New (again) to reloading question.

[SavageHunter11]

I'm getting back into reloading, I used to do it in college to save money for shooting range shenanigans. I would do it quick with a powder thrower and if it was within a grain (sometimes 2) of the load I worked up it was good to go. So I never really had much for accuracy. Now that I'm older and I would like to think a bit smarter I want to start reloading for accuracy for some of the nicer rifles I have built/bought. I have some questions on accuracy. Does bullet play a large role in a reload? What I mean is, if I choose to shoot a Berger 300gr bullet out of my 338 Lapua instead of the Nosler 300gr bullet, can one bullet have a significantly higher accuracy than the other? Do I need to buy all the 300gr bullets for the Lapua and all the 140gr bullets for my Creedmoor and dial in what bullet my gun likes best? Or will proper seating depth and powder charge be the main factors in the accuracy of my load? Also both guns do have twist rates suitable for the weights I would like to use

 

[PGJPJ]

I'm in no way an expert.

In my experience (maybe 12 years of reloading for hunting rifles, not competition) I found that there are certain bullets that will work for almost everyone. But there will always seem to be an exception, where they just won't seem to work for someone, and they need to move on to something else. But for me, Nosler Accubonds or Ballistic Tips seem to do well in just about everything I shoot. Same with many of the Hornady bullets.

So, see what most guys like to shoot and give it a try. It will most likely work well for you. If not, there should be a second bullet that everyone seems to be shooting, and try that one. Most likely you'll find something pretty quickly.

I'd like to know what the physics behind a barrel not 'liking' a certain bullet. Might have something to do with the ogive, and how the chamber is cut. Maybe it has to do with the crown, and if a bullet has a boat tail. I'm not totally clear on that. But it seems to happen.

 

[Darkker]

.
1) I would do it quick with a powder thrower and if it was within a grain (sometimes 2) of the load...
2) Does bullet play a large role in a reload? can one bullet have a significantly higher accuracy than the other?
3) Do I need to buy all the 300gr bullets for the Lapua and all the 140gr bullets for my Creedmoor and dial in what bullet my gun likes best?
4) Or will proper seating depth and powder charge be the main factors in the accuracy of my load?
5) Also both guns do have twist rates suitable for the weights I would like to use

1) Nothing wrong with volume, but don't let people who don't understand the difference tell you it's about weight. Other than a VMD, I haven't weighed, nor check for a weight, in over a decade. I shoot a couple rifles to a mile, hasn't caused me any disadvantage.
2) Unless you give a lot more detail, or can razzle us with your marksmanship; we can't answer that. What is "significantly different" to you? Are you prepared to actually do load work, or just ask for a load online? Are you shooting for 1-hole groups at a mile, or are you going for minute of barn at 300?
Not saying any answer is wrong, but there isn't an easy answer without any of that. If you want to talk jacket tolerances and run-out, then not significantly different. If you want to talk dispersion at distance, then the BC difference matters.
3) That's up to you. Personally, and I'm sure this will ****-off someone with a favorite brand tattooed on their ***; No. 85% of the shooters out there are just too uninvolved/lazy to realize it. Again there is nuance, but it is truly rare to buy a match bullet that won't shoot. Some will be easier to make shoot a little better a little quicker, but something else is wrong if "it won't shoot".
4) Proper charge mostly. Despite claims otherwise, I find most bullets to be stunningly immune to seating depth. That is a fine tuning bit, not a make or break.
5) If this was truly meant as a statement, then let's clear the air on this subject.
Bullet "weight" doesn't matter to stability, bullet LENGTH matters. Not all 300gr bullets are the same length.
See lengths at this JBM site:
JBM - Calculations - Stability
Look them up from the menu on the left. You can either use that calculator, or Berger's to get an idea of stability. I personally like Berger's as it is a little more specific about BC with the extra rotation, but lacks any warning about maximum RPM. Though to be fair, that's mostly an issue in varmint cartridges.

Cheers

 

[RoadKill]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php

 

[roninflag]

do they a have Krieger barrel?

 

[Wachsmann]

I think Darkker has pointed out a lot of good points. Also one of the issue that I have found with trying to get bullets to shoot or those one that just don't seem to shoot good can be quality control of there own bullet. I have some 142 accubond LR's and been having a some difficult time trying to group. First off I really don't like to take the time to sort bullets. Being lazy this way. After a few range trips I started measuring the bearing surface on the bulletrs. There is some definite differences on the same box that I bought. I sorted the rest by bearing surface and weight. Groups are tightening up. This is just one example. But on the other hand just my experience the bergers, hornady, and seria match kings seem to be more consistent and I don't have to sort them. Now with this said I generally stop tuning on a load when I reach 1/2 MOA at 200 yards. This generally gets me to 1000yrds with a 1 MOA shot. With all this said I have shot Bergers the most and have never had to sort, once tuned just pick straight out of the box. My hornady 220 ELD-X are also proving very easy to tune and seem to be very consistent as well.

 

[SavageHunter11]

I think Darkker has pointed out a lot of good points. Also one of the issue that I have found with trying to get bullets to shoot or those one that just don't seem to shoot good can be quality control of there own bullet. I have some 142 accubond LR's and been having a some difficult time trying to group. First off I really don't like to take the time to sort bullets. Being lazy this way. After a few range trips I started measuring the bearing surface on the bulletrs. There is some definite differences on the same box that I bought. I sorted the rest by bearing surface and weight. Groups are tightening up. This is just one example. But on the other hand just my experience the bergers, hornady, and seria match kings seem to be more consistent and I don't have to sort them. Now with this said I generally stop tuning on a load when I reach 1/2 MOA at 200 yards. This generally gets me to 1000yrds with a 1 MOA shot. With all this said I have shot Bergers the most and have never had to sort, once tuned just pick straight out of the box. My hornady 220 ELD-X are also proving very easy to tune and seem to be very consistent as well.

This is all a lot of good information. It sounds like, if I want to squeeze every last bit of accuracy out of my rifles then yes I will probably need to find the one bullet with that one powder to get it perfect. But for the most part that sounds like what I would gain trying to find that combo would be minimal and most reputable manufacturers will have a bullet that I will be able to find a load that will work. Sounds like I would spend my time better by sorting brass and bullets and verifying every powder charger is even rather than stressing about the bullet for the most part.