More Precise Reloads - What's your advise

[IllKeepMine]

I am looking to increase the precision of my reloads. So far, I was able to get my Rem 700 5R in .308 to shoot a 1.4" 5 shot group at 300 yards using 43.7 grs. Varget, Lapua case, Fed 210 primers. 175 gr. SMK. I am using a RCBS Competition setting die to a COAL of 2.810".

That's measuring along the X and Y axis only, pasters removed.
I am pretty happy with that, but that is not to say that I would like to get even better groups if possible.

What would you suggest? Price of equipment is somewhat a consideration, but the focus is to purchase good equipment for the price. Cheap equipment usually gives cheap results.

 

[jelrod1]

Good shooting.

How are you sizing the cases and also weighing charges? Are you measuring shoulder setback when sizing and know you are consistent?

Only thing I may say from what you have listed is to maybe switch bullets. The SMK for me shows varying meplats and base to ogive dimensions all over the place. Switching to Bergers made things a lot more consistent for me. I'm up at 44.5 of Varget to get in a good node with mine on the 175's.

 

[jonbearman]

To expand on neck turning in a factory gun,you want to skim the neck and it will just remove highs and lows.You use lapua brass so neck turning may not show up very fast.The first thing would be a hornady lock n load case measuring tool that fits on dial calipers to measure the bump you need on the shoulder for smooth bolt operation less working of the brass to much.I would also concur trying different bullets like bergers ,hornadys(168) and others out there.An electronic dispenser would be handy for exacting powder measurements.A powder trickler to top off the measurement of powder on your scale.Set the scale short and trickle up to the desired load.You might get different primers to see if it helps and brass annealing will help even out neck tension due to work hardening.You can hand anneal and if you research this in the article section on the home page you will go blind from reading.Proper deburring is also very improtant and then take 4 ought steel wool to smooth the radius from cutting the chamfer to avoid the brass cutting into the bullet jacket which will have bad consequence to accuracy.Proper case prep is very important.

 

[jo191145]

Might start a firestorm but I'm with jelrod. Berger bullets have earned my loyalty for accuracy unless I'm buying custom pills.

How much seating adjustment testing have you done?

 

[Steve Blair]

I am looking to increase the precision of my reloads. So far, I was able to get my Rem 700 5R in .308 to shoot a 1.4" 5 shot group at 300 yards using 43.7 grs. Varget, Lapua case, Fed 210 primers. 175 gr. SMK. I am using a RCBS Competition setting die to a COAL of 2.810".

That's measuring along the X and Y axis only, pasters removed.
I am pretty happy with that, but that is not to say that I would like to get even better groups if possible.

What would you suggest? Price of equipment is somewhat a consideration, but the focus is to purchase good equipment for the price. Cheap equipment usually gives cheap results.

[br]
Has the action been bedded in the stock? My experience is that this is the largest source of variability in factory rifles.

 

[cmillard]

are you shooting your loads at magazine length? if you are, you might want to try seating closer to the lands or into the lands. don't know if you are shooting any F/TR, but this will greatly increase your consistency from shot to shot--I have found jamming them works best for me. I have also switched to wolf primers from cci and Winchester--I am also partial to berger bullets

 

[fdshuster]

As said, try a box of 100 Berger bullets. In all my bench rifles they outshoot the SMK's.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I always recommend a trigger job, proper glass and pillar bedding, free float barrel, and re-crown factory rifles before getting serious about accuracy.

I too would dump the SMK's and would also learn how to seat bullets in relation to lands. Turning necks would be at the bottom of the list.

 

[jlow]

The 1.4” group at 300 yards is equal to 0.47 MOA which to me sounds real good for that range and if you can do it consistently.

Here is a simple question, do the folks here think regardless of “fixes” suggested thus far the factory gun can realistically do better? If so how much better?

 

[Erik Cortina]

The 1.4” group at 300 yards is equal to 0.47 MOA which to me sounds real good for that range and if you can do it consistently.

Here is a simple question, do the folks here think regardless of “fixes” suggested thus far the factory gun can realistically do better? If so how much better?

Maybe not much better, but regularly!

 

[jlow]

You mean the OP can't do that consistently? :

 

[jo191145]

Many factory guns cannot approach that accuracy. Quite a few are capable of surpassing it by a wide margin. Any other questions jlow?

 

[Erik Cortina]

You mean the OP can't do that consistently? :

Not talking about OP, talking about OP's rifle. If he does what I suggested, gun would perform more consistently. May not be more accurate, but before trying to make it more accurate, I would start by ensuring he has as good a platform as be can to ensure consistency.

 

[jlow]

Many factory guns cannot approach that accuracy. Quite a few are capable of surpassing it by a wide margin. Any other questions jlow?

Right, the question would be of course as it relates to the specific gun the OP is asking about.

Erik - my mistake if there is any confusion, I was of course referring to the gun and not the shooter...

I was of course being slightly cheeky in my reply but my original question is an honest one which one can translate to "are we just burning money" if the gun is already at its max potentials?

 

[Bob3700]

As factory rifles have big chambers, just cleaning up the necks is all I would do.
In addition, even though he is using Lapua brass, might want to look at loaded round run-out. Indexing the loaded rounds in the chamber will also make the groups rounder and eliminate the flyers.

Bob

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I'm going to step in it here...

I believe that *if* the rifle will repeat the performance described reasonably consistently, then the OP has reached the point of diminishing returns. There might be a smidge more performance available, but at what cost?

Here is my recommendation:

Give Bergers a try. They fairly well outshoot unsorted SMKs. That is, if they are tuned (never tune the same as SMKs for me). Once that is done, and a proper tuning for whichever bullet is better in your rifle is accomplished - quit messing with it! Half MOA @ 300 yards is nothing to sneeze at!

Save up money to build a rifle that is capable of performance well beyond the possibilities with this rifle.

Just my 2 cents - worth exactly what was paid for it.

 

[jo191145]

RMulhern

Just so we all stay on the same page the OP reported 1.4" @ 300yds. Yep it could have been luck and that current load/rifle may never do it consistently.

Getting consistent accuracy from a factory rifle is almost always a chore bordering on a second job but it can be done.
And while many shooters on this forum may consider 300yds to be point blank a few misread breezes will make consistent accuracy unquantifiable at that range. JMO

 

[jo191145]

RMulhern

Just so we all stay on the same page the OP reported 1.4" @ 300yds. Yep it could have been luck and that current load/rifle may never do it consistently.

Getting consistent accuracy from a factory rifle is almost always a chore bordering on a second job but it can be done.
And while many shooters on this forum may consider 300yds to be point blank a few misread breezes will make consistent accuracy unquantifiable at that range. JMO

"Just so we all stay on the same page the OP reported 1.4" @ 300yds."

Yes sir...but I used 500 yd for my example. ;D

Then you'll have a tougher job than the OP. =)
But as I always say. If you don't try you'll never succeed.=)

 

[Lapua40X]

If my math is correct, a 1.4" group for the .308 at 300 yards translates to a total variable in the angle of the muzzle relative to the position of the target of .020 inches. (pi*r/180) My math isn't what it used to be so I could be wrong here but my point is that creating a load that will shoot tighter than what you've already produced may require taking the shooter out of the equation and shoot from a sled.
That's some pretty good shootin' my friend.

 

[IllKeepMine]

A little more information. The Lapua brass is new. I do have Hornady gauges to measure shoulder bump back. I have purchased a neck resizing die so FL resizing isn't a factor. The group was shot from a prone position with Harris bipod and rear bag. I plan to shoot my first F/TR class competition this month. So I will have 60 rounds to look at from 600 yards. Heck, who know, this group could have been a fluke.

From the responses I gather that reducing this group size significantly my not be possible and that any reduction can be the result of neck turning.

For neck turning equipment, what do you suggest?