Reloading consistency

[1moaoff]

I have seen alot of wtb ads for components in small quantities lately. As a warning for guys new to this take this into consideration. I am not saying you need to hoard. BUT....

When buying components remeber to buy enough for your purpose. You don't want to have to start over in a rush because you ran out of a component.

Plus shipping averages out much better.

Reloading is about consistency above almost everything else. If you are constantly changing components especially as a new loader you may get frustrated or spend even more valuable time a.d components trying to start over.

Crazy times...
Carry on

 

[Halfnutz]

^^^Spot on.
Waiting for the weather to break here to get some base line data on a new rifle.
Been buying bullets with a 2 box limit as available but all with different lot numbers isn't conducive to consistancy.

 

[spife7980]

Been buying bullets with a 2 box limit as available but all with different lot numbers isn't conducive to consistancy.

Yep, I dont buy bullets unless I can get 1k of them at least to make it worth my time developing.

 

[308Gunner]

This is so true, I used to buy 2 to 500 bullets and a couple of pounds of powder and 500 primers at a time. I could never get my loads to work from lot to lot, I started buying component's for the life of the barrel and have had much better results. There is some sage advise from 1moaoff

 

[Halfnutz]

What amont of change have you seen when switching lot numbers between the same manufactuer of bullets

Yep, I dont buy bullets unless I can get 1k of them at least to make it worth my time developing.

? Worst case?

 

[Milo 2.5]

What amont of change have you seen when switching lot numbers between the same manufactuer of bullets


? Worst case?

Usually just a seat depth change, but it all takes time and money to get to range to test. Hence the frustration aspect.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Counterpoint - I'm a tinkerer, and sometimes I like to try different/strange things in small quantities. I imagine some people like to try a sample before they buy in bulk.

 

[Milo 2.5]

I am seeing a lot of "look what I found at the LGS" posts. 200 primers, lb of powder 200 bullets, I cringe.

 

[spife7980]

What amont of change have you seen when switching lot numbers between the same manufactuer of bullets


? Worst case?

Sometimes the ogives are .010 out from the prior lot which, as milo said, a seating depth change will easily fix. Actually *will fix if even necessary* Sometimes, often times, it works out just fine and shoots the same regardless.

But its the having to check and verify and that extra time and, to a lesser extent, component usage to have confidence in your set up which makes it not worth it to buy in smaller, more costly quantities. Id rather spend that weekend of verification better spent by enjoying and just having enough components to start with.

I still tinker with lots of different bullets, But usually when I tinker I find something that works and then want to run it until Im exhausted by it and not my supply. And if its doesnt shoot and its not something I feel like hanging on for the next barrel then I find it easier to sell a lot of 912 bullets than it is to sell 134 leftovers.

 

[DarinC]

This is why I haven’t bought bullets lately. 2 box limit isn’t worth the shipping cost in a lot of cases unless you’re getting super low.

 

[Halfnutz]

I've landed 600 Hornady and 600 Barnes Match Burners, both in 200 ct increments. Had my Gf get 2 of each the same time I ordered some of mine so there is a chance at least 400 may be the same. I also just orderd 500ct more Match Burners. These fuckers better perform.

New ARC Nucleus, 1 box of 130gr FGGM to get me on paper, 1 box of 140 gr FGMM for practice. Just under 400 140gr American Gunner (2 seperate lots). 2 lbs of 6.5 Staball. 800 WLR primers, 900 Remington LRP. a few hundred Fed match. Sitting better than some but not where I want to be.

Nervous about even attaching the TMB (Tuner Muzzle Break) I should get in April. Might just order a break for the time being.

Singed up for 3 day class in August withh a 2-300 round expectation. Hopeful to score a jug of H4350 and 5k primers before then. Although I'll work with what I have.

 

[whatsupdoc]

I dont worry about bullet lot numbers, most times if the barrel is a good barrel it will pretty
much shoot everything well. The barrel is constantly eroding so making load adjustments
throughout its life is part of the game.

As long as I use the same bullet that I used to develop the load, a different lot number most of the time
just requires a powder charge adjustment and maybe a seating adjustment.
Or maybe no change at all.

 

[Dthomas3523]

This is one reason I like the new Berger designs. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy 4 different lots, dump them all into one box and mix them up.

After that, if you’re loading to a kernel of powder and being consistent on your brass prep, all you need is a chrono to get new speed for your new primer/powder lot.

This is of course assuming you are using high quality products and consistent loading practices. As well as not shooting stuff like 1k F open.

 

[GMZ]

I think a lot of guys are just grabbing anything they can get.

I usually settle on a load before I even get a barrel. I love reloading, I love shooting, I even love collecting and analyzing data. But just I hate endless load development, the waste of time/resources and being stuck on the square range during my shooting days.

As I’ve come along, I find that just buying enough known high quality components at once to burn out the barrel is the easiest thing, that way I’m not effected by anything.

Practically zero chance that Berger Hybrids, Lapua brass, FGMM primers, and H4350 won’t work in a given application so I just easy button that shit.

 

[Halfnutz]

Practically zero chance that Berger Hybrids, Lapua brass, FGMM primers, and H4350 won’t work in a given application so I just easy button that shit.

Is this still available?

 

[1moaoff]

I wasnt even referencing a change in lot #s. Huus buying 200 bullets that can find.
Use a few to find a load. Then they cant find same ones available so they try something different.

+1 on the new bergers

 

[Mike Casselton]

This is one reason I like the new Berger designs. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy 4 different lots, dump them all into one box and mix them up.

After that, if you’re loading to a kernel of powder and being consistent on your brass prep, all you need is a chrono to get new speed for your new primer/powder lot.

This is of course assuming you are using high quality products and consistent loading practices. As well as not shooting stuff like 1k F open.

To support what you just said about Berger bullets.
Walt Berger always had this promise:
"If you're at a BR match and think I'm shooting a better lot of bullets, I'll gladly swap you mine for yours".

Berger was a tiny bit smaller company back then.

But yeah, I wouldn't sweat different lots from them.

 

[sheepdog697]

^^^Spot on.
Waiting for the weather to break here to get some base line data on a new rifle.
Been buying bullets with a 2 box limit as available but all with different lot numbers isn't conducive to consistancy.

Yea hard pass on the 2 limit from midway. Quite a few of the other sites still let you purchase bullets in bulk.