Have I Master Precision Reloading?

[CaptnC]

I bought a Magneto Speed a couple months ago, but have not had much of a chance to test many loads. Most of it has been shooting my 6.5 Grendel's making sure I was not over my target velocity because I'm new to reloading gasser's. Sp that has been something that has worried me because they are on AR platforms. Nothing good comes from over pressure high velocity loads in AR's.

That said I had noticed one of my Grendel loads was right on velocity and the ES and SD were single digit. Well I checked that again to ES 5 SD 10 out of my 18" and another load for my 20" came in ES 10 SD 5. I know that is not exactly single digit, but that's really close.

The 6.5 Creedmoore was really hopping velocity wise with the SD 8 and the ES 17...I know a little outside single digit but again, that's very close.

Then the 6.5X284 had one load that was really sweet SD 3 ES 7. The velocity was about 75FPS slower than I wanted but still...I was impressed!

OK...now for the bad news none of those loads were "Oh wow!" groups! At least not with me behind the rifle. I only shoot at 200yds, but the groups are not what I would like for them to be.

I admit I have target panic from hell. Today I even said I was determined not do it today. The first shot from one of my AR's missed stripping a case. I'm surprised I have never snapped a trigger off!

Well the cussing at myself began because I felt like it was going to be a prefect shot right up until the gun didn't go bang! And this is the reason I don't do ladder tests...who know when I'm going to snap a trigger off!

 

[J E Custom]

Low SDs tell me that I have a good primer, powder and case capacity combination. Poor accuracy with low SDs tells me that I need to look at other bullet designs and weights.

Any SD below 7 to 9 is good and below 5 is great. work on finding a different brand of bullet in the same weight, and when you find one that shoots best, try different seating depths to tweak the accuracy.

And of course work on shooter skills.

J E CUSTOM

 

[CaptnC]

Shooter skills seems to be my down fall. That said I have shot some great groups at 600yds on steel. Yesterday I took the 6.5x284 to the 400yds steel and the 8" lollypop was too easy to hit.

But to shoot at a dot with intent is tough.

My loading practices have improved a lot over the last year. I have a couple bullets that I periodically weigh to check my scales during loading. If I find the scale has drifted, I re-weigh all of the loaded cases. That doesn't happen very often but it has. And that is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

It's been a fun journey...be a lot better if I cold have a clean trigger pull!

 

[bob4]

My trigger pulls are great! Until something with hair steps out in front. I feel your pain.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

usually, if you get your numbers that close the accuracy is there too ... so im guessing your shooting is the cause of the groups i wouldn't change anything until you know its not the shooter

the low sd's , are really only helping farther out after the bullets starts dropping off quick , but on the good side low sd's tell you your reloading consistencies are superb

when shooting off the bench and going for groups , try pulling the trigger thinking about your elbow not your finger. hold your finger like a spring loaded hook .. itll break when it breaks

 

[bob4]

Something on my trigger pull that someone once told me and it stuck and seems to help. When I'm ready. Inhale then exhale and towards the end of the exhale begin to squeeze and continue to say to my self I'm gonna shoot I'm gonna shoot... Paying no mind to the trigger I just continue to slowly apply pressure and and watch my target and crosshairs and if done right the gun goes bang and it's almost like I wasn't expecting it. That and a Timney with a light weight sure have helped. Again all bets are off when the hairy beast steps out.

 

[Greyfox]

In my experience, the single most common deterrent to accuracy/precision with shooters using a scope is viewing both the crosshairs and target with both focused on a flat, 2 dimensional plane. This can also contribute to target panic and/or poor trigger control. Similar to achieving accuracy with a handgun(focusing only on the front sight), it's critical to train your eye to focus only on the crosshair, the target appears out of focus, and being sure that your following through until the bullet leaves the barrel. With practice, the process of achieving focus on the crosshair will train the eye and trigger finger to synchronize. IMO.

 

[xsn10s]

But to shoot at a dot with intent is tough.

It could be that you're concentrating on the dot instead of your trigger pull like Greyfox suggested. I say this because whether you're using metallic sights, scope ret, or dot the mental focus is the same. "Sight picture, squeeze." I'm assuming your Grendel is an AR and if the trigger is rough that doesn't help. I hope this helps.

 

[CaptnC]

I'm assuming your Grendel is an AR and if the trigger is rough that doesn't help. I hope this helps.

Both AR's have nice drop in triggers...so I have eliminated the milspec triggers from the equation.

Shooting steel is the easiest, put hair on it, it's not too bad...but put a dot on a piece of paper...we have a problem.

BUT, I'm super pleased with where my reloading is at. Because of my target panic issues I don't shoot ladders and rarely OCW. I just can't trust the shot landed where it was supposed too.

WhIle a Chrony Chronograph gave me an idea where my velocity was, I didn't feel it was accurate enough to say my loads were right. With the addition of the Magnetospeed, it has shown me my reloading practices are sound.

I want to thank all the members here because this site is where I picked up all my tips to produce accurate ammo.

Hopefully with more trigger time I can even improve on that!

 

[xsn10s]

Hmm what type of "dot" from what scope are we speaking of? Some "dots" can be 2 MOA or larger I believe like on Aimpoints. In the past when using dots I tried to use the top of the dot for more precision shooting or printing a group on paper.

 

[CaptnC]

I'm not talking a dot in a optic....it's on the target!

I like to put a red dot in the bull to aim at...

 

[xsn10s]

Instead of placing the whole dot on a bullseye or center of the target you could use a six o clock hold. Or think of the dot as the front sight on metallic FS and place the edge of the dot on the bottom of your bullseye.

 

[xsn10s]

Okay so are you using metallic sights or an optic on your AR?

 

[CaptnC]

Everything is scoped!