Bullet Sorting - or Not

[wkdickinson]

I suppose this is a "get your popcorn ready" question and i know there are already lots of threads with parts of this question. For F-class do your sort bullets? If so, by weight, length or BTO. How do you group them? Does it really matter?

 

[ELR LVR]

I sort mine by weight because I feel the physics of momentary inertia and trying to accelerate a mass has an effect on consistent fps, weights are usually fairly close though, mainly I am trying to catch any bullet that could have accidentally got into the box such as a 107 in a batch of 105's
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I also try to cull out any outliers that are not fairly close in BTO (say .010" over or under the norm)

 

[G Liles]

I sort by OAL

 

[BTP]

Sorting by jacket shade is the secret sauce Weight only for me.

 

[bozo699]

Well I like to be different than everyone else. If I could only do one it would be base to ogive as I believe that’s the most important however everything matters the further past 600 yards you go. I primarily shoot 1000 but do shoot closer and farther so I sort for all three things you mentioned into several groups, I like to do a couple thousand at least with same lot number. I believe it all helps a little and several little things equals smaller groups and higher scores.
Wayne

 

[222Jim]

I'm not an F-Class shooter. But, bullet sorting can matter BUT it's down the list. Based on my analysis, powder & charge along with bullet are #1, then jump, then primer, then the debate is still open between case type, turned neck or not, neck tension, primer pocket uniform, concentricity, chasing the lands as the throat wears, bullet sorting, and assorted other things (brand of Scotch at hand, etc., etc.)

 

[quest450]

for F-class don't waste your time

 

[wkdickinson]

for F-class don't waste your time

Personally, I agree. I think as someone else said, sorting bullets is WAY down the list.

 

[6BRA]

Well I like to be different than everyone else. If I could only do one it would be base to ogive as I believe that’s the most important however everything matters the further past 600 yards you go. I primarily shoot 1000 but do shoot closer and farther so I sort for all three things you mentioned into several groups, I like to do a couple thousand at least with same lot number. I believe it all helps a little and several little things equals smaller groups and higher scores.
Wayne

You can sort base to ogive within .0005 and have a difference in OAL of .010 to .015. I just did this tonight. Agree OAL by itself is a wasted effort in my opinion. OAL in tandem with BTO gives results.

 

[stavey]

I hate to leave any variable unaccounted for. For the 6ppc . I sort by weight and base to ogive.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I sort the ones I drop to the “ only for fire forming” box.

 

[JLittle]

If your shooting F Class your probably using yellow or green or maybe red box bullets. It’s more about finding the out of spec bullet. As an example. Different shaped .30 cal 155 found its way in a box or a 175 or 168 maybe. It does happen. It will likely be at the worst time and land in the wrong scoring ring. Once there sorted why mix them back up.

 

[Chubbs]

You can sort base to ogive within .0005 and have a difference in OAL of .010 to .015. I just did this tonight. Agree OAL by itself is a wasted effort in my opinion. OAL in tandem with BTO gives results.

What is your method/equipment for consistently measuring a .0005" for BTO. Do you rotate the bullet 90° 4 times to get an accurate measurement of the BTO? Does this change between readings. A set of MITUTOYO 500 calipers with a readout of .0005" has an error of +/- .001". The ability to measure 0005" consistently would be beyond most peoples finances and skill. There is a lot of people who believe that as their calipers show a readout of .0005" then that is the actual measurement without taking the calipers margin of error.

 

[Downeast]

As someone once said...

"Believe the Target"

I'm pretty sure that someone on here has empirical data to back up bullet sorting, as well as other intrinsic variables associated with bullets, such as weight, OAL, etc. The more I look into all of this and to some extent doing it as well, I am beginning to believe that most this is based on "feelings".

 

[wkdickinson]

You can sort base to ogive within .0005 and have a difference in OAL of .010 to .015. I just did this tonight. Agree OAL by itself is a wasted effort in my opinion. OAL in tandem with BTO gives results.

A few years ago I was shooting 105 Hybrids and no matter what I did I could not get my OALs consistent. I gave the process a lot of thought and came to conclusion it had to be the bullets. Because the distance from the base to seating stem could not change it had to be something else. To prove it I made a comparitor insert as close in size to the diameter as my bullet seating stem as I could. When I measured the rounds using that comparitor insert, they were all spot-on.

So I then took 100 bullets from the same lot and measured the BTO using the standard Hornady comparitor insert. I was shocked at how inconsistent the measurements were. Many well outside that .010 to .015 range. As I recall I had a few out in the .030-.040 range. Very eye opening.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Base to ogive and diameter are the most important in my opinion.

 

[6BRA]

What is your method/equipment for consistently measuring a .0005" for BTO. Do you rotate the bullet 90° 4 times to get an accurate measurement of the BTO? Does this change between readings. A set of MITUTOYO 500 calipers with a readout of .0005" has an error of +/- .001". The ability to measure 0005" consistently would be beyond most peoples finances and skill. There is a lot of people who believe that as their calipers show a readout of .0005" then that is the actual measurement without taking the calipers margin of error.

Even if my indicator is cheap and it will measure to .0005 BTO...one had better be concerned even if it was off by even 200 percent. Boat Tail bases do vary as you spin the bullet. However they don't vary that much. You don't need this https://www.dialindicator.com/ ,
to see that even custom bullets have variances. You do what you like, and I will do what gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. OAL are off so terribly regardless what bullet, I wouldn't even waste my time just sorting by OAL. its just that...a waste of time.
I have sorted the best of the hand pulls. Berger variances are about double the hand pulls. Hand pulls still need sorting.

If seating depth window is not large and ideally it would be, the bullet alone could throw you out of tune.

 

[Jet]

BR shooter here. Not F Class. You can go down a very deep rabbit hole sorting bullets. If you have the time and patience, sorting them and placing them into sub lots will not decrease the size of your groups. One main reason I started sorting was to eliminate the one or two bullets in a box that could ruin a group. I started with sorting bearing surface with factory bullets and found a wide variance. Then added overall length.

Factory Bullets
-Bearing surface
-OAL
-Seating stem to ogive

Custom Bullets - VT, Barts, etc
-OAL

I just retired and have more time on my hands so I may do a bit more. I don't particularly enjoy sorting but feel it is worthwhile. I have also used a Juenke and Bullet Genie in the past.

 

[dthomas]

For f class I sort all my bullets by x or 10 ring. The rest get used for fowlers. The problem comes in when somehow I miss a bunch of 9 ring bullets and put them with my good ones.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

For f class I sort all my bullets by x or 10 ring. The rest get used for fowlers. The problem comes in when somehow I miss a bunch of 9 ring bullets and put them with my good ones.

Good point so any bullet that shoots a 9 I should never shoot that bullet again. I’m with you brother been there done that