the rifle load combination to out shoot the shooter.

To some it is not worth the effort but to others it is, so it is a personal choice how far to go with precision loading.

J E CUSTOM

 

[FearNoWind]

...To some it is not worth the effort but to others it is, so it is a personal choice how far to go with precision loading.

J E CUSTOM

I'm not sure I could see a difference on target with a .01% variable in bullet weight. (180gr +/- .02 gr) I shoot pretty good but not that good. But what J E said is clearly the bottom line in discussions like these.

 

[Mikecr]

To some it is not worth the effort but to others it is, so it is a personal choice how far to go with precision loading.

There is more to improving things than EFFORT. Don't forget UNDERSTANDING.

Every bullet attribute contributes to a sum. With this, it would very rarely be appropriate to separate bullets based on any single attribute(weight, meplat diameters, etc), or even generalized grouping of some -but not all(like base to ogive comparisons).

If a bullet weighs a molecule more, while it's meplat is a smidgen larger, or it's diameter is a c-hair smaller at same length bearing, it may be perfect w/resp to this or that result standard. So separating here based only on weight could be a bad action.
On the flipside, some bullets weighing exactly the same could be separated, because that consistency in weight is failing to counter other variables..

You cannot truthfully declare that normal bullet weight variance makes a difference one way or another, without qualifying this with all other bullet attributes and performance standards in play. All measured, and not assumed.
Ask yourself when considering the separations of primers, brass, powder, or bullets,, what are the chances that unqualified actions would be correct?

 

[FEENIX]

To some it is not worth the effort but to others it is, so it is a personal choice how far to go with precision loading.

J E CUSTOM

I'm not sure I could see a difference on target with a .01% variable in bullet weight. (180gr +/- .02 gr) I shoot pretty good but not that good. But what J E said is clearly the bottom line in discussions like these.

Yep! People tend to forget that simple fact.

 

[J E Custom]

There is more to improving things than EFFORT. Don't forget UNDERSTANDING.

Every bullet attribute contributes to a sum. With this, it would very rarely be appropriate to separate bullets based on any single attribute(weight, meplat diameters, etc), or even generalized grouping of some -but not all(like base to ogive comparisons).

If a bullet weighs a molecule more, while it's meplat is a smidgen larger, or it's diameter is a c-hair smaller at same length bearing, it may be perfect w/resp to this or that result standard. So separating here based only on weight could be a bad action.
On the flipside, some bullets weighing exactly the same could be separated, because that consistency in weight is failing to counter other variables..

You cannot truthfully declare that normal bullet weight variance makes a difference one way or another, without qualifying this with all other bullet attributes and performance standards in play. All measured, and not assumed.
Ask yourself when considering the separations of primers, brass, powder, or bullets,, what are the chances that unqualified actions would be correct?

Believe it or not I totally agree that something's are hard to measure and If you take the time to weight bullets, you should take the time to measure, uniform. weigh and leave no stone unturned.

In many cases a target will not show much or any improvement so other ways of measuring or logging the difference and recording the improvement or the digression.

The process is tedious and time consuming, but If I can show an improvement of a standard deviation of .02 or .03 I will and I consider it a win.

As a gun maker, I feel The only way to really find out/prove a rifles true worth and accuracy potential is to do everything possible to the complete system which includes a rifle system that is as near perfect as possible, the best most consistent ammunition possible. And skill of the shooter to know when he did his part and when he didn't.

There is no one thing that can make a real performer, it takes everything combined to make it a winner. If I were to make a list of everything I do from start to finish for accuracy (I will work on such a list) I would have at least 30 or 40 steps that I would take for an accuracy rifle. And some would add to that list. For the average hunter such a list would be boring and would not apply to his needs.

My mentor was an accomplished Bench rest shooter and builder and He did things, that most would not do or even consider. But his accuracy performance was scary. Most hunting rifles don't have the same potential as a bench rifle. but the principles still apply and can improve there accuracy. I have been shooting and hunting for over 60 years and I still learn something that will improve the accuracy of my rifles and reloads every day (At my age I need all the help I can get) and with all of the new tools that are available today to measure and true all components, It only takes the effort and will to improve your skills.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[rcoody]

Well for my long.range target guns i

start out by weighing, cull those really out of the norm and keep the rest sorted

Then i sort.by bearing length

Then the best of the best get pointed with a whidden pointing die

You can tell i have time on my hands

I do much the same with my berger hunting bullets except instead of pointing.i trim the meplate slightly to make sure the tip is open.

 

[Barrelnut]

I do same as Rcoody, but don't trim melplats. I do verify tips are open on Bergers that will be hunted with.

Some bullets sort better than others. Bergers don't have many inconsistencies. Hornady bullets can have some that waaaay outside the bell curve. I use those for plinking and foulers.

 

[FearNoWind]

My previous post notwithstanding, I can report that one of my shooting compadres who is an active ITS Tactical Steel competitor improved his performance rather dramatically with a combination of weighing bullets and pointing them. The greatest improvement was at longer ranges. If you've ever shot ITS Tactical Steel you can appreciate that there are no sub tens; you either hit the target or you didn't.

 

[4xforfun]

I was about as successful as you can get in IBS 1000 yard BR before I quit. I also have lots of recent experience at shooting my hunting and comp guns at steel out to a mile. I've tried everything in different combinations. Weight sorting brass, bullets, sorting bullets by bearing surface length, etc..... I have pretty much the best measuring tools you can buy. I can tell you three things right now.....

First is that 1K BR is WAY more demanding as far as accuracy than LR hunting. There is a big difference in shooting a 10 shot group in competition than it is a 3 shot group with a LR hunting gun.

Second, it is WAY, WAY, WAY harder to make an accurate first round hit at xxxx yards in the field at LR with a hunting gun that it is shooting sub 5 inch 10 shot groups in comp!! I don't care how accurate you rig is...it's just plane frickin hard to make 1st round hits at extended ranges. My hat is off the those PRS guys and the military...even some of you guys here.

Third.....I really couldn't see any difference in my results in competition when I got SUPER ANAL about my comp loads and did all the sorting in the world. You would all laugh your asses off if you saw my loads and brass for the loads I used to win the nationals.......embarisingly poor!!! I got anal AFTER I won the nat's. In fact...it took up so much of my time and effort that it is probably one of the reasons why I quit compeating. IMO, good, solid hand loading techniques with good equipment, good shooting technique, and lots of practice are all way more important than all of the sorting BS you can do.

So, short answer...don't bother...modern bullets and ammo are all GTG!!

Just my .02,

Tod

 

[Mikecr]

I apply 4 result standards:
PRECISION (preconditioned group shooting)
ACCURACY (preconditioned score shooting)
COLD BORE ACCURACY (hitting your mark with a single shot)
COLD BORE PRECISION (repeating cold bore accuracy)

Each are separate, completely different, and each is established at and favoring particular distances and tactics(not all of them).
For long ranges, military or civilian, bullets or missiles, the most powerful ballistic potential you will ever hold is in your ACCURACY.

 

[Greyfox]

I don't bother to weigh the premium bullets. I will check each bullet visually for deformities which occasionally show up.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

All I can say is having to sort through your bullets to cull out the ones that are not correct must be a labor of love. Hand loading is tedious already.

With that said, I measure every bullet out of our manufacturing. They are spot on within .0002". Hollow points are always open all the way to the same depth. The only possible variance in our bullets would come from the manufacturing process of the raw copper. That is highly unlikely.

If you want a bullet that is always the same and put your mind at ease taking the bullet uniformity needs out of your loading equation. Try ours. I already sorted them for you.

Steve