The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What single thing do you feel gives you the most Accuracy from reloads?

Doodlebugger45 · April 7, 2011, 05:03 PM

You have to start with a good bullet. Both Hornady and Sierra have given me very good results without spending too much money.

Then I have to find the optimum charge weight for whatever powder I decide to use. And then stick close to that optimum powder weight. But some combos of powder/bullet have a very narrow "sweet spot" while some of them have a much wider sweet spot. I like the wide sweet spot much better of course. If that sweet spot is only 0.2 gr wide, then you have to be very meticulous about duplicating it. The other day I was testing some loads and found a very wide sweet spot using H4831 in my 270 WSM. I can go up or down by 0.6 gr from the optimum weight without significant changes in the group. That is very nice later on to know that you don't have to trickle it in down to the last 0.1 gr.

I personally haven't noticed any difference with primers, but I haven't experimented with them a whole lot, using mostly CCI and Winchester.

I have played around with the seating depth relative to the lands. It does change the accuracy a little bit, but if you have found a good optimum charge weight with a broad sweet spot, the seating depth is not as important.

April 7, 2011, 05:03 PM	#11
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	You have to start with a good bullet. Both Hornady and Sierra have given me very good results without spending too much money. Then I have to find the optimum charge weight for whatever powder I decide to use. And then stick close to that optimum powder weight. But some combos of powder/bullet have a very narrow "sweet spot" while some of them have a much wider sweet spot. I like the wide sweet spot much better of course. If that sweet spot is only 0.2 gr wide, then you have to be very meticulous about duplicating it. The other day I was testing some loads and found a very wide sweet spot using H4831 in my 270 WSM. I can go up or down by 0.6 gr from the optimum weight without significant changes in the group. That is very nice later on to know that you don't have to trickle it in down to the last 0.1 gr. I personally haven't noticed any difference with primers, but I haven't experimented with them a whole lot, using mostly CCI and Winchester. I have played around with the seating depth relative to the lands. It does change the accuracy a little bit, but if you have found a good optimum charge weight with a broad sweet spot, the seating depth is not as important.