match ammo sit time

[swadiver]

hey ya'll. i would like some opinions on how long is too long, for bullets to sit in match ammo cases prior to shooting. conversely, does it matter? cold welding and neck tension change? inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Mikemci]

hey ya'll. i would like some opinions on how long is too long, for bullets to sit in match ammo cases prior to shooting. conversely, does it matter? cold welding and neck tension change? inquiring minds want to know.

I have seen on here, where someone said that he seats his bullets long, then seats them to his proper length just before a match. That makes good sense to me.

 

[lpreddick]

hey ya'll. i would like some opinions on how long is too long, for bullets to sit in match ammo cases prior to shooting. conversely, does it matter? cold welding and neck tension change? inquiring minds want to know.

When I jumped bullets, I loaded some with very accurate loads, 2-3 months later I got different groups...cold bonding...seated some .005 and got a "pop". Since I started seating bullets .020 into the lands I have shot rounds that sat for 1 year and they shot same poi as on day one. I surmise the pressure to overcome neck grip is less than pressure to overcome resistance of the lands.

 

[swadiver]

so, a week to 10 days ahead of time, jumping the bullets, probably not an issue

 

[ShootDots]

If you swab the inside of the necks of the case before seating the bullets with Imperial Dry Neck Lube, I have found you can wait for quite some time. How long? I don't know exactly. Right now, as we "speak", I am doing that with a 7 SAUM to 2 hundred rounds getting ready for the Texas State Rifle Assn. L/ R Championship at the end of April. I have every confidence that the loaded rounds will perform as expected..

 

[JohnKielly]

Never had issues since I started molying. Last weekend at a team practice at 1000, 1100 & 1200 yards, I checked my zeros with loads left over from a match Easter 2016 & they printed within ¼ MOA of the loads I shot next day in practice.

 

[watercam]

David Tubb told me that he loaded his ammo at the beginning of the season and loaded the bullets long. Just before a match he would finish seat those rounds that he was taking to that match.
I have been pre-loading rounds and finish seating them the night before. Breaks any cold weld issues. Works for me.

 

[Pappy42]

I've good luck with Mr. Shootsdots method.

 

[kyreloader]

I load long and seat to proper OAL the night before.

 

[brxbrad]

I've preloaded Ammo as well. It has sat anywhere from 1 week to a month at a time before using it. I haven't noticed any difference than if I loaded it the night before.

 

[swadiver]

thanks for all the input.

right in the middle of loading 400 F/TR .308 rounds for the Orange Blossom F Class competition here in Florida starting next week. going through lots of BR2's, Varget and 185 Juggernauts!

I live 2 hours away from the range where the match is held, so i will probably start to seat bullets on Saturday for the event start on Tuesday

 

[kyreloader]

I've preloaded Ammo as well. It has sat anywhere from 1 week to a month at a time before using it. I haven't noticed any difference than if I loaded it the night before.

Brad, not sure it makes any difference on target, but each time I seat the bullet deeper the night before, there is always a click/pop noise with resistance. Haven't tested with Labradar or specific long range target test, but can't believe the neck tension isn't different. Just haven't tested to see if the neck tension/hold difference shows up on the target. Sure makes me more confident in my load though.

 

[brxbrad]

Brad, not sure it makes any difference on target, but each time I seat the bullet deeper the night before, there is always a click/pop noise with resistance. Haven't tested with Labradar or specific long range target test, but can't believe the neck tension isn't different. Just haven't tested to see if the neck tension/hold difference shows up on the target. Sure makes me more confident in my load though.

I understand what you're saying. I too haven't tested the difference at the range. I'm going to have to do that one day. If it does make a elevation change, wouldn't it change for all? Possibly equally for all? Heck Wade, I never shoot the same from one match to the next to tell the difference. You can only do so much testing. The challenge is still overcoming the conditions and my shooting skills. Ha Ha...

 

[kyreloader]

I understand what you're saying. I too haven't tested the difference at the range. I'm going to have to do that one day. If it does make a elevation change, wouldn't it change for all? Possibly equally for all? Heck Wade, I never shoot the same from one match to the next to tell the difference. You can only do so much testing. The challenge is still overcoming the conditions and my shooting skills. Ha Ha...

Couldn't agree more. I chalk this up to one of those things that makes "me" feel better.

 

[seymour fish]

Never had issues since I started molying. Last weekend at a team practice at 1000, 1100 & 1200 yards, I checked my zeros with loads left over from a match Easter 2016 & they printed within ¼ MOA of the loads I shot next day in practice.

Had some moly-coated in 22-250AI that cold- welded after 20 yrs

 

[tuttlefarm]

2016 World Open in Williamsport, Shawn McCarthy shot small group of the weekend in heavy gun 5.563 with ammo that was loaded in 2013...

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Smallest 1k group ever shot, 2.6 inch 10 shots, ammo loaded the previous year.