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reloads vs factory ammo

I'm getting ready to buy a complete reloading set up for my 6.5 Tikka. I haven't reloaded in over 40 years. I have been shooting factory ammo up to now. My CTR 24" shoots very well with factory Norma Golden Target 130s, Berger 140 hybrids and Sig Elite 140s (all I've tried). With 3 shot groups it is always sub-MOA with any of them at 100 and 200. I have just started shooting F-class at 600 and 1000 with the Norma and I would like to do well. How difficult will it be to make better ammo than factory? I anticipate on spending over $1,000 to get set up to reload, plus components. I have plenty of 1X brass. I got some Federal 210 LRPs recently. Was planning on using the Norma brass, Fed 210 LRPs with H4350 powder and try some Berger Hybrid bullets 130 & 140, and some SMK 142s. It will be very disappointing to not be able to make better ammo than factory. I could buy quite a bit of ammo for that $1000+!
Thanks!
Tom
 
It really depends on your goals.

If you are just planning on hunting with occasionally going to the range to do some fun long range shooting, I'd just buy factory ammo. I have had 3 Tikkas and all three were 3/4 moa hunting rifles with factory ammo.

If you want your loads to to eek out all the accuracy/precision possible, reloading is the key. It will should be pretty easy to come up with loads that are more accurate than factory. However, that also depends on your barrel profile. Factory Sporter Tikkas are great for 3 shot strings, maybe 5 tops. But then they get too hot and open up. No amount of reloading can keep a 10 shot group tight if you don't keep the barrel cool.
 
I would guess that 99% of the shooters that shoot 600 and 1k matches reload to get the max accuracy from their gun By tailoring the ammo to that gun. With components hard to find and right now expensive. If you have plenty of ammo that you’re somewhat pleased with shoot a match or two with it and talk to other at the match then make call. What you got to lose
 
our F-class is two 20 shot groups on target with some sighters before the 1st and two sighters before the second. I will not be hunting. Competition only. As soon as I burn this barrel out I'll move to a heavier bull barrel and longer. I think reloading will be fun unless I can't find a load that will beat the factory loads
 
I haven't shot a factory round in any of my revolvers, semiauto, Contender, Encore or XP-100 handguns since 1974. Never regretted it. Killed game from Africa, AK, western US, to my home state. Just this year my handloads shot 3/8" in .223, 5/8" in .22-250, 3/4" in .454 Casull, all at 100 yds.
You have to work at it to make reloads work, but it's worth the effort in pleasure and cost.
 
I haven't shot factory ammo in over 50 years except for 22 rimfire. And believe me, I long lost the joy of reloading but for me, it is essential because I shoot a lot and I need consistent varmint grade accuracy ammo.

If you are a couples times a year big game hunter and that is all that you do, then I don't think reloading makes sense especially in today's environment. Factory premium ammo is really excellent today, so much better than when I started.

However, I think you made the right choice to start reloading since you shoot a lot, and you are a competitor. It isn't automatic that your first attempt at reloading will produce more accurate ammo than what you were using but for sure, the capability is there to match it and even surpass it.

If you follow sound precision reloading practices, I really don't believe you will have any problem finding a load that will please you. You also have a big advantage over me when I started, you have a vast network of information and this forum. Also, today's bullets are far superior to those in the past.

One the huge advantages I chose to reload is to have a constant supply of consistent ammo tuned to my rifles. You might be able to buy a lot of factory ammo for $1000 as you stated but can you find it when you want it in today's ever changing supply chain mess. Also, at the whim of the manufacturer, they could decide to stop making your favorite ammo.

You can save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration if you can find a seasoned precision reloader to mentor you and get started on the right path. Best wishes.
 
our F-class is two 20 shot groups on target with some sighters before the 1st and two sighters before the second. I will not be hunting. Competition only. As soon as I burn this barrel out I'll move to a heavier bull barrel and longer. I think reloading will be fun unless I can't find a load that will beat the factory loads
Then I think you should go for it and start reloading.
 
I'm getting ready to buy a complete reloading set up for my 6.5 Tikka. I haven't reloaded in over 40 years. I have been shooting factory ammo up to now. My CTR 24" shoots very well with factory Norma Golden Target 130s, Berger 140 hybrids and Sig Elite 140s (all I've tried). With 3 shot groups it is always sub-MOA with any of them at 100 and 200. I have just started shooting F-class at 600 and 1000 with the Norma and I would like to do well. How difficult will it be to make better ammo than factory? I anticipate on spending over $1,000 to get set up to reload, plus components. I have plenty of 1X brass. I got some Federal 210 LRPs recently. Was planning on using the Norma brass, Fed 210 LRPs with H4350 powder and try some Berger Hybrid bullets 130 & 140, and some SMK 142s. It will be very disappointing to not be able to make better ammo than factory. I could buy quite a bit of ammo for that $1000+!
Thanks!
Tom
Yes, it's really not that hard to produce cartridges that shoot better than factory cartridges. Just how much better depend on how consistent you can make them. You can even improve the factory cartridges if you want to go try that. I did that, just out of curiosity with my .308 cartridges.

I took some 175 gr. Federal Match ammo, pulled 10 bullets dumped the powder into a little glass bowl and measured the powder's total weight then divided it by 10 and reloaded the cases with the average (powder charge between each factory case was not all that consistent). Then I reseated the bullets, being sure the CBTO's were the same. In comparing the results of the 10 rounds that were redone with the other 10 that came from the same box the 10 round groups for the factory were 1.178 MOA and the reworked ones did .689 MOA. Corresponding chrono data was SD of 12.2 fps vs 7.8 for the reworked ones.

I found I could do even better when load and tune my cartridges to my gun where now I get well below .5 MOA. I'd expect with your rig, you can do the same or better. A lot has to do with your process and the quality of components you're using. The first place I'd start is with a good powder scale. I feel you can make Norma brass work well, but IMHO, it's takes a bit of work and sorting of those cases to be sure there's not too much variation is their case volumes.

BTW: I find those 142 SMK's really perform well for me.
 
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Before you start, read, then read some more. I prefer a hard copy reloading manual myself.

Quality ammo today is different than 30 years ago. Buddy reloads and has for years. He got on the 6ARC wagon. He shot factory ammo to get brass. His comment was he would have to spend a lot of time and effort for load development to equal what the factory ammo gives him. He did some simple math, he sells the brass and says it only cost him a little to operate this way.

I load because I can and got started 40 years ago. Some tend to forget, it is not what you paid for the component several years back, it is what replacement cost is NOW .
 
I`m sort of resigned to the fact that I`ll never know just how truly accurate and precise my Savage 12 LRPV in .223 could be since I don`t handload. As it is, with factory, the gun can shoot sub-MOA out to 500 yards. Since I`m only a casual steel banger and recreational shooter, that`s good enough.
Don`t reload because:
1. I think it`s something that needs and deserves a set aside, organized space which I don`t have.
2. At 76, I`ve found that my attention to detail and concentration span are not what they used to be. I don`t think those declines go very well with fooling with things that explode!!
 
I`m sort of resigned to the fact that I`ll never know just how truly accurate and precise my Savage 12 LRPV in .223 could be since I don`t handload. As it is, with factory, the gun can shoot sub-MOA out to 500 yards. Since I`m only a casual steel banger and recreational shooter, that`s good enough.
Don`t reload because:
1. I think it`s something that needs and deserves a set aside, organized space which I don`t have.
2. At 76, I`ve found that my attention to detail and concentration span are not what they used to be. I don`t think those declines go very well with fooling with things that explode!!
We won’t admit it, but it’s a sizable investment in all the little reloading toys that we have too.
 
For your reloads to group better than factory match ammo. You will need to properly resize brass(for your rifles chamber), hold powder charge weights to 0.10 gr deviation from target node weight and seat bullets within a couple thousandth cbto length. After finding the powder/bullet your rifle tunes with...
 

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