Making my reloads shoot like factory match.

[fnbrowning]

I have a gas gun that is capable of shooting sub-MOA groups at 100 yards. It is my AR10A4 with a JP Enterprises muzzle brake, match trigger, free floated & cryo treated barrel. So far, these good groups are being shot with Black Hills ammo. However, I am not able to reach this level of accuracy with my hand loads yet.

I’ve got the right bullet, LC cases, and a good powder that produces the right velocity. I individually weigh each charge with a combo electronic powder measure & scale. I’m thinking that my Lee die set may be the place to focus now.

Would replacing my full length or bullet seating die yield significant results? Or should I keep my Lee dies set and review my reloading process somewhere else?

If a new die or dies is suggested,  which die, or should both be replaced? And what brand is suggested?

Thanks!

[savageT]

Just a couple suggestions:
1)  I would individually weigh out every powder charge w/a Beam Balance.....trickle in the last few grains.  Weigh the cartridge also.
2) Start fireforming (your chamber will know the best fit) and neck sizing your brass.
3) Check your chamber dimensions with a gauge and/ or try seating the bullet about 10/1000th of an inch from the rifling.
4) File a notch in the base ring of each shell and position your cartridge at a pre-determined position (say 3 o'clock) in the chamber each time.

Jim

[jamie]

I used Lee dies to get down to .3" with my .300 wm

[fnbrowning]

Just a couple suggestions:
1)  I would individually weigh out every powder charge w/a Beam Balance.....trickle in the last few grains.  Weigh the cartridge also.
2) Start fireforming (your chamber will know the best fit) and neck sizing your brass.
3) Check your chamber dimensions with a gauge and/ or try seating the bullet about 10/1000th of an inch from the rifling.
4) File a notch in the base ring of each shell and position your cartridge at a pre-determined position (say 3 o'clock) in the chamber each time.

Jim

Thanks Jim for your reply, but I think you missed a couple of points from my first post:

RE: (1) I already use a combo electronic powder measure & scale that automatically trickles the powder. It's got to be more accurate than a beam balance.

RE: (2) I don't think neck sizing is appropriate for a magazine-fed semi-auto rifle do you?

RE: (4) I don't think this will work with a magazine fed rifle.

[savageT]

Well........I think just the opposite concerning electronic scales/tricklers.  I'll put my money on a beam scale properly leveled any day over your e-beam.  Have you seen the complaints on the Hand Loaders Forum about them not settling down/changing zero?  How 'bout standards.... calibrated weights? If you have a chance, compare the two???  I'll admit if you are magazine feeding there's no use in notching the cartridge.  As for neck sizing, I don't honestly know if it will work for yours as I only use bolt actions.  That only leaves you with powder choices and there isn't alot written about gas-fed formulations.  Perhaps there are others here that can offer more.

Jim

[fnbrowning]

Well........I think just the opposite concerning electronic scales/tricklers.  I'll put my money on a beam scale properly leveled any day over your e-beam.  Have you seen the complaints on the Hand Loaders Forum about them not settling down/changing zero?  How 'bout standards.... calibrated weights? Jim

Interesting. I had not read any complaints until now. When I first got the electronic set, I checked it's scale against two beam balances, and all three agreed. Got curious once and checked an electronically thrown charge on the beam scales. No noticable diff.

Thanks for your help anyway!

[josebd]

i did not have good luck with a beem scale,got a rcbs electronic,love it

[ricciardelli]

I'll try to get your thread back on the right track.

You stated that shooting Black Hills factory you are getting sub MOA groups.  So that rules out any problem with the rifle or the shooter.

You also state that you are using the "right" bullet and case.  I will assume that you mean you are using the same bullet and case that Black Hill uses.

This leaves the powder, primer and reloading process.

You go on to state that you are using a "good" powder that produces the "right" velocity.  I must make another assumption that the velocity you are obtaining with the "good" powder is the same as that obtained with Black Hills factory.

Primer and reloading process are all that remains.  

Assumptions abound in this message, but I will also assume that you have tried all possible primers with your load, and they have shown no improvement.

That leaves just the reloading process...

First you deprime and resize the case...wait a minute...resize the case?

Are your resized cases identical to the factory Black Hills cases in ALL dimensions?  Bet they aren't.

Take three of the factory cases.  Pull bullets and dump powder.  Remove the primer and send them to RCBS and tell RCBS you want a set if dies made to EXACTLY match the cases you have sent them.

When you get your dies from RCBS take three rounds of factory Black Hills ammo out, shoot them, bring the home and run them through the full-length die that RCBS sent you.  Then compare the measurements of the just formed cases to the cases of new Black Hills ammunition.

If they are not IDENTICAL is all aspects, contact RCBS and tell them they did not follow your instructions and request they re-do the job.

When your re-sized cases are EXACTLY the same as the factory cases, then you can start working-up your loads again.  There will be no variance in any component (other than lot or batch number).

Your other choice of course is to use nothing but that Black Hills ammo that shoots well in your firearm, and sell the brass to re-coup some of the expense.

[BruceP]

Steve has several good points. I would like to add that just because you are getting the same velocity with your "good" powder, it does not guarantee you the same accuracy if it is indeed a different powder than that use in the Black Hills ammo. You could (should) try some different powders in the correct burn rate. You could also check your loading procedures and your Lee dies buy pulling a few bullets and loading the powder you dump into brass that you have fired and resized from the same box of ammo. You do need to be sure you are using the same type and weight bullet as Black Hills uses as to not have a drastic change in pressure. If you do this be sure and load the bullet to the same seating depth as the factory loads also.
BruceP

[fnbrowning]

Thanks to ricciardelli & BruceP for some great ideas. I will take some time to digest the info and decide what to do.

ricciardelli; What led you to recommend RCBS for custom dies?
Doesn't nearly every die maker offer a custom service?
Was it price, customer service, internal design?
Any reason to prefer RCBS over Hornady, Redding or Lee?