Shooting help/coach wanted in Sunbury area

[Wodez]

Gday
I am a self taught reloader and shooter. I have been reloading for 8 years and hunting/shooting for 15.
I’m after some help with some range time to get the most out of my rifles and help eliminate human error to my groups. I have access to 3 properties within 10 minutes of sunbury Victoria. I was hoping someone with I high level of knowledge and skill would be interested to meet me for some range time to teach me a thing or 2. In return you can bring your own rifles and do your own range time for the day. It may even be handy to put me behind a tack driver if you have one... to see how I go with a proven rifle. As well as getting a proven shooter behind my rifles.

It seems my Sako 85 243 and sako a7 300wm can shoot exceptable .5moa groups one day and then 2moa the next day. All rifles I have had over the years are the same. Good days and bad days.
I know there are veritables from day to day that could effect poi. But it seems I am constantly adjusting scopes on rim fires 1 or 2 moa... or I can shoot .8moa with a center fire then 10 minutes later shoot 1.5moa.
And I have some questions on the reloading side of things. Like I recently changed brass for the 243 to new Peterson brass. I did a ladder test and found a good group at max load. I confirmed with 3 more shots. I had 6 shots at .7 moa. I then loaded some more using the once fired cases I just shot, and found them to be wider in every direction...2moa
I full length sized some brass and Tested volume of new vs once fired(3 of each). The once fired was 1gr above the new.
Should I try a little over max load to compensate for the larger volume?
And more to the point... why does full length sized brass have a different case capacity new vs once fired.
Dies are all the way down, I’m not just bumping the shoulder.

Anyways I believe for a self taught guy I know a thing or 2. I often help my mates out with their reloading and range time. So I’m after someone with a heap of experience and knowledge to help me get consistent groups, and in exchange you can bring your own gear and do your own range time. Might save you going down to little river. And there might be a rabbit or fox around if your lucky.
Cheers

[SCJ429]

Tons of questions there. Do you have a chronograph? What scope are you using? What bullet are you using?

Consistent neck tension has the biggest effect on putting the bullet in the same hole.

You should only just touch the shoulder, if you want to push it back.

If you change something you have changed the load and you have to retest. That is if you change the way you size the case, change primer, brass make, powder type. If you know what speed you were shooting well with, try going back to that speed.

What powder are you using in your 243 and 300 Win Mag. I assume it is not a Weatherby Magnum.

[marksman]

peterson makes the cases for remington, that's why the rem stamp is R P, not to say it isn't good brass

you are on the right track looking at yourself, meaning what/how you are doing, shooting and reloading
but your rifles could probably be tweaked to be more consistent
ladders are good if your rifle is a proven shooter or you are trying a satterlee before an ocw test IMHO

anyway a few things that may help you

http://bankstown-chatswood.org.au/case_prep.html

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACyfeeBHVOA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLeJ8rRUSXc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXxxf0iXuio

that should keep you busy for a while, you have more than likely seen them already having this knowledge but we are all learning and sometimes need to go back to basics, hope it helps

[Madang185]

Wodez,

Live in Sunbury, reckon I could help.

How do we catch up?

[No1_49er]

peterson makes the cases for remington, that's why the rem stamp is R P, not to say it isn't good brass

Perhaps not, marksman.
RP is the abbreviation for Remington-Peters, for which a great deal of historical information exists for the two, formerly separate, company's.

Peterson Cartridge is an entirely separate company built on the premiss that they would produce precision cartridge cases.

They are two separate companies and I do not believe R-P brass is produced by Peterson Cartridge Company.

[marksman]

no worries

l am happy to be corrected when l'm wrong

[Wodez]

Cheers for the help guys
I don’t have a chronograph but might be able to get access to one. What’s an acceptable variance in velocity?
Both scopes are a zeiss conquest hd5 3-15x42

Projectiles
243w- 95gr sst
300 wm-165gr Barnes tsx
Using ar2213sc for both. I know not the best option for 243 but find it time saving when loading both at the same time.

How does one check for inconsistent neck tension. Or how do you get consistent neck tension.

Thanks for the homework Marksman. I had a quick look and there’s some good content there, I’ll have a read.

Madang185 I’ll send you a message

[SCJ429]

You should have enough magnification to shoot consistently. I have had no luck getting SST to shoot groups, they work well when they hit something but they have a secant ogive and are very fussy about seating depth. They need to be jammed or close to which is not possible often for a hunting rifle feeding out of a magizene. I have not used those Barnes but I like a bullet over 200 grains for the 300.

An acceptable variation in velocity is up to you. For me shooting groups I want an ES of less than 10 fps. You need good brass, primers and neck tension to do this. Your powder is fine, you won't miss too much velocity using Short Cut.

You could get a cheap Lee collet die to work on neck tension, you need consistent tension and it is easier to apply small amounts rather than large amounts consistently. If you could apply one thou of tension consistently but you made a mistake on some brass and applied twice as much, you have only applied two thou. I neck turn to ensure consistency, this may not be an option for you. You can buy premium brass which is more consistent in case capacity, neck size and has quality annealing.

In my 243 I use Lapua brass, CCI BR4 or 450 primers. I have a Redding neck bushing die and a Lee collet die. The collet die is fantastic.
The 300 Win Mag uses Norma brass CCI 250 primers and Alliant RL22 powder. I full lengh size the brass in a Forster die. It shoots 200 to 220 grain projectiles.

[marksman]

before l got into using a chrony to check for the flat spots in velocities l got to the same place by doing Dan Newberries method of optimal charge weight
the link is above
after finding a sweet spot l would often get my load checked on someone else's chrony to make sure my velocity was where l wanted it or close to
l usually found the velocity spreads were single digit
l am of the belief now that using the satterlee 10 shot method, then once finding the flat spot do an OCW test around it l am finding the sweet spot easier

l cant remember who it was on the forum here who asked about the satterlee method but l owe him a beer and a thankyou,
see you can always learn something

lMHO the best way to check for inconsistencies in neck tension is by feel when you are seating bullets, although l have a gauge on my arbor press
also lMHO to get good neck tension l only have enough grip on the bullet so that the bullet can not be pulled out or pushed into the case by hand
usually around 2 thou less than the thickness of your neck wall x 2 and your bullet diameter
l polish the inside of my case necks for a smooth release and smooth bullet seating,
l find it better for seating to use a vld chamfer tool so the bullet slides in easy

good luck with it

[Stu222]

Hi Wodez,

I’m in the Sunbury area also. Did you get any improvements in accuracy/consistency?

Cheers,

Stu

[Wodez]

Hi Wodez,

I’m in the Sunbury area also. Did you get any improvements in accuracy/consistency?

Cheers,

Stu

Hey Stu
There’s been a lot of advice and ideas. It’s going to be a long process of elimination. I havnt got around to shooting yet... but I have cleaned the barrels and checked scope rings and action screws.
I’ll be getting closely watched while doing my reloading procedure by another enoughgunner, who is over qualified for the job.
I should be getting out for some range time in the next few weeks

[Stu222]

Hey Wodez,

Any updates? Any improvements?

[Wodez]

Hey Wodez,

Any updates? Any improvements?

Gday Stu222
Yeah there was a slight improvement but still not where I want to be. Still a little inconsistent. but only got out 2 or 3 times. Only once with a chronograph. So still in the load development and checking stage.

No Major changes that coach picked up on.

I’ll be keen to head out once these restrictions lift.
Send me a pm if your keen.

[John]

I’d try a little lighter pill in the .243 and a little heavier in the .300
My .243 performs really well 75 to 87g pills .300 likes 180g
As for loads there something you have to work up for each rifle they all like different loads
I find my 243 preform better on paper just a bit under max .300 like to be just a bit hotter
Work your loads up slowly keep checking cases primer pockets ect if getting over max not something I’d recommend without someone experienced that knows and can show you what to look for