Load works one day, not the next?

[racinready300ex]

Anyone else get this? I tested some loads on sunday shot several nice 3 shot groups. Came back on monday to shoot some 5 shot groups to confirm my results from the day before. And the were bad, and I mean bad, bad. Like .3" and .4"s, to 1.x".

I just take it as either I did something wrong, or that just wasn't a good load and go back to the drawing board.

Testing 155 palma's at 100 yards, 45.5 gr varget and different seating depths, Lapua brass, 210M primers for anyone wondering.

[pdog06]

Please dont take it the wrong way, but it could be that you shot 3 shot groups 1 day and 5 shot groups the next day. Requires more consistency on the shooter. Maybe you were more on your game one day than the other.. I dont know, but I know Ive had those days.

Could also be wind conditions. Any difference in weather?

[Senderofan]

What rifle are you using? Your 1.x groups the next day....was this after cleaning the bore?? Perhaps you need a fouling shot or two. Did the weather change significantly? How about you physically?? I know if I go to the range pretty worn out...my technique gets sloppy ( the way I address the rifle and my follow through ) and the groups suffer.....also, if I've had caffeine prior to going to the range.

Just some thoughts,

Wayne

[racinready300ex]

I don't think it was the difference of 3 and 5 shot groups. As I had several 3 shot groups with all touching, and the 5 shot groups didn't have any two shots touching.

Barrel started off dirty both times. Conditions, there was more wind when shooting the 3 shot groups, but a lot more humid on the day with the 5 shot groups. Don't know how much difference that makes.

Could it have just been me off my game? I'd like to think not, but it's entirely possible.

Went back the next day with a cleaned barrel some more loads for 3 shot groups. And 2.130"-OG shot .5" So I'll go back again tonight and try a couple 5 shot groups and see how they do.

[racinready300ex]

Rifle is a 12 benchrest .308

[Senderofan]

Keep us posted....Man...with the 155 Palma bullets in that rifle...you'd expect that rig to group consistently. Painfully obvious stuff like scope base and rings torqued as well as action screws?? Scope performing like you'd expect?

Wayne

[racinready300ex]

I test some more yesterday. I re shot some of those groups, and they grouped 1.1". So I really think that load just isn't right and some how the stars just aligned for it that 1st day.

I'm currently playing with seating depth, I set one group out longer than I had been playing with and it did ok. .8" 5 shot group. It was all horizontal, probably only .3" of vertical. So I hope to get out there again today or tmw, I'll test that load again, and a couple others just tweaking that a bit.

The plan would be to test at 300, and 600 on satuday. So I'm ready for a 600 yard F-class match next weekend.

[Eric in NC]

Did ya ding the crown? :o

[bigedp51]

Question, when your first tight group was fired was the brass new and were the following groups the second, third, etc time the brass was fired?

The question I'm asking is this, is there a chance the cases became distorted when first fired, or possibly runout error when resized. (decapping rod pulling the necks off center with increased runout)

[racinready300ex]

I'll take a look at the crown tonight when I get home. I checked that the scope base and rings where tight. I'll double check the action screws are still tight, tonight also.

Brass was all neck sized and had same number of firings for all groups.

[racinready300ex]

Shot the gun again today with a load that's showing promise. 1.72" 5 shot group at 300, and 4.25" 5 shot group at 600 yards. I'd like to see it a little better, but that will do for now.

[Dennis]

I know if I go to the range pretty worn out...my technique gets sloppy

The above is true with me, that's why I am at home looking at this site today!!!!!!!!!

The gun you have should be a tack driver

[Blue Avenger]

used to see it a lot with IMR 3031 in the swift. I had 2 loads one shot .5 the other shot 1.0 and the weather changes made it switch which one it was that day. Varget is supposed to be more stable to that, one of it's selling points

[racinready300ex]

So, I was loading up some rounds for a F-Class match tmw. And noticed when I took my powder cup of the scale the empty weight was changing. My cup weights 134 gr. the number started off at -134, then after several loads I noticed it was -133.9, the later 133.8.

So I started weighting the empty cup over and over again. The numbers I was getting were something like 0, 0, 0, .3, 0, 0, .3...etc. So I figure if I was loading +/- .1 grain, and there was a potential a .3 error, my loads can probably vary from 45.2 to 45.9 (trying for 45.5-45.6). Or more.

I figure this could be causing some of my accuracy issues. I'll be getting a new scale soon.

Lost some of my confidence for the F-class match tmw.

[yorketransport]

I quit using my digital scale for that reason. They are great for finding out how much an item weighs, but I don't like them for weighing powder charges any more. The digitals are so sensitive that they almost need to be in a climate controlled room. My reloading gear is all in the garage, so the conditions change constantly.

Andrew

[Dennis]

The digitals are so sensitive that they almost need to be in a climate controlled room.

I now keep mine inside! Anytime it got below 50 degrees it was almost impossible to zero in or calibrate my scale! Inside, no problems.

[sharpshooter]

Some days the wind blows your shots out.....some days it blows them in. ;D

[racinready300ex]

Some days the wind blows your shots out.....some days it blows them in. ;D


No doubt, you ever get one of those shots where you know you pulled it and missed but you look through the scope and it's dead nut center of the bull. That will mess with your head.

I shot this load in the F-class match. My 1st relay sucked 175.02, (I missed the target once, 1st time for everything) then I tightened up with a 191.03 and a 191.8.

That last relay felt really good, but about half way through the conditions started switching up and I started shooting alot of 9's. Then it went back to the way it was when I started and I could drill 10's again.

I'm still learning to read the mirage I knew the conditions were changing I just couldn't figure out what to do with them.