Real world experience on difference batches of powder or bullets

[Greyfox]

My new lot of varget for my 308 dropped from 2678fps to 2657fps. Drops confirmed to 1300yds

This type of range has been my experience, that's .8%, and probably considered typical. I have found that .1gr adjustment effects velocity by approximately 5 FPS....for correction.
I have developed a habit of acquiring large quantities of the same lot,...if feasible. Same goes for primers, bullets, and brass. I generally buy enough to last the life of a barrel with my PRS rifles. Works out well.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I haven't had much or any with bullets problems. I generally use Nosler, Sierra. Powders, at one time was almost impossible to get, and I purchase larger lots or 8 lbs. For my 12 gauge I use blue dot in 5 lbs lots, just vary the shot size depending what I am hunting. I hadn't noted much in change in bullets and velocity with the powder I used. Primers are different thing for rifles. I generally use federal 210 primers. Not mag primers. If I change primers, I reduce the powder charge by about 5 grains in a case that holds 70 grains normally, and increase by .5 grains per round watching for pressure signs. The other is I weight all my cases, and cut the necks. With 70 gr+ charge, a pound of powder doesn't go very far. So a 1 lbs only does about 75 round. So I would say 8 lbs are in order at a time. The 1- lbs storage is a great way to store the powder.

SSS
Mile

 

[Canhunter35]

This type of range has been my experience, that's .8%, and probably considered typical. I have found that .1gr adjustment effects velocity by approximately 5 FPS....for correction.
I have developed a habit of acquiring large quantities of the same lot,...if feasible. Same goes for primers, bullets, and brass. I generally buy enough to last the life of a barrel with my PRS rifles. Works out well.

Yeah I try to do the same with single lot of powder per barrel, but it takes a lot with a 308, 2500 rounds later barrel is still doing well and I bought enough powder for another 1000rounds.
I don't know what hornady does, but I've experienced big swings in lot to lot differences between hornady match bullets, less in Sierra in lapua, actually basically none on lapua scenars

 

[Fishnut]

I've had a load for my .300 Wby change a bunch by going from one powder lot to another. I was using RL 19 in a load and the next time I loaded the same load it was probably 10% hotter than before. Blew a primer and scared the crap out of me. Velocity went up 200 fps and the bolt had to be pounded open with a mallet.
Bullet lots have never been an issue with me.

 

[freddiej]

Big Eclipse, real world as it gets. I have had, reloaded for dozens of cartridges over many batches of powders and numerous slugs (lots and manufacturers).
here is what I have found.
for match accuracy, redoing the load is imperative for the best accuracy. (sub 1/2 MOA)
for hunting, no so much. I found that when I went from batch to batch with my 270 Win, 338 W/M, 375 H&H, 45-70, 300 W/M, my POI was shifted a bit and I changed my loads to compensate for the shift in POI versus POA. in a few instances, I grouped better at the higher POI and changed my POA on the scope. only once with my 270 WIN did I ever have to totally rebrew my whole load. that is when I was told that AA 3100 was discontinued. That was a really sad day.
Now if you combine these two, which long range hunting is, then rebrewing of your load might just be the best idea or at least testing out the load with another lot# of powder. if POI and grouping are better then change the POA. IF not, then rebrew the load to mimic the last batch of powder with reducing or increasing the powder charge to hit within the an inch of the last load. I find myself doing this for my fast twist guns. (longer range) I know my 338 Lapua sure does love to stretch my effective distances farther than I am normally comfortable shooting. my light tactical sniper rifle just might become my favorite extended range hunting rifle.

 

[22Kreedmire]

Ran out of h4350 in 8#er the other day. Switched to a couple 1#ers I have. Old load 22creedmoor. 41.0gr 75 eldm. 2.100" bto. 3500fps. New load same as before but new lot of powder - 3436fps. Same accuracy. Bullet lots affect things to but it's usually so small you can't tell.

 

[Tech4]

I look for accuracy velocity node where the in a powder range for example 58.9,59,59.1. as a last check I load all three and shoot them into one group to check for consistency and then I load to the middle charge so when I have to buy more powder all is good. I have not had any problems when I retest the load. I know it is a different way of doing it please try it before you tell me I will not work because it does.

 

[RT2506]

I have been hand loading for 41 years. Here is what I have learned. First as to different results with different lots of powers. WHICH POWDERS? With ball powders you can have a pretty good difference in velocity from one day to the next with the same powder out of the same can because the temperature has gone up or down 20*. With stick powders there is much less of this. Then there is the matter of how you are measuring this velocity? Change something minutely with the device being used and you get different results.
I can't really remember having any huge differences with powders that I have used. Probably 90% of the powders I have used are stick powders which most have been IMR, Hodgdon or Accurate for rifles.

With bullets I have had only one serious difference.
I was about 35 years ago. It was with 145 Speer Grand Slam bullets in a 7mm Rem mag. I learned a few lessons in this episode. I had worked up a load using AA3100 that was super accurate. I was loading the bullet 5 thousands off the lands of my Rem. 700 7 Rem. mag. I was doing my measurement from base of case to tip of bullets back then because nobody had come up with an affordable ogive to base of case tool. Since these Speer bullets came in 50 round boxes if doubled your chance of something being different. I went deer hunting one morning and got to the stand way before light. I did not load my rifle until I was in the stand. Sat there all morning until nature was YELLING to go empty the coffee I had drank earlier. I decided to go to the truck and answer natures call and eat a little lunch and then return to the stand for the afternoon. I normally did not do this but it was during the rut so you never knew when old big one would be out and about.

When I went to eject the round I had in my chamber so I could climb down out of the stand safely all that came out was the case. The bullet had stuck in the bore and the power poured all down in the action. While walking the about a mile out to my truck, yes you guessed it. One of the biggest bucks I have ever seen steps out into the old logging road not 50 yards from me and just stands there staring at me. All I could do was watch him until he decides to walk off. I had no cleaning rod nor tools to take my rifle out of the stock and no cleaning stuff to clean the powder out of the action in my truck. I had to drive 28 miles to where my camper was parked to get fix the rifle. Then drive back for the afternoon hunt. Turned out that the bullets tip to ogive measurement was different which cause the ogive to jam into the lands and caused the bullet to stick. I was lucky I had another rifle as a back up or my hunting trip would have really been messed up.

Lessons learned.
1. For hunting ammo never load a bullet closer than 10 thousands of lands and check function of ammo before going hunting.
(These days I measure from base to ogive of my ammo.)
2. Always have tools and cleaning kit with you.
(These days I have a piece of heavy weed eater line with a button formed on one end by melting that will hold a patch that is long enough to push through the bore. I keep cleaning patches and some cleaning solvent in a zip lock bag in my butt pack.)
3. Carry a pistol that will handle the game I pursue just in case.