Thread: Biggest influences on getting low velocity SD

New to reloading. Shooting 300norma mag


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not using chronicgraph and just believing it is small.....LOL Ducking for cover as dannyb comes along throwing his flip flops at me.

annealing brass, charge weight accuracy, seating depth accuracy, trimming, sizing accuracy, finding the sweet spot with a charge ladder then minimising as many variables as you can with all the previous listed.....you could go deeper into the rabbit hole and start neck turning and batch weighing brass and projectiles it really depends how far you wanna go.
Of course a good magnetospeed chrono or labradar or you might as well take @Micky Ducks advice.....(Jandal thrown )

personally once I have found my load with lowest E.S through a charge ladder, then you can fiddle the seating depth to tune accuracy if required.
then my process for loading is
*Anneal brass
*Full length size
*wash/clean (I use a ultrasonic, but feel free to use whatever works for you, tumble, other magic potions etc) just make sure you clean the lube out and dry your cases thoroughly
*clean primer pockets
*trim
*chamfer, inner then outer (just my preference)
*Prime
*load charges
*seat projectiles (I use a small container of stainless shot lubed with powdered graphite to lube the projectile base). I usually measure the first 5 as I go to make sure my seating is consistent, then just go for gold and only stop to measure if I get a case that feels different (i.e: more or less force required to seat the projectile)

My loads are well consistent enough for the ranges I hunt at shooting a 270WSM and consistently shoot 1/2 MOA or better groups with boring repeatability.
I am no bench rest shooter and I certainly don't have the latest and greatest gear but I have what clearly works for me, and the above without going into more detail certainly works. this is what I have come up with under the guidance of many guru's on here and other contacts.

I take it this is a question?

I will watch this as reloading the same.

Originally Posted by dannyb

annealing brass, charge weight accuracy, seating depth accuracy, trimming, sizing accuracy, finding the sweet spot with a charge ladder then minimising as many variables as you can with all the previous listed.....you could go deeper into the rabbit hole and start neck turning and batch weighing brass and projectiles it really depends how far you wanna go.
Of course a good magnetospeed chrono or labradar or you might as well take @Micky Ducks advice.....(Jandal thrown )

In other words, all the usual suspects....

Might I ask if there is anything peculiar to the 300NM loading that anyone has noticed?

Use a decent powder like 2217 or 2225. Use good quality Brass, Norma is very soft Peterson is better and Laupua best of all,
Be methodical with your reloading. Be consistent with what you do.
I used to be like @Danny but found its not necessary for the accuracy I am looking for. I have one particular steel target I use and if I can get repeatable hits on it its good enough for me.
I rarely shoot at paper targets for groups now. Only if I have had to change components, nor am I looking for Max Speed.

Originally Posted by LBD

In other words, all the usual suspects....

Might I ask if there is anything peculiar to the 300NM loading that anyone has noticed?

my comments were general loading not specific to 300NM can't see the 300Nm being any different

Originally Posted by mikee

Use a decent powder like 2217 or 2225. Use good quality Brass, Norma is very soft Peterson is better and Laupua best of all,
Be methodical with your reloading. Be consistent with what you do. Couldn't agree more

I used to be like @Danny but found its not necessary for the accuracy I am looking for. I have one particular steel target I use and if I can get repeatable hits on it its good enough for me.
I rarely shoot at paper targets for groups now. Only if I have had to change components, nor am I looking for Max Speed.

Speed is definitely a second to accuracy, I might point out once a load is sorted I don't waste bullets on paper either, I am not a competition shooter I hunt for meat, sometimes that meat is far far away

I shoot paper (and skeets at 200m-400m) to "de-stress from work" ...I find the focus needed to shoot well, tends to push everything else to the back of my mind for a while. Not with a 300 nm mind you... usually a .223 or 6.5.

Same with reloading... the methodicalness and repetition of the process, the problem solving and learning process I all find relaxing.

The 300nm?... well a mate has one shooting VLD, so I need one now as well, and because the Creedmoor runs out of puff at longer range...

Originally Posted by LBD

I shoot paper (and skeets at 200m-400m) to "de-stress from work" ...I find the focus needed to shoot well, tends to push everything else to the back of my mind for a while. Not with a 300 nm mind you... usually a .223 or 6.5.

Same with reloading... the methodicalness and repetition of the process, the problem solving and learning process I all find relaxing.

The 300nm?... well a mate has one shooting VLD, so I need one now as well, and because the Creedmoor runs out of puff at longer range...

I need another 223 , the south island goat population would probably argue otherwise
I also enjoy reloading and load development, I enjoy the challenge as well.

These are my suspicions, not based on experience:
1. Quality brass
2. Consistent length and sizing of brass
3. Powder type
4. Powder charge
5. Primer
6. Neck tension
7. Annealing
8. Bullet bearing surface

Originally Posted by dannyb

I need another 223 , the south island goat population would probably argue otherwise
I also enjoy reloading and load development, I enjoy the challenge as well.

well we better find you a .223 then...and you can introduce me to said goat population and will see if my chucked together loads will do the job..... sounds like a plurry good plan to me bud.any excuse to head away for hunt.I know a couple of Nepalese families who were very gratefull when I dropped 2 goats off a couple of years ago.

Originally Posted by dannyb

annealing brass, charge weight accuracy, seating depth accuracy, trimming, sizing accuracy, finding the sweet spot with a charge ladder then minimising as many variables as you can with all the previous listed.....you could go deeper into the rabbit hole and start neck turning and batch weighing brass and projectiles it really depends how far you wanna go.
Of course a good magnetospeed chrono or labradar or you might as well take @Micky Ducks advice.....(Jandal thrown )

personally once I have found my load with lowest E.S through a charge ladder, then you can fiddle the seating depth to tune accuracy if required.
then my process for loading is
*Anneal brass
*Full length size
*wash/clean (I use a ultrasonic, but feel free to use whatever works for you, tumble, other magic potions etc) just make sure you clean the lube out and dry your cases thoroughly
*clean primer pockets
*trim
*chamfer, inner then outer (just my preference)
*Prime
*load charges
*seat projectiles (I use a small container of stainless shot lubed with powdered graphite to lube the projectile base). I usually measure the first 5 as I go to make sure my seating is consistent, then just go for gold and only stop to measure if I get a case that feels different (i.e: more or less force required to seat the projectile)

My loads are well consistent enough for the ranges I hunt at shooting a 270WSM and consistently shoot 1/2 MOA or better groups with boring repeatability.
I am no bench rest shooter and I certainly don't have the latest and greatest gear but I have what clearly works for me, and the above without going into more detail certainly works. this is what I have come up with under the guidance of many guru's on here and other contacts.

This is pretty much my thoughts but Id add consistent neck tension which is aided hugely by good brass.

Originally Posted by Stocky

This is pretty much my thoughts but Id add consistent neck tension which is aided hugely by good brass.

And annealing said brass every firing

Watch Erik Cortina videos on YouTube about reloading, especially the ones about making reloading easy.
Use quality components, be consistent with what you do and weigh powder accurately and you'll be fine.

Personally I wouldn't even think about things like SDs and run-out until you have the basics sorted out, there are way too many differring opinions and tricks that people do you won't even know where to start.