Inconsistant loaded Ammo...please help

[K22]

I'm I reading this right, your shooting a .903" at 300 yards. Wow, if that's not competitive I'm glad I'm not a match shooter.

What's the dimensions of the "X" ring in the discipline that your shooting?

 

[Michael Smith]

I'm I reading this right, your shooting a .903" at 300 yards. Wow, if that's not competitive I'm glad I'm not a match shooter.

What's the dimensions of the "X" ring in the discipline that your shooting?

No "x" ring. I place a black .62" reactive sticker on a 6x3" fluorescent index card

 

[dsculley]

If you want something to take your mind off work, get your rifle, make sure it is not loaded, assume a shooting position, acquire a steady sight picture, close your eyes and squeeze the trigger feeling the break, follow through, open your eyes to see if you are still on target. Repeat until work is not even a distant memory.

 

[T-shooter]

Well I just measured all my BTO with a 6mm comparator and had .005 difference across the board. Then I took a 17 cal BTO, which is where the stem on the RCBS die pushes down on. So I'm going to take these numbers and adjust accordingly with my die and see where that puts me. Might also place a order for the Forster ultra seater if this doesn't work.

I use a Redding Competition seater and coat the inside of the case necks with Imperial dry graphite. Still I get slight variations usually not over .001" measured using a Hornady comparator. I check every round as I load them. I usually set the seating die to never go past the depth I want and if it's a little light for whatever reason, a second stroke of the press will usually move it a bit more. My press doesn't cam over and I can seat up to .003" more from a light bottoming out to applying 5-10 lbs pressure on the handle.

 

[KMart]

Even if you have a good chamber type seater, like the RCBS Gold, Forster, or Redding Competition, you have to develop a smooth, easy consistent stroke with your press handle to get consistent seating depth.
Also as T-shooter says use a dry lube of some sort to coat the inside if the case necks.
Another thing that aids in consistent seating is using an expander mandrel of the correct size, after resizing, to set the internal dimension of your case necks correctly.

 

[Jet]

It has been said above and looks like you have done it. Sort your bullets and place into .001 sub lots.

Rich

 

[HTSmith]

Hey folks
it shoots a .903" group at 300 yards. I use a RCBS comp seater that has been for what I think is hit or miss with accuracy of seating depths.

I'm getting a few thousandths difference from base to ogive. 2.280= perfect; but I'm getting those odd balls that are 2.282-2.285.

Sounds like a pretty good problem to have to me. Sometimes drilling out the seating stem and polishing can improve seating consistency. You can even use a little epoxy to make a custom seater. In my experience the Sierra's are not as sensitive to a small amount of variation as the Berger VLD's.

 

[jimmymac]

Dumb questions but I'll ask. Have you cleaned up your shell holder and top of the ram? Dirt buildup could be a problem. Start simple then work to more complex.

Joe R got it right. Seating with threaded dies and a standard press will be more inconsistent than a dedicated Wilson Seater and arbor press setup.

 

[Steelnecktie]

Do you have a VLD seating stem?
Point of bullet may be touching seating stem first, not seating off of ogive.

 

[ireload2]

If you tend to load in marathon sessions the heat from your hands will cause your calipers, press and dies to grow in length. The warm calipers will read short and the press and dies will tend to seat bullets longer than when cold.

 

[Steve Ladino]

Proper annealing fixes tension issues. It doesn't intensify them.

Proper annealing is key although somewhat over rated. Before annealing became so popular I wore a .243 Krieger out and never annealed the same brass fired in it. Annealing doesn't fix a donut which could be developing in this case, neither does annealing fix inconsistencies in Neck wall thickness regardless of how good a neck turner you are. I contend that there are neck tension variables in the most perfectly prepped brass. That combined with springing in the softened upper case wall and shoulder area will cause variables in the variations Being complained about here.