Question still stands though, is it worth the trouble and just how much benefit is there??
Say average reloading has about 1% variance in bullet weight and powder charge. By taking that 1% down to .1%, what kind of gain would you expect to see? 1/4 inch tighter groups?
Sorry for my ignorance. I've never had anyone to ask before... :-/
The truth.Most people I have met at the range can't out shoot factory ammo much less thier gun. However, they are willing to throw money at physical items (gun, scope, ammo) rather than address their skill level because that takes real work.
Handloaders are not exempt from that tendency either. They buy all sorts of gadgets and doodads to improve thier ammo but they are the weak link. There are guys who shoot sub MOA with ammo off progressive presses using stock dies and a load they didn't spend 100 hours developing.
There is no doubt those things help, you can't compete in NASCAR with a real stock car, but the car doesn't win the race without skilled driving.
Imagine a large sieve (strainer) filled with sand. The sand finds the holes and falls out of the strainer. The game is to plug up as many strainer holes as possible in a match to save as much sand as possible. What remains in the sieve, is your score.
For each of these items, a few holes in the sieve are plugged up. As you plug more holes, more sand is retained and your score is higher.
Precision ammunition
Glass bedding the action.
Using a good sling........... properly
Rifle barrel in good condition
Precision sights
Good shooting jacket
Glasses that fit and with current correction.
Appropriate clothing
Proper hydration
Good physical conditioning
Effective hearing protection.
Precision trigger
Properly fitting stock
Using Natural Point Of Aim (NPOI)
Good footwear
Each one of these items will save some of the sand. Each will increase your score.
I've heard it said that a non glass bedded action cannot win a match. That's crap.
Some say that a 2 groove 1903A3 cannot win a 200 yard match. That's crap, too!
BUT if you change those things, your scores will be a few points higher.
The whole trick to accurate shooting is to pay attention to as many of these items as you can and each one will add to your score. Your score is what remains after all the sand trickles through the sieve. Plug as many holes as you can and save those points that would have been lost.
I shot with guys that were much better Marksmen than I am. They beat Hell out of me and I learned how to lose. Still......I beat them on occasion! How?
I checked and counted every bullet for the match. The proper number of rounds were loaded in each magazine and double checked.
Shoot the correct target with the correct number of rounds (COUNT your rounds!)
My rifle was cleaned & lubed then fired to foul the barrel before the match.
I had a check list for loading my gear. The stuff I needed was on the firing line...every time.
My rifle was checked 100% from end to end.
When they screwed up, I beat them! Take your wins however they come to you!
Reloading is the same as match shooting. Each of the the items that have been suggested in this thread promote accuracy. Viewed separately, each is insignificant. Together, their contribution to accurate shooting IS significant.
Flash