What am I doing wrong?

[swampratt]

3/4 at 100 is not a deal breaker for me I have had many tighter groupings at 100 but watch them open up at 200 or 300 yards.
Try the loads at 200 yards and see if they still keep in a 3/4" group.
May surprise you.

One thing i watched a guy do was use the (side focus) as a focus.
I hate that they call it side focus as that is not what it is at all.
It is seen on some higher power scopes to adjust to eliminate parallax.

Not a focus for parallax but an adjustment to make your cross hairs or reticle not move off the point on the target when you move your head back and forth.
Some scopes are preset and some have the adjustment on the far end of the scope.

You know what I am talking about here.
Focus is adjusted after Parallax is adjusted.

I had one guy beside himself because his 100 yard groups looked horrible.
Using parallax adjustment to focus.
His focus ring was cranked down so tight it took both of us holding the scope and rifle to get it to turn.
He swore up and down the focus ring was not a focus ring and the Parallax was focus.


1/4" groups at 100 after I explained it to him and got the focus ring working. Rifle was a 6PPC.

Another thing is a very steady hold as you know.
If you can't keep the reticle planted in place on the target do not pull the trigger.
Fix the rest or fix yourself to hold better.

I have one friend that can't hold on point so he slowly sweeps across the point on the target and pulls the trigger when he gets there.
His groups are not very good.

But he puts meat on the table.

 

[diggler1833]

1. Your accuracy isn't crap, so you're on the right track and don't need to get yourself worked up. You'll get to where you want to be once you iron out your processes.

2. How much do you shoot? Being a 1 MOA shooter (especially under conditions) isn't a bad thing. Being a consistent 1/2 MOA capable shooter requires a lot of practice and skill. There's a reason why dudes cherry pick groups to show on the internet...and my money is that if you watched them shoot that same load on a 5x5, you'd see a lot more groups that had opened up.

3. I am looking at your rifle. It is certainly a very nice setup. Preferred pre-fits generally shoot pretty well...but they are a "bolt-and-go" option for guys who aren't interested in benchrest shooting or accuracy. I would say 1/2 - 3/4 MOA is going to be your happy spot with that setup. * Yes you will see guys that claim 1/4 minute groups with your exact setup...but please refer back to the last part of #2.

4. Like said above: handloading is about consistency. You can slam together ammo that is absolutely MOA capable. Or you can either meticulously assemble ammo with less expensive equipment...or do it quickly on $5K's worth of equipment.

5. We're all going to tell you to seat bullets at different depths, or play with different charge weights...and that is because those things work. How many different powders have you used? What primers have you used? How are you measuring seating depth (hopefully base yo ogive)? At this point a chronograph will let you know when you hit the velocity you want...an then I'd adjust seating depth from there to get your groups where you want to be.

6. ARs are more difficult to shoot accurately than bolt guns.

Best of luck on your journey.

 

[Bahick71]

I will start by saying I am not right, or the best, just my process, may help or not
I choose my seating depth, just touching the lands.
I start at the min load and load 3 or.5 rounds at .1 grain increments until max listed
I go to the range, with a clean rifle, and shoot the first group
Then I clean again, I start every string with a clean bore, maybe a little excessive
But that way each string has the same starting point.
I usually find a window between 3 loads of .3 grains. Then load a few at That charge and see how they do
If they stay that is my permanent load, I have always been able to find a pretty good
Sweet spot. If I can't then I will adjust seating depth and try again.
A good scale is.key, an electronic powder measure is great also
You sad you were throwing powder by hand, like a.uniflow? Some powders are very
Inconsistent in a uniflow. Extruded powders especially. If using a uniflow I would say
Get a small electronic scale, and a hand trickler, throw your charge a little short then trickle
The last little bit in.
There are as many opinions on how to do this for best results as there are people on the
Forum. You just have to find what works for you
Best luck f luck, hope you get it going your way

 

[ClintC]

I am measuring bullets base to O’give. I have the Hornady comparator set. I’m dropping powder on a scale then tricking it in with a trickier. I’m using Hornady brass. Primers are CCI and powder is 6.5 staball. Bullets are Burger and Hornady 140s.

I don’t get to shoot a lot as I travel for work. When I am home I’m at the range every chance I get. I will be going back after I get some more rounds loaded up. I shoot at my local range 90% of the time. When I go to fouldbore range I can hit steal at 1k. I was using factory ammo. furthest I have shot with both rifles.

Again thanks everyone. It’s sounding like I need more time behind the rifles. I just wanted to get 3/4 or 1/2 MOA for the rifles with hand loading. I know everything takes practice.

 

[diggler1833]

I am measuring bullets base to O’give. I have the Hornady comparator set. I’m dropping powder on a scale then tricking it in with a trickier. I’m using Hornady brass. Primers are CCI and powder is 6.5 staball. Bullets are Burger and Hornady 140s.

I don’t get to shoot a lot as I travel for work. When I am home I’m at the range every chance I get. I will be going back after I get some more rounds loaded up. I shoot at my local range 90% of the time. When I go to fouldbore range I can hit steal at 1k. I was using factory ammo. furthest I have shot with both rifles.

Again thanks everyone. It’s sounding like I need more time behind the rifles. I just wanted to get 3/4 or 1/2 MOA for the rifles with hand loading. I know everything takes practice.

Have you tried anything besides StaBall? H4350, Reloader 16/17, VV N150/540/550/555?

Sometimes something as simple as a powder change or bullet change cuts groups in half. I know that coming across alternatives is expensive and difficult these days, but experimentation is key.

I have rifles (not factory) that will barely hold MOA with some premium components...and then shoot sub -1/2 MOA with something else. My last 6.5x47 won't do better than .7 with Varget and the 120gr Scenar-L...but with N150 it has thrown a bunch of low .4s and even a couple .3s with the same bullet.

With your drop and trickle, I'd suspect a better (different) powder might help lower those SDs at least.

We're just scratching the surface here and spit-balling.

 

[ClintC]

Have you tried anything besides StaBall? H4350, Reloader 16/17, VV N150/540/550/555?

Sometimes something as simple as a powder change or bullet change cuts groups in half. I know that coming across alternatives is expensive and difficult these days, but experimentation is key.

I have rifles (not factory) that will barely hold MOA with some premium components...and then shoot sub -1/2 MOA with something else. My last 6.5x47 won't do better than .7 with Varget and the 120gr Scenar-L...but with N150 it has thrown a bunch of low .4s and even a couple .3s with the same bullet.

With your drop and trickle, I'd suspect a better (different) powder might help lower those SDs at least.

We're just scratching the surface here and spit-balling.

No. I have not been able to find any other powder. I want to try H4350. I’ll look around and if I have to take a drive. I’ll just make a day of it.

 

[rockchalk06]

No. I have not been able to find any other powder. I want to try H4350. I’ll look around and if I have to take a drive. I’ll just make a day of it.

Cabela's had a pound or two last weekend. It's popping up more frequently.

 

[okietool]

current rifle set is pictured below. Truthfully the rifle can probably out shoot me. My SD is around 15 ish. I’m hand dropping powder. I still new to reloading. Just want to know if it’s me or the reloads.

Find someone you know can shoot and let them have a go at it.

 

[ClintC]

Find someone you know can shoot and let them have a go at it.

Don’t really know any body that can shoot. I mean shoot sub MOA constantly. Everyone I know is on the same skill level. We all just shoot for fun when we can. I’m the only one that took it to another level.

 

[ClintC]

Cabela's had a pound or two last weekend. It's popping up more frequently.

I will be heading to Mi next week for work. Last time I was up there, ammo and reloading stuff never hit them that hard. That was 3 years ago. I will get up there and pick up as much powder and primers as I can.