Equipment advice on loading for accuracy.

[boyzuker]

I'd like to be shooting sub .5moa.

My budget isn't set in stone, I'd LIKE to spend as little as possible but you get what you pay for. If I were to set up the Dillon to load .308 it would be a few hundred bucks for everything. If later down the road I'm going single stage I'd rather put my money in that direction now.

[bigedp51]

http://http://www.sinclairintl.com/r...prod37479.aspx

Redding Case Neck Gage w/ Indicator

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/measuring-tools/case-gauges-headspace-tools/redding-case-neck-gage-w-indicator-prod39927.aspx

Both these type gauges will help you sort through your brass and eliminate any bad brass, and check your resized cases for alignment errors.

So the first thing you need is good quality brass and gauges to check its accuracy and consistency and then your work.

[RandyD]

David Tubb who has held many national rifle shooting records and has won numerous rifle competitions (http://www.davidtubb.com/store/About-David-Tubb) uses a Dillon 550 and 650 to reload his match rounds. To verify just google his name. The US Palma team also uses a Dillon 650 to reload their match rounds.

[milotrain]

I'd like to be shooting sub .5moa.

My budget isn't set in stone, I'd LIKE to spend as little as possible but you get what you pay for. If I were to set up the Dillon to load .308 it would be a few hundred bucks for everything. If later down the road I'm going single stage I'd rather put my money in that direction now.

I'm getting nearly .5moa (maybe more like .75) with military brass and thrown charges in a .223 case on a Dillon 550. If you weigh the charges accuracy should go up, if you neckturn or use lapua brass and a full length sizer with a neck bushing to set neck tension then that's the majority of the accuracy you will find.

Take the time (and spend the money) to either match the chambers of your AR and your bolt gun so your neck turned brass is ubiquitous and your full length sizer works for both chambers and you are golden.

[huckberry668]

Provided a known accurate load is developed. Progressive or single stage, the press matters in the ability to keep the loaded ammo's round to round variations low. Beside other obvious weighing, sizing, length, seating considerations, cartridge run-out should be attended to too.

My old Rock Chucker 2 press gave up to .008"s run-out. My 550B with floating die mod and Forster CoAx give less than .003" run-out. I now load my match loads that are .5MOA capable on progressive.

In order to load accurate ammo, loading equipment needs to:

1. size the sorted, prep'ed brass straight (low run-out),
2. size the brass to the same or close head-space tolerance,
3. seat primer firmly and consistently,
4. throw powder charge weight consistently and low/no variation,
5. seat bullets consistently to the same or very close ogive to head measurements.
6. seat bullets straight with low to no run-out.

1. and 6. are hard to accomplish with traditional lock-down press/die setup. 4. consistent powder charge can be done with ball powder or charging on a separate step.

I believe David Tubbs, John Whidden and the U.S. Palma team load their ammo on progressive presses with floating die setup to keep run-out low.

[gemoose23]

What king of consistency is the dillon powder measure capable of? That is the reason I was thinking an additional loading setup was going to be required.

I haven't dropped rifle powders out of my Dillon measures yet. You'll have to test out the powder you are wanting to use and see if the Dillon measure will drop as consistent to your personal quality levels.

As an alternative to using an auto dropper is to trickle and scale your powder and drop it manually.

Dillon makes such an powder die to enable on press filling if you are measuring and tricking on your bench. http://www.dillonprecision.com/conte...500_Powder_Die

You could also go the low tech route and just place a funnel to drop your powder every time. (This is what I did last year on my Hornady)

[3RDGEARGRNDRR]

Very good info here.
To summarize depending on your wallet and how much OCD you have about minimizing all variables then changing one variable at a time you can have some very accurate ammo. Handloading for accuracy takes a lot of prep, research, and consistency throughout all the aspects of the loading practice.
If you arent willing to drop good coin for high end components, measure and remeasure, weigh and reweigh and suborganize your components, Then youre still leaving accuracy on the table. I didnt even get into presses and setup yet.

[milotrain]

All of which is academic if you can't hold sub MOA, which is the case for most people.

[3RDGEARGRNDRR]

All of which is academic if you can't hold sub MOA, which is the case for most people.

Damn wind ruined the day

[milotrain]

I was out with some old guys on the line. .223 and .22-250 Rem 700s with 24" barrels. Shooting at 100 yards. Kept complaining about the wind pushing their shots.

[LynnJr]

I've been reloading on my Dillion XL650 for nearly a decade cranking out .223 and pistol ammo but now I want to load for accuracy instead of bulk. I'm looking for some advice on equipment.

To start I'll only be loading .308 for both a bolt gun and a 308 AR. I'd prefer to go with RCBS as much as possible.

I have a lot of experience reloading but when it comes to hand loading I'm a total dullard.

Use good quality brass(Lapua)
Weigh each charge with as little variation as you can.
Uniform primer pockets.
Seat bullets using a comparator or forget about accuracy.
Fire your brass one time size the brass then trim all of your cases to your shortest piece of brass and chamfer inside and outside of neck.
Bump your shoulder 0.001-0.002 on your bolt action but only after it has been fired once or twice.
Now you can work up a decent load.