How critical is it for the bullets to weigh the same? Does 1/10th of grain either side make a difference? I'm using SMK 175 HPBT and I noticed there is a slight weight difference between bullets.
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Bullet weight differences
- Thread starter tpropst
- Start date
Re: Bullet weight differences
SMKs are probably some of the most accurate in weight you'll find I notice bigger differences with other brands and types. I imagine it does make some sort of difference but none that I can tell.
SMKs are probably some of the most accurate in weight you'll find I notice bigger differences with other brands and types. I imagine it does make some sort of difference but none that I can tell.
Re: Bullet weight differences
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Noshotheard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How critical is it for the bullets to weigh the same? Does 1/10th of grain either side make a difference? I'm using SMK 175 HPBT and I noticed there is a slight weight difference between bullets. </div></div>
Don't worry about it unless you're a benchrest shooter shooting for the gold cup.
I don't even sweat +/- .5 grains. Just load them up, shoot them and practice.
Chris
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Noshotheard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How critical is it for the bullets to weigh the same? Does 1/10th of grain either side make a difference? I'm using SMK 175 HPBT and I noticed there is a slight weight difference between bullets. </div></div>
Don't worry about it unless you're a benchrest shooter shooting for the gold cup.
I don't even sweat +/- .5 grains. Just load them up, shoot them and practice.
Chris
Re: Bullet weight differences
Of the Sierra bullets I've inspected, it isn't uncommon to find as much as 4.0 grains (yes four grains) difference from light to heavy. And SMKs are just as bad as anything else they make. If you want to really see some differences inspect them on laboratory quality equipment.
Of the Sierra bullets I've inspected, it isn't uncommon to find as much as 4.0 grains (yes four grains) difference from light to heavy. And SMKs are just as bad as anything else they make. If you want to really see some differences inspect them on laboratory quality equipment.
Re: Bullet weight differences
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Of the Sierra bullets I've inspected, it isn't uncommon to find as much as 4.0 grains (yes four grains) difference from light to heavy. And SMKs are just as bad as anything else they make. If you want to really see some differences inspect them on laboratory quality equipment. </div></div>
A good bullet should have 1% or less variation of its total weight and the ones I make are within this 1% range because of double swaged cores . So a good 100 grain bullet should not vary more than 1 grain.
The average bullet is not as close as this and may vary from 2 to 5 % .
Hunting bullets will not be as close in weight tolerance as say BR bullets.
What I do is seperate the bullets into several close tolerance batches and use one batch at a time so all bullets in a group are from the same weight batch. For short range group shooting. For long range shooting I tend to use the batch that has the most amount in it which is the average weight batch so they will conform more closely to a predicted trajectory .
Sometimes you wonder why you do it as the difference is hard to see except for long range shooting.
If I make a batch of close tolerance bullets with double swaged cores then I don't bother to seperate them.
It is not just the batch of bullets that you have that is the problem its the next batch also.
What I mean is that you can get a good lot this time and gain little from sorting but next time they may be not so good.
So sorting is a way of smoothing out some of the variables over a period of time and hence gaining more long term consistancy.
Thats how I look at it . Not just from how well it works with just this small batch today.
As you weigh you can also inspect the base for any nicks or dings as it is very important that the base be perfect.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Of the Sierra bullets I've inspected, it isn't uncommon to find as much as 4.0 grains (yes four grains) difference from light to heavy. And SMKs are just as bad as anything else they make. If you want to really see some differences inspect them on laboratory quality equipment. </div></div>
A good bullet should have 1% or less variation of its total weight and the ones I make are within this 1% range because of double swaged cores . So a good 100 grain bullet should not vary more than 1 grain.
The average bullet is not as close as this and may vary from 2 to 5 % .
Hunting bullets will not be as close in weight tolerance as say BR bullets.
What I do is seperate the bullets into several close tolerance batches and use one batch at a time so all bullets in a group are from the same weight batch. For short range group shooting. For long range shooting I tend to use the batch that has the most amount in it which is the average weight batch so they will conform more closely to a predicted trajectory .
Sometimes you wonder why you do it as the difference is hard to see except for long range shooting.
If I make a batch of close tolerance bullets with double swaged cores then I don't bother to seperate them.
It is not just the batch of bullets that you have that is the problem its the next batch also.
What I mean is that you can get a good lot this time and gain little from sorting but next time they may be not so good.
So sorting is a way of smoothing out some of the variables over a period of time and hence gaining more long term consistancy.
Thats how I look at it . Not just from how well it works with just this small batch today.
As you weigh you can also inspect the base for any nicks or dings as it is very important that the base be perfect.
Re: Bullet weight differences
I started a thread on here in regards to the HORNADY A-MAX having a .6gn variance as i thought this was poor quality for a MATCH grade pill. I also weighed 10 of the 168gn SST's last night and found they were up to 1.8gns over and 1.1gns under. Now i am no bench rest shooter but i love the long range stuff and seriously find it hard to believe this kind of weight difference doesn't have an impact on accuracy esp if i fire these 2 projectiles in one 5rd group with there 2.9gn total weight difference. As i stated in the other thread i weighed the BERGERS and SIERRA and they were all the same weight i even tried the NOSLER/WINCHESTER BT's and they were only out by .2 across 25 pills in the 168, .30cal's
I started a thread on here in regards to the HORNADY A-MAX having a .6gn variance as i thought this was poor quality for a MATCH grade pill. I also weighed 10 of the 168gn SST's last night and found they were up to 1.8gns over and 1.1gns under. Now i am no bench rest shooter but i love the long range stuff and seriously find it hard to believe this kind of weight difference doesn't have an impact on accuracy esp if i fire these 2 projectiles in one 5rd group with there 2.9gn total weight difference. As i stated in the other thread i weighed the BERGERS and SIERRA and they were all the same weight i even tried the NOSLER/WINCHESTER BT's and they were only out by .2 across 25 pills in the 168, .30cal's
Re: Bullet weight differences
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PEACEMAKER</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Now i am no bench rest shooter but i love the long range stuff and seriously find it hard to believe this kind of weight difference doesn't have an impact on accuracy esp if i fire these 2 projectiles in one 5rd group with there 2.9gn total weight difference. </div></div>
I believe you hit it on the head. Having all the same weight in the same group.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PEACEMAKER</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Now i am no bench rest shooter but i love the long range stuff and seriously find it hard to believe this kind of weight difference doesn't have an impact on accuracy esp if i fire these 2 projectiles in one 5rd group with there 2.9gn total weight difference. </div></div>
I believe you hit it on the head. Having all the same weight in the same group.
