So ive been shooting factory ammo in my 250. Great for hunting. Happy with the groups I can achieve. But im always getting flyers when im shooting paper and id like to get some reloads that I know are all consistent.
Is there a company out there that would do this for me? I really dont have the time or want to buy all the equipment. Im not looking for a 1000 rounds or anything just enough to keep me coyote hunting and check my zero once a year.
Yes and no. There are a few custom shops that will load to your specification. To do it right, you need your gun there so each test load can be shot and changed as needed. I load for a few close friends. I try to warn them, and it always falls on deaf ears. You can easily spend a couple hundred on components before getting that right load dialed in.
How bad are your flyers?
There isn’t a rhyme or reason to the flyers. One box of ammo will be 4 to 5 inch one way and then the next I can cover the group with a dime. This is shooting of a bench with a lead sled.
Ive got some reloads for my .300rum and its always been consistent. I dont shoot enough to justify the investment of all the equipment.
Gun is a tikka varmint heavy barrel with vortex scope. Mounts have been check numerous times. It cant be the gun and I really dont think its me as I can get my .300rum to shoot just fine.
Dumb question that I have to ask. Same factory ammo every time. Or different? Example federal premium 55 gr shoots great and Hornady 50 gr is 5″ off and open pattern?
Winchester 55 gr ballistic silvertip groups the best.
I got a case of it after I tried about 6 different brand/weight combination s.
I shot the case up and bought more and they shoot completely different from the previous case. It seems like every box is different. Maybe I got a friday afternoon run of shells?
One thing I’d recommend is measure the overall length (OAL) of your factory ammo and record it box to box.
There are brands of ammo that have significant variances with seating depth and some rifles are very sensitive to this. The key would be to figure out what OAL produces the best groups.
But this is just one factor and the whole advantage to handloading ammo is that you can control many of the variables. The ability to load to a specific OAL, at a specific powder type/charge, etc, etc is what makes handloading worthwhile.
One note about getting started in handloading. I think many guys look at all the toys/bells/whistles and assume that it takes thousands to start handloading. The reality is that the RCBS kits out there for $300 really do contain almost everything you need to get started except bullets, primers, and powder. There are a few things like a micrometer that you also need, but overall the entry price is pretty low.
I load thousands of rounds per year using a RCBS JR3 press that I bought for $20. This replaced an old press that used dies that are no longer available. Until i got a digital scale, I used a powder scale my dad bought in 1965 and I still use the powder measure he got back then. I prime using the press with an auto-prime feed option I got on eBay for $30.
Just to say if you’re thinking about getting into the game, don’t overestimate the budget and whatever you do, do NOT be convinced you need to “go big” with a top of the line progressive press.
Grouse
Some powders are temperature sensitive and nobody really knows what powder commercial company’s use, they can very 100-300 FPS. TFG said I have checked some factory ammo with a digital caliper after this was brought up before. On the average they were close but there were some that were 50 thousandth`s too short.
What is an acceptable level of tolerance when it comes to OAL? 50 thousands is a pretty small number in reality.
Quote:
What is an acceptable level of tolerance when it comes to OAL? 50 thousands is a pretty small number in reality.
When speaking of what tolerances are acceptable, you then are better off paying attention to your COAL, thus using a comparator and measuring off of the ogive versus the tip.
This will give you a true indication on how your factory or custom reloads are as far as consistency in one bullet from another of the same brand or profile in relation to the distance to the lands for consistency.
Mine stay within 0 to 3 thousands for the majority, annealing helps maintain neck tension which in return gives a consistent seating and release under pressure as long as you are picky and consistent with everything else
Watching only you’re over all length – OAL.
The problem with over all lengths – OAL,
Is the Meplat (tip) can be damaged and easily throw you off a few thousands from one bullet to the next (when measuring)unless you are using tipped bullets such as the Hornady amax or of the like.
Cheers
Jeff
Quote:
Quote:
What is an acceptable level of tolerance when it comes to OAL? 50 thousands is a pretty small number in reality.
When speaking of what tolerances are acceptable, you then are better off paying attention to your COAL, thus using a comparator and measuring off of the ogive versus the tip.
This will give you a true indication on how your factory or custom reloads are as far as consistency in one bullet from another of the same brand or profile in relation to the distance to the lands for consistency.Mine stay within 0 to 3 thousands for the majority, annealing helps maintain neck tension which in return gives a consistent seating and release under pressure as long as you are picky and consistent with everything else
Watching only you’re over all length – OAL.
The problem with over all lengths – OAL,Is the Meplat (tip) can be damaged and easily throw you off a few thousands from one bullet to the next (when measuring)unless you are using tipped bullets such as the Hornady amax or of the like.
Cheers
Jeff
Jeff I hope someday we can cross paths and talk guns over a few beers. Id love to pick your brain about a lot of shooting related stuff. We need a iDO roundtable discussion at a fine establishment that serves ice cold beer. 
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
