Reloading - next steps?

[Rook57]

Attended my first club f-class match at 530 yards. I did ok I think, but definitely have room to improve (4th out of 9 in my division). Wind was about 20 mph in our face and started gusting to 35mph and switching from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. First time shooting from the prone. Shooting off front and rear bags.

So I have a few questions:

I am running a trued Rem 700, 280 AI, 26" Krieger 5R barrel, 1:8.5, Nosler "factory" brass, h4831, 162 Eld-m, BR2 primer, .020" off, avg. 2990, Es 16, sd 5.4.

I weight sort my brass, but haven't weight sorted my bullets.

Questions:

1) of course practice will help the most, but would changing or weight sorting bullets help?

2) would I be better served off of a bipod?

3) any other advice?

 

[L.Sherm]

I wouldn't worry so much about weight on your bullets, I would be more concerned with Base To Ogive. Have you tried different primers to see if your grouping is better? what about a seating depth test?

 

[25WSM]

I would use a 180 grain bullet with a higher bc. This will help you alot in windy conditions. At 530 yards it may be a wash between the speed of lighter bullet and the bc of slower heavier bullet but when you get to a 1000 yard match it will make alot of difference on windy days.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

I ran numbers for the 180eldm at 2900fps for you. It will shoot 1.6 inches less drift at 500 yards in a 10mph crosswind. At 1000 yards it would be 8 inches less. So if you have the same accuracy with both bullets the 180 will disperse less in the wind.
Shep

 

[Rook57]

I just don't think I can get a 180 to do more than 2750ish.

Seating depth as is, grouping .35" at 100 yards definitely need to do more testing

 

[25WSM]

I was easily getting 2900 with rl26 and 180eldm. Eldms are not very sensitive to seating depth. They will shoot jammed or jumped. You still need to find the right distance for your gun. They just are not too picky. I find the bc to be very close at 1000 yards. I mostly shoot 147eldm in a Creed for my 1000yard comp. It likeds. 017 jump.
My 280ai barrel for my match gun likes . 015 jumped or . 010 jammed the best.
Rl23 and rl26 both do well in the 280ai.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

This is my Creed testing seating depths.
Shep

 

[L.Sherm]

I just don't think I can get a 180 to do more than 2750ish.

Seating depth as is, grouping .35" at 100 yards definitely need to do more testing

I wouldnt care what my loads were at 100 if I was competing at 500-600 I've seen 1 hole groups at 100 fall apart at 500-600.
If possible do all your testing at distance you plan to shoot.