This is What's Ruining Your Rifle's Accuracy
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why dont you do a video on the "browning boss" . nobody else has
I've been reloading since I was a youth with my dad. After venturing out on my own and paying attention to the finite details and getting extra gadgets (they're so worth it), custom handloads are the only way I'll go for all the reasons you called out. Custom bullet, custom seating depth, the powder you use, and the precise grain amounts that you figure out that each rifle likes... It's a no-brainer and much more satisfying to me. Another great video, Sir!
I grew up learning to reload with my grandfather. 35 years later I still enjoy it. There’s something to be said about putting all the skills and time together. It makes what I feel is a true rifleman which is a rare breed nowadays.
ANNNNDDDD its not needed anymore...there is factory ammo out there that is WAY BETTER than most peoples handloads!!
@christopherbenfield7848 for thing I'm not most people! LOL
@@christopherbenfield7848 Again, not many people have bothered to learn the skills it takes to do it right. My original point stands true. Lol
I have been reloading for probably 35 years now. I really don't think you save any money reloading you just shoot a lot more and buy more reloading stuff after 35 years I'm still buying more reloading stuff. Tool heads for every pistol and rifle cartridge you load in high volume. 5 or 6 sets of dies for 25 or 30 different cartridges that load before you know it you are shooting to load instead of loading to shoot. It's not cheep but to me it's worth every penny I just enjoy doing it.
I have been reloading for over 50 years now and my nephew called me because he bought his first new rifle and thought it should be more accurate, I agreed. A trip to the range showed a number of concerns. Cleaning and technique were a couple of problems and we managed to tighten his groups up a little but his Patriot in 6.5 Creedmoor should have shot to 1moa at least. I took the rifle home and started load development. Long story short went from the 143's he was shooting and changed to 130's seated .030" out, blueprinted his brass, moved to a mid-load with still plenty of velocity with a known powder and resized his brass with a .003" bump to the shoulder. Out at the range that rifle put 5 rounds sub 3/4moa no problem. He was sold on handloading so I set him up with a used Lyman Spartan press, a set of Lee dies that were on sale, a electronic scale and all the other small pieces that you would need for $150, many pieces bought used at gun shows. He took my recipe and started cranking out his own ammo, he's hooked and saving a ton of money in ammo costs. A progressive press is nice and turns out fine ammo but if you're looking for accuracy a single stage press, holding charges to a 1/10gr variance and nit-picking detail is what's needed. My own heavy barreled Howa 1500 in 6.5Cm will put 5 rounds into 1/4moa if I do my part with my handloaded 123 ELDm's. All done off my RCll bought all those years ago.
One more thing I feel should be taken into consideration when discussing factory ammunition: Inconsistencies across different lot numbers.
You might buy Hornady match and it shoots great out of your rifle. And the next batch you pick up is a different lot number and now you’re shooting XX fps slower on average and group size increased by XX%
Forget which podcast it was on, but there was a rep from Federal on there that mentioned Federal uses several different recipes that fall within similar performance based on component availability.
I'm Canadian and just filled my bull moose tag this year, used a .308 Win Federal Trophy Copper 165 grain. I know my rifle likes it, I've been using it for years and my safe is filled with dozens of boxes.
@@westhompson574 My dozens of boxes isn't limited by a law. Canada has terrible gun laws, but that doesn't excuse you just assuming things or making up nonsense in your mind.
I have 45 boxes in my safe, that's 900 rounds of just .308.
@@westhompson574 What is the difference you're talking about? I could have hundreds of boxes if I wanted. Literally you're just making up garbage in your mind.
There's enough problems with Canada's terrible gun laws. That doesn't permit you to just make up lies or nonsense in your mind.
I'm not offended by anything you say, but I can still call you out for lying about stuff.
@@westhompson574 Seriously, what are you blathering on about? I have dozens of boxes of 30-06 and I'm Texan.
@@westhompson574your comment doesn’t even make sense!
I’ve been reloading for awhile now, and agree with you about charging for your time for something you love to do. As for the cost, I just figured that the first bullet that I made and shot cost me $1,000, and from then on the cost of the equipment was free. That was one expensive round. Lol
I have been handloading for more than 50 years and love it as a hobby. It allows me to shoot more with better results, any time, and I do not worry about ammo shortages or crazy prices. Great video.
I’m both. If I can catch factory ammo at a good price, I get it, particularly XM193 (5.56). Then I use that brass to reload. I’ve also purchased several hundred once-fired Lake City brass. You have to clean, Polish, and deprime them, but it’s worth it in the long run. When I reload, I don’t weight every charge. I normally weight every third charge. I use a Lee Perfect Powder Measure.
👀👀👀
funny
You are so right about scales, I bit the bullet and spent the 500 dollars for the quality and the accuracy is amazing. Gavin at ultimate reloader is a greater resource. The scale is an A&D EJ-54D2. So happy with it. Get a quality resizing die like the ones from short action customs, and seating die by Redding. Learn to measure and adjust your dies for your rifles headspace, and seating depth to your rifles lands and grooves, and you’ll surpass factory. I read and used the book “Top Grade Ammo” by Zediker it helps a lot when moving from being able to make a cartridge to making precision rounds.
I hand load. I'm 73 and it's a great winter past time. Big money saver ! 59 gr vmax for plinking and 90 cold Berger for hunting. Love my 243 versatility and FRIENDLY FIRE. Keep up with the true stuff 👍
Another consideration- at least for me- is comfort. I have a Henry 45-70 i shoot for fun. With factory loads, I can’t shoot one box in a day. But I’ve been reloading with a lighter powder charge that seems to have no negative impact up to 100 yards and I can shoot more of those since they are easier on my shoulder.
On the other hand, I also reload for my Howa .223 bolt action for accuracy and repeatability.
While I didn’t evaluate costs to the same extent you did, my calculations showed that there hasn’t been a significant cost difference since prices came down last year. I don’t factor in my time because I enjoy reloading and I completely agree with your surfboard analogy.
I’ve gotten good results with factory in certain rifles and I remember in the past laughing how much equipment, components and time it takes for handloaders. But since becoming a handloader, first in pistol, now in rifle as well, I couldn’t imagine shooting with out doing it.
That is a hard question to answer. While I do reload, it is mainly for volume to save money. For instance a friend brought me an ammo can full of pulled 30-06 military 150 grain FMJ projectiles. He thought that perhaps I could develop a 300 Black Out plinking load. I took the time and put together a load testing different powder amounts to find just the right grain for two different rifles. I used a Ruger American Ranch bolt action and an AR15 that I had put together. Surprisingly, both rifles liked the same combination giving me sub MOA groups. So now I have hundreds of pieces of brass to work with, plenty of small rifle primers and a boat load of free projectiles. I can easily load six or seven hundred rounds for very little cost and for nothing more than plinking. I used to buy five to 10 boxes a week of S&B 300 Black Out for about eleven bucks per box of 20, but those days are long gone. The reloading looks a lot better now in order to save me some money on rebuilding my cache of shooting ammo for this cartridge.
I enjoy hand loading and even more at the range when I see positive results from something I made myself. Just wish powder and primers were easier to get so I could try more varieties. I haven't been able to branch out and try other things due to intermittent supply of components so I am sticking to what I know is working. Eventually that should change for the better. Great video once again, always happy to see a new Backfire video get posted.
Anyone remember ammo shortages? I reload and have yet to ever experience an ammo shortage. That's because I buy the components in bulk when they are both available and affordable. Not long ago powder and primers were in short supply and the rules of supply & demand caused huge spikes in prices. Components have returned to a more sane level price wise with availabilty rising so stock up while you can. Oh yea, my handloads are always more accurate than the factory, especially when you figure in barrel life/throat erosion. You'll constantly have to chase done new factory loads as your barrel wears. It's better to do that handloading IMO.
I sure remember primer shortages! Not such a shortage now, but the price of reloading has skyrocketed. Locally, a hundred large rifle primers are $15.00. Gouging bastards they are.
COL is the biggest advantage to hand loads, the biggest mistake many hand loaders make is not using a chronograph.
I'm getting back into reloading after 5 years of not doing it. I'm very excited to get everything going again. I'm one of those that geek out over all the gadgets and go way over board buying stuff. My main concern with starting back is finding primers at a decent cost. I've already been unable to locate large rifle primers for my 6.5 creedmoor.
Lapua made brass with small primer pockets, not sure if they still do.
@@danielrouw2593 looks like I'm going to have to go that route. I've got tons of small rifle primers were I used to reload 5.56. Hopefully they're still good. They're probably 7 or 8 years old.
@@Kentucky.Tactical hopefully we see the end of this shortage. It's making me wonder how hard it is to produce primers. The actual chemical is easy enough to make with kitchen supplies.
@@Kentucky.Tactical , I recently loaded 100 rounds of 9mm with primers that were 30 years old (Clinton era) and they all fired, cycled the action and were accurate. They had been stored in a cool dry place in their factory cartons for all those years. About a week ago I was in the new Scheels sporting goods store in Chandler Arizona and they had shelves of primers $60 to $80 per 1000, no limit. Didn’t see any magnum primers though.
@@jons5898 I had mine stored in the original containers in a plastic tote. You give me hope though. I'll find out soon enough.
I haven’t gone down the rabbit hole of hand loading yet but I do have 2 questions.
1. In general, will what woks best in one rifle (Ex. Your Sig Cross in 6.5 Creedmoor) work nearly as well in another Sig Cross in 6.5 Creedmoor? In other words, in general, will what works in one gun that is the same model and caliber work about as well in a different gun that is the same model and caliber.
2. Will the best seating depth change over time as the chamber gets shot out? Another way to say this is as the distance to the beginning of the rifling changes with use do you need to change the seating depth of the bullet to try and keep the jump to the rifling the same?
I love your channel. Keep up the great work and please keep sharing your knowledge and experience
I reload for cost and accuracy, at least that's what got me started. But what I discovered was sitting in the office reloading took my mind off of daily stresses and current events as the only thing I was thinking about was getting everything right. That reloading press is therapeutic. The only thing I've found better is scuba diving and that's because there's near absolute silence with only the sound of your breathing.
I know there are lots of good reloaders, but I tend to run into one of two types. 1. Bubba handgun reloaders that reuse brass too many times or use bad recipes. 2. The rifle guy that thinks he knows better and can create some high pressure miracle round. These are the guys that blow up guns, get hit in the eye with a scope, have black and blue shoulders.
This was a great video. I'm a reloader and it's my hobby. Started out in 78' when I was a poor enlisted with a $12 Lee Handloader kit (still have it). Love every aspect of reloading, even case prep which I find relaxing. I have saved thousands by reloading and it has payed off all my equipment. But like you elegantly said, the ability to get the best accuracy in your gun is priceless.
I had a Winchester 70 Sporter in 223 Remington that shot six inch three-round patterns at 100 yards with factory ammo. I slapped together some cartridges using 55-grain FMJ and a local concern's smokeless powder and cut that to 2 1/2 inches for five rounds. Zero development; the minimum charge weight was 46 grains and the max was 52, so I set the powder measure to 48 and started loading. And yes, I am either obfuscating the charge weight or flat-out lying about it. A max charge of 3031 under a 55-grain Sierra boattail cut that to about 1 1/4 inch high by 1/2 inch wide. I suspect that a day where the wind wasn't gusting over my right shoulder would have reduced the vertical dispersion a bunch.
I started handloading handgun, was shooting alot, was cheaper after buying all the equipment than factory loads, one cartridge turned into several over the years, newest ones loading for this year, 450 Bushmaster, 30/06 and 44 Remington Magnum
I enjoy see my results on paper, chronograph,
I have gotten some of my loads with a low SD, recently low as ( 6 ), no factory load can do that that I have found
Thirty years ago when I started reloading I was told not to get into it to save money but to get the most accuracy out of a particular load to rifle. It was a little bit cheaper in the long run but I understood what he was saying. It started out as a hobby and ended up an obsession. Most times I start off with reloads and most of my rifles have never fired a "tailor made" load and have all been reloads from hand picked components. Where I do usually save money is with the pistol caliber cartridges like 9mm, 380, 45 acp, 38 and 357; they are so expensive when all you need is about 5 grains of powder to make them go bang and hit the target at ten or twelve paces.
I sometimes go out and buy the best ammo money can buy to do a comparison test against my reloads.
When I buy the ammo I take 5 completely apart and measure every dimension/weight I can with the equipment I have, make a data card, reassemble them, shoot them using a chronograph, record the data and try to replicate what I got when I reload them.
Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes times I don't but often I make ammo that seriously outperforms anything the factory puts out...with the exception of Bergers!
Berger makes awesome ammo and they know it!
I'm strictly a target shooter so my goal is as tight a group as I can get at all distances.
But I think it helps to be OCD to do that and I am seriously OCD when it comes to reloading. I measure and note EVERYTHING. Do I need to? Probably not. Some data I record I don't even know what it means...for now.
I really enjoy this hobby and would do it for free.
I typically have clients I am doing load development for start with a couple boxes of good factory ammo that is similar to what they want to shoot in the end. Something like hornady white box match or precision hunter. I record the velocity, COAL, and accuracy. Sometimes it’s as easy as matching the velocity of that load and messing around with seating depth. Either way I have had very good luck doing a 10 shot ladder test followed by a 20 round seating depth test using .030 , .060, .090 and .120 jumps
Factory ammunition has always sucked! I’ve been hand loading since I was 16 because no one ever put 16ga shotgun shells on sale. Just naturally progressed to rifle and pistol. Just shot a 3 shot group, .308, 150gr Sierra GM, that chronographed all 3 at 2675, all duplicates. Try that with factory.
The reloading cost people forget to factor in is storage space . Obviously you have the space in your spacious home. However you have to take into account the space all of your reloading equipment requires.
Read the first few dozen comments...... Outside neck turning combined with seating depth are my two points of focus for accuracy. Two Anecdotes to illustrate those tasks done: my 30-06 loads for my 1917 Enfield shot similar sized groups in a 1903A3 and a Ruger M77, thus indicating it was a mechanically better matched cartridge to various chambers than factory ammo. And, 6.5 Swede loads for my brother's rifle with its factory barrel were subMOA with the new barrel--the same load in essentially two different rifles. Again, signaling a better mechanical matching of the cartridge to the chamber. Bonus anecdote: loads for my Savage M112 in 338 Lap shot same ~1/2MOA from an acquaintance's M112. I'm convinced that figuring out your gun's best seating depth after neck sizing and neck turning will get most guns to shoot near MOA. Those production steps completed and the gun doesnt shoot well then stop using those salvaged "reclaimed" bullets and get a box of factory new ELDs or Matchkings, or Partitions.
Keep the great videos coming, Jim.
Great info. I enjoy all of your write ups. Took your advice on scopes and trust your judgment.
Love the video Jim! I have wanted to start hand loading since I retired 3 years ago. However I have not purchased any tools to do so yet as I can’t find primers! Haven’t seen a large rifle primer for sale in 3 years. Powder is only now becoming available for internet purchases and hazmat fees make it so expensive. Local stores are always stripped of powder here in southeast US. Just can’t find components in my area! It’s aggravating!
You can buy barrel tuners that fit on the threaded end and you can tune to a load.
A lot of factory ammo is pretty good these days. But accuracy is consistency. Reloading allows you to custom tailor your loads and stick with a good one. You can stick with a single good factory load, but you cant custom tailor it for your particular rifle.
Bergara B-14 in 6.5PRC, Hornady Precision hunter and it’ll shoot under 1/2” easy, and better than I can usually shoot.
And yes, I also hand load for it too.
I just picked up a box of Winchester (white box) 223, 55gr, FMJ and it was a tack driver out of my 14.5 barrel, sub MOA, I was surprized but have another type of ammo that I know will be accurate, that may depend on what the long term quality will bring.
In my experiences your energy is best focused on proper cleaning and preparation, loctite is an adhesive after all and your gun is typically contaminated with various lubricants, protectants and greases that are very much working against you. I'd be willing to bet that the failures you've experienced were from contamination preventing proper performance. Especially if you are hunting, you shouldn't be exceeding the failure temp of the loctite. For a range setup, you may need to changed adhesives to handle the increased temps.
At this point I don’t care if reloading is saving me money or not the distraction of being able to just focus on a single task and block everything out is worth more to me than saving time by buying a box at the store
Handloading is the way to go but if time is an issue and you have a few guns that shoot amazing like 1/2" moa it's hard to spend the time . Great video!!!
I think hand loading really shines is in odd/newer cartridges like 6.5 prc. 450 bushmaster is way over priced for what it is. I use 45 colt bullets and it much cheaper to shoot
I have tried the Remington tipped amo in a handful of calibers. Its been very good in accuracy for me.
You once said you like your Ruger's. Review the Ruger Hawkeye hunter. I still love my 2 M77's. Yard sales have reloading equipment, some great deals come by every now and then.
I always thought that copper solids are more consistent, but don't have the density that fmj's have.
The main reason I handload these days is because I enjoy it! I also like wildcats and tinkering around with basically everything so it’s a perfect hobby for me.
Lol the “Blaze Orange” shirt with no blaze orange is the masculine “Pink” brand where ladies wear clothing with “Pink” label but no actual pink color. I get it
I hesitate to mention it because they are so expensive, but powder charging with an Auto Tricker, Super Tricker or a Prometheus are ridiculously accurate
I go back and forth on reloading. It was a lot cheaper a few years back when i started when you could get primers for 3 cents a piece and powder was easy to find too.
Everything is cheaper in the past. The Fed inflates the currency intentionally to stimulate spending.
I have a couple of inherited rifles in 300 Savage and 32 Winchester Special. On the rare occasion that I can find ammo it's exorbitant. So, yeah, I reload.
Handloading nobie :
Might not be able to trim or clean the brass … be consistent
Factory can be more consistent, they do test per batch , and more testing per lot . New materials used (the brass is made there on the spot and not recycle ) same for the primer , all metals are wash,clean , coated .
But it also depends on the people inspecting these batches of ammo , I’ve seen people who stares off into space while ammo are flying by them .
I’ve seen people on the line fall asleep and pass questionable ammo ..
Some shifts have poor quailing control and even us (different shift ) reporting it , nothing gets done .
Nice video. Ages ago when I reloaded, I tried to achieve the best performance, accuracy and cost. My question was always, what combination of brass, primer, powder and bullet will give best performance for lowest cost. On the flip side, for competition, accuracy only was the goal, regardless of the cost. So, I liked your video, good job, sir.
You also have to have the room for all the reloading equipment.
I have equipment but no space for it.😮
I'm both a reloader and factory ammo guy, depending on the caliber and use.
Powder load, bullet weight, depth of seat and barrel harmonics all play a role in accuracy.
I think one thing isn't taken into consideration is how was the first shot. Shooting groups are great but how many shots do we really have at a white tail for example? I shoot groups and since my range is at my house I will go out each day and see what the first round in a cold barrel does. Most of the time it's the load and depth that had the best group. But not always.
In my reloading experience...companies like Starline, Lapua, Peterson, and others, who don't offer loaded ammo, but offer HIGH quality brass, is a massive advantage in hand loading.
Agreed. Lapua brass is fantastic. Feels like cheating.
Excellent synopsis Jim. But I feel you may have left out one key element. That is, the role of the data books that reloaders use a guide when building their loads. Is it really much different than factory ammo if and when they follow the same data points?
I'm on the fence. I have a 7mm rem mag Browning ABolt that averages 1.5-2.0 MOA with factory loads. I could try reloading to see if I can get it down to MOA, or I could use that money to buy a new rifle.
Just looking at the box price of ammo makes me go holy shit this is how much people paying for the cheapest small box ammo.
seeing gas prices doubling isn't that bad if your driving fuel efficient vehicle but paying double price for ammo holy molly that's enough to make grown man cry figuratively speaking.
Factory ammo is ok.. with handloading. It relaxes me and I really enjoy it.
I don't hunt, but I do shoot out to two miles or further. You just can't shoot out that far with factory ammo. Everyone who shoots that far is handloading, period.
I’m quite certain I can shoot two miles with factory ammo, just not sure exactly where the bullet will land 🤷♂️
I've been watching your videos. Very informative and I enjoy them.
I have a question on another subject. A inexpensive spotting scope to see .223 shots at 100 yards.
What would you recommend?
Thank you,
Jeff D
I haven't bought factory ammo in years other than .22 ammo .
I've been hand loading for 47 years. Have tailored many rounds for many rifles. My rifle now, a built 6.5 Creedmoor AR10 will shoot the 140 gr Hornady Black into one ragged hole. My handloads mimic this load so it does the same with them. I lucked out on this one.
I got into reloading bc I started shooting 26 nosler and 300 wby mag and 270 wsm and saves a lot of money over factory ammo
I see a recipe of disaster in handloading for myself. Reason is what you mentioned in the beginning of the video. You can tweak this or tweak that. As a complete noob, how would I know what to tweak for a specific rifle? Trail and error?
Yes, trial and error. Getting a good set of calipers and precision oal tools are a good start.
Don’t forget that all important reloading manual 😅
Sometimes changing only one thing can have a magical effect. but it may take more than a few trips to the range.
But, when you finally find that load that perfectly dials-in on your rifle, and cloverleafs a tiny group at 100 or more yards/meters... it'll make you smile !!!
Overall length/ bullet seating depth is usually the place to start.
But, yes, unfortunately, like cooking something new, it can take more than a few tries to get it right... just keep adding that pinch of salt. You'll get there.
( I originally did a much longer answer, but the jist of it is here.)
Reloading can be a fairly pricey endeavor ... as much as buying a decent firearm in the first place. But it's a skill that you'll have forever, and it can be applied to almost every firearm you own ( not Rimfires, obviously).
We get Ammo delivered by the 55 gallon drum, yes seriously. The ammo is not special nor are we. How do we keep effective and accurate, repetition, practice and fundamentals.
1.5/2 moa is great for hunting at normal distances. Most hunters don’t even shoot past 100/200 yards
But I get it the confidence that u. Get from bug hole sub moa groups is very nice
In my 42 years of experience, I immediately found, I could easily, make better than factory ammo, with a simple Lee Classic loader, out to 100 yards.
I have since vastly upgraded my reloading bench, I spend much more time on case prep & I feel I make exceptional ammo, for me, out to 200 yards.
HOWEVER ☝️
For some shooters, my ammo would not nearly be good enough.
“Accurate” is a subjective term & means different things to different people & they have differing accuracy expectations, per shooting event & from gun to gun.
First you must define your accuracy expectations, at what yardage & how much you expect to shoot, when & where.
Now you can decide if hand-loading is worth it.
Is voiding a guns warranty a concern when reloading
consistency.. that's the most important aspect, remove as many variables as possible.
Factory ammo is the best it has everbeen as long as you over look the last 3-4 years. Hand loads are always better. If for no other reason because you can load what ever bullet you want. I will likely never go hunting with factory Hornady ammo. Love their bullets for target work but not for hunting. 6.5CM or 6.5PRC with a Nosler Partition are game changers for hunting.
I use both :) Hunting my own reload.
Annealing your brass will double the life of your brass, check out the Anealeze machines
If gold is good to have as a backup currency, then why do gold sellers sell gold? Are they selling at a higher price than its worth?
My Sig Cross 308 will shoot under a half inch at 100yds with factory ammo!
Have you ever tried the Norma Bondstrike long range ammo?
Are you ever going to do a video on The new Weatherby 307???
I’ve been shooting factory ammo my whole life. But I’ve recently bought a nice RCBS reloading kit but I’ve yet to set it up. I’m getting all the components together.
Assuming your cross is a 6.5 CM what is your load for it?
I have reloaded for fifty+ years and really can't recall the last game animal I have taken with factory ammunition. That aside, I generally try to make the most consistent ammunition I can make, when I am trying to shoot itty bitty groups, I go to the added work of separating brass and bullets by weight, neck turning the brass, chamfering flash holes, seating to a precise depth and this is all based on the load development data created when working up the loads. Accuracy is paramount, if you can't hit precisely where you want to, What's the point?
Hand loading would be great thousands and thousands of dollars of equipment and no primers that's the problem but good info
Handloading helps some rifles, and doesn’t do much for others. The biggest thing ruining most people’s accuracy is running crappy factory rifles.
I use mechanical scales
My 30-06 can group juts under and inch using Fed premium ammo. Could I do better with handloads? Maybe. But, since I haven't seen a primer for sale in at least 2 years, whatcha suggest?
Great info
Whooooaaa ho hooo....just heard you say can't change seating depth with factory ammo. Not so fast there. You are correct in MOST cases. However, some factory ammo does not come with a crimp and you can alter depth but I've only done it to seat bullets deeper. Case in point and it was an improvement:
First Tikka was a T3x stainless in 308. Not overly impressed with accuracy. Thus, having a Brux barrel on hand, I had my builder switch out barrels and I got an AG Composite stock for it. Turned out his 308 match reamer did not allow factory Norma Whitetail 150 grain to even chamber. However, Federal and Hornady factory ammo chambers and shoots fine. But I was measuring the Norma factory ammo, base to ogive and noticed this ammo is not crimped. I chose to start seating the ammo deeper by .005 increments until it chambered. Turns out this was an excellent idea and it shoots this modified Norma Whitetail factory ammo in the 0.3s at 100 yards for 3 shot groups which I am more than pleased. Of course I can hand load for it. I have 300 pieces of new Lapua cases ready but don't need to go down that road. I got a case of the factory ammo on hand which will last me years
I guess a more correct statement would be that practically nobody does. Certainly possible to push the bullet down a bit but it’d be tough to seat it out.
@@backfire Yea I would have no interest in using a bullet puller to seat them out. It was a one way test for me and turned out to work perfectly in that 308 and also in a couple other cartridges
Look at HSM ammo, very affordable I think and great accuracy for factory ammo
Do you think they will make a gen 2 cross with the updated features that the magnum cross has?
Maybe my guns are too cheap because my AR and my Ruger American in 6.5 Grendel shoot great with Hornady custom 123gr SST
What about Weatherby rifles and Weatherby Ammo ?
Stop it with if you "Pay Yourself"!!!!
It's a Hobby. You don't pay Yourself to go Golf, Fish, Hunt!!!
You Don't Pay Yourself to buy ammo.
So Stop it w Pay Yourself for reloading!!!!!
If that's your train of thought then do it w everything, Pay yourself for doing the Lawn, going grocery shopping, doing laundry, washing your vehicle, sitting on the couch watching RUclips!!!!!!
Just my opinion, seating depth is critical. Getting the bullet just off the rifling almost always provides the best accuracy. The length of the magazine plays a big role in this. Few rifles allow for a round to “kiss” the rifling because of the magazine length. Some rifles have more free bore to “guarantee” safe pressures, Remington, Ruger, and Weatherby come to mind. Some rifles are a handloaders dreams! One such rifle is the, much maligned by you, Thompson Compass as well as most of the now defunct Thompson product line. Generous magazine length, standard free bore, and generally great barrels. Yes there have been hiccups from time to time but Thompson always stood behind their products. We are at a great loss now that they are gone. They provided and outstanding product at a great price with excellent engineering. 😢I never understood that the Dimension didn’t change the rifle world! I should have bought one.
Could I ask you a question? Do you find optimal seating depth before the ladder test with powder? Wondering what to do first. I never messed with seating depth and have been able to usually get half MOA with ladder test.
What handload recipe are you using for the sig cross?
Spot on video
Me and my ibi barrel on my 6.5 creedmoor must be very lucky because hornady 147gr factory shoots sub moa and my hand load thats just seated to mag length is also sub moa out to 500m atleast, i think maybe people put to much brain mush into reloading lol
Bergara rifles are garbage. Mine can't shoot handloads or factory ammo. The only load it shoots well is gold medal match, which conveniently is the only ammo the guarantee to be sub moa
If you can hit what you're aiming at one shot is all it takes, grouping doesn't matter.
it's a matter of repeatability. If you can hit the point of aim on one shot and you hit 4 inches away on your next shot, then you really have no idea where the bullet will hit when it counts. so grouping really does matter.
@@m444ss If you can hit the point of aim it will be dead.
Walmart has the best ammo. Federal Range in the tan box
It use to be that ammo was getting so cheap it did not save a whole lot as ammo was getting better. Now factory ammo is at crazy prices, where hand loading is getting cheaper again. Now our suppliers realized that, and our components to make ammo are getting just as crazy with there prices. You have to shop around a lot more even if the stores have it and then buying in bulk to save any kind of money. There is no loyalty to any stores anymore. Its who has the products you need. That hurts the big names more then they they think. They are creating shoppers that go everywhere now. Instead of one stop shop
Use a quality brass.