The first entry in my reloading manual is April 9, 1965 with a .22 Hornet during my days as a University student. One of the first books I added to my shooting library was 'Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition' by Lt. Col. Earl Naramore,ret), Stackpole, 1962. His in-depth scientific analysis of cartridge brass on the level of a U.S. military arsenal Exec Officer pretty well jibed with the more country boy observations of a Canadian gunsmith, Elwood Epps, who in the 1960`s gained recognition in P.O. Ackley`s dual set of 'Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders', Publishers Press, 1962.
Earl on a metallurgical level and Elwood on a practical level both said that given the variables in the chemical/mechanical mix of the components of cartridge brass, you ain`t never going to get it 100% right.
At the 2009 Ontario Fullbore Champs, one of Canada`s best benchrest / F Class shooters had three complete misses on a 300 yard target with a custom 6.5/284, Lapua brass, neckturned, sorted by weight, best reloading methods. You see commercially involved shooters standing proudly in front of perfect 1000 yard targets but you will never see the targets that have two complete misses.
After 50 years of competitive shooting, I am still in a quandry as to whether neck-turning is worth all the effort. But ain`t it great trying to figure it out!
Bushing dies, premium brass and micrometer neck-turning setups are the latest attempts to remove the variables but the guy at the smelting pot pouring the brass ingots while fighting a hangover has way more determinent effect than anything Sinclair can sell.
After 45 years of reloading, I have never felt two bullets in a row enter a case neck with 100%, completely identical seating force, but I have shot a lot of small groups and won firsts and seconds in F Class at 1000 yards. It is the results that matter, not the small variables along the way.
