Sorting bullets for target shooting
- Thread starter josebd
- Start date
I don't routinely but the CHEAP way, my way BTW, is to take a case that has been sized sown enough to be a tad under bullet diameter. I use a mandrel and size one so it is 0.001 below bullet size and just slip it over the tip and put the bullet base on my caliper arms. I did this the other on some Hornady 55 grain FMJ stuff. I found variation of up to 0.020 in bearing surface and up to 0.035 in tip to ogive, which matters virtually not all BTW. I shot some of them looking for an accurate plinker for a fellow out of Oklahoma and to get some more perspective on it. Not good results. I am shooting some Winchester FMJ tomorrow as a check.
I have checked out of the box good stuff and it was only varying 0.005. I doubt if the 0.005 would make a difference. I can say that a variation of 0.20 might be seen a bit at longer range.
The other part of the equation is the weight that may or may not be a big deal depending on the range. 100 yards is nothing but 1000? Well it is 1000 so that speaks volumes right there. In most cases the variation won't matter one bit. Ritch has shot some BR groups using five different weight bullets in one hole so I guess at that level of equipment it won't make much difference. I haven't seen wide swings in weights in a box of bullets more than about 0.5 grains when I have weighed a few over the years.
As an aside teh AMU weighed LOADED ammo and segregated it at one time. They found ammo with total weight the was very close actually grouped better than the not close stuff. Just a interesting twist in my mind. I know it works for the RF guys.
Greg
I have checked out of the box good stuff and it was only varying 0.005. I doubt if the 0.005 would make a difference. I can say that a variation of 0.20 might be seen a bit at longer range.
The other part of the equation is the weight that may or may not be a big deal depending on the range. 100 yards is nothing but 1000? Well it is 1000 so that speaks volumes right there. In most cases the variation won't matter one bit. Ritch has shot some BR groups using five different weight bullets in one hole so I guess at that level of equipment it won't make much difference. I haven't seen wide swings in weights in a box of bullets more than about 0.5 grains when I have weighed a few over the years.
As an aside teh AMU weighed LOADED ammo and segregated it at one time. They found ammo with total weight the was very close actually grouped better than the not close stuff. Just a interesting twist in my mind. I know it works for the RF guys.
Greg
Off the shelf bullets are mass produced, using any number of point dies. This is where the variance will come in. On top of that, the bullet jacket itself can have varying wall thickness which will cause the bullet to be out of balance when it is spinning into the hundreds of thousand RPMs. Then throw the weight variance into the mix.
You don't say what caliber you are shooting. You may be able to get some custom bullets to try.
You don't say what caliber you are shooting. You may be able to get some custom bullets to try.
Then in that case, why not get a small number of custom made bullets and see if you can tell a difference. Try this guy:
https://bibullets.com/
https://bibullets.com/
arlaunch
Active member
It is neat when you find a good barrel, trigger, rifle position, case prep method, good case brand, primer & powder lot combo that delivers "1/2" groups with regular repeatable reliability.
It is going from "1/2" down to "1/4" groups and leaving your rifle in a fixed "bench rest" position where all this tiny stuff "could" matter.
Here is the tool:
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/meas...-prod34014.aspx
For me... 0.5 - 0.7 makes me very happy. I don't have to turn case necks, anneal or order custom specialty tools.
If i did not have kids i would likely be into all that stuff.
It is going from "1/2" down to "1/4" groups and leaving your rifle in a fixed "bench rest" position where all this tiny stuff "could" matter.
Here is the tool:
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/meas...-prod34014.aspx
For me... 0.5 - 0.7 makes me very happy. I don't have to turn case necks, anneal or order custom specialty tools.
If i did not have kids i would likely be into all that stuff.
Unless you are going to compete. Just buy good bullets Hornday/Sierra 68/69 gr for the .223 and 168 ish for the .308, at least out to the 600 yard line. If you are going to go farther, bump up the weight a bit. I have shot the .223 80 gr Amax at 1,000. If the wind isn't blowing, you can do a pretty decent job. Just a little wind and you are not going to be happy. Some of the .308 1,000 yard shooters are shooting 200 gr and bigger bullets. Insane, but accurate. Then there are the expensive bullets. Berger, Bib, Cheek ect. They should come with someone to punch holes in your target for the cost. Before you flame me, yes they are better bullets, just priced way up there.
I like the terminal performance, in general of the Vmaxes that I have used. The fliers they produced [beeep] drove me nuts. I segregate by both weight and Ogive by using weight divided by in one egg carton. Then divide those groups by Ogive in another egg carton. (Not Married, no kids, dogs, or fish.
) It makes me happy by eliminating said fliers.
With the Berger's, I never had to measure or weigh anything. But the terminal performance and the high BC never matched up with the calibers and bullets weights that I was using for coyotes. They penciled through.(243 win, 270 win, 7mm mag). Im going to try the SST's this year to see how much or little the carnage they will produce.
I am rebuilding my approach with my methodology this up coming season by sniping from afar. (At least further than what Me and the coyote I sling lead at are use to).
I have killed Yotes with Matchkings and VLD's, but it was never DRT.
) It makes me happy by eliminating said fliers. With the Berger's, I never had to measure or weigh anything. But the terminal performance and the high BC never matched up with the calibers and bullets weights that I was using for coyotes. They penciled through.(243 win, 270 win, 7mm mag). Im going to try the SST's this year to see how much or little the carnage they will produce.
I am rebuilding my approach with my methodology this up coming season by sniping from afar. (At least further than what Me and the coyote I sling lead at are use to).
I have killed Yotes with Matchkings and VLD's, but it was never DRT.
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