A buddy and I went out to the range yesterday to test some loads in our rifles. He is shooting a Rem 700 SPS tactical bolt action rifle chambered in .223.

He was having a really hard time getting any sort of results. We then started discussing where to begin to improve the load. I was not sure what to tell him.

My question to everyone on here is what single component has the most effect on accuracy: primer, bullet choice, powder choice, seating depth??? I would think it would be smartest to change only one component at a time so what would you all suggest?

Thanks.

The quality of the BARREL.

To go back to most primary sources, as you know, I would check ear protection first followed by trigger work then tightening all the screws down on bedding and scope. Once that is down you could move to reloading components probably starting with a known load for the .223.

I mess around with the amount of powder first, then the bullet type before moving on to another powder. Then on to seating depth.

If the darn thing won't shoot some decent groups then, the reality of a new barrel or selling the thing could be looked at. It's fun getting to this point however.

Good luck in your journey.

The best improvement affects pretty much all your rifles. That is a good front rest and sand bag. It will pay for itself quickly by preventing the waste of time and components.

If you are shooting off of a cheap bipod you will not have the same results a good bench rest produces.


After benchrest technique you have to pay attention to the rifle scope and ammo.

Make sure the bore is not fouling and the lenght of the bullets used are appropriate for the rifling twist.

I'd say getting the nut behind the bolt consistently torqued to where it is a "hard holder".

A good trigger and a quality scope is a good place to start. It's also very important that the "trigger man" knows how to use them.

I start with the bullet I want to use for the caliber/purpose and then try two or three different powders. If that does not work then I move to my second bullet choice. Once I have a powder/bullet combination that seems to have real promise, I then adjust seating depth to fine tune.
I have tried different primers a couple of times but really never had that make a big difference. With most bullets, I start with a seating depth roughly .010" off the lands. With Barnes TSX's, I start .030" off the lands and work to .050" if I need to.

DEFINITELY the rest your using. There is a reason why QUALITY competition rests are a tad more pricey than a rolled up raincoat. I'm not saying you have to have the best to evaluate rifle/loads...but I believe the cost difference borne by the benchrest crowd illustrates the importance of the rest. As to the round itself....once you verified that your bullet selection is appropriate to your barrel's twist rate, powder selection and charge wt. would be my next place to start playing around.

Looking at components only,as I think you asked, I find it to be the bullet; hands down. roger

Its been my luck that primer and seating depth probably have the least to do with it, if you have your seating depth in the ballpark. I just had one of new mod. 70s and after 300 rounds I finally deciced it might be the barrel. Tried alot of powders,bullets, and primers. Shoot around 2 or 3 ins. at 100. Fixed it with a remington.

Nobody has mentioned decaffeinated coffee yet.

Bench technique and trigger pull. Bench technique speaks for itself, if you're not doing it right and doing it the same everytime, your groups are gonna suck. A gritty trigger or a heavy trigger is gonna break your consentration so's you can't do it the same everytime.
Lots of folks spend a ton of time making perfect ammo and then can't understand why they can't get good groups whilst shooting acrost a hunting pack or a couple of sticks. And so they buy some more thingies and spend more time on their ammo when they should be dry firing off the dining room table.

I guess I would like a bit more info on what the inconsistent results actually are.

Vertically/horizontal stringing?

Are you expecting 1/4 inch groups and only getting 1/2 groups?

Was the wind at the range gusting or steady?

And, sometimes I just have a bad day shooting, so I just discount that session and begin again another time.

D,
IMO, it's fixing the current weak link....what ever that link may be.

Sometimes it located in the shooter, the rifle, ammo, optics, or ancelaries, such as the bench, rest ect.

Bases on the nature of you question, and the fact that it's posted in reloading, I get the feeling you are really asking about load developement?

Load developement is part art, part science. I typically choose the bullet first, the powder, then primer, then adjuste seating depth.

So, if it was my new 700 SPS tactical, and I was working up loads for it, here's where I would start:

Bullet: Sierra 52/53gr Match King. These are the gold standard of .224 bullets, and most .224 bore rifles tend to shoot the well.

Powder: I would start with the classic ball powders this calber likes: w748, BL(c)2, H335, or WC844 if you like suprlus powder

Primers, Ball powders like a hot primers, so I'd start with either CCI benchrest, or CCI mag primers.

If I didn't get the results I wanted with the ball powders I'd try some old fashioned extruded powers, IMR/H 4895, H322. H322 and CCI BR-4 behind the SMK's has a very good reputation as an accurate load.

If I wanted to throw in two different powder, it would be RL15 and TAC. I don't have either of these powders on my shelf, only because I've never needed to. Usually one of the ball or extruded's work so well I don't need to look any further. But will find guys on this site that swear by both in the .223. I'm not sure if they like a hot or a cold primer, so I'd stick with BR-4's.


As for OAL. I start at magazine length, and only adjust it if I have to, and on a stadard profile bullet, such as a Nosler BT, or a SMK, it's that last thing I adjust....if at all..... If your groups are two shots in on hole, and the third shot out, this is a good indication you need to adjust you seating depth.

I hope this helps. It you'd like to share a little more about your set up with this rife, pehaps we can be of more help.

quote:

Originally posted by DPollard:
My question to everyone on here is what single component has the most effect on accuracy: primer, bullet choice, powder choice, seating depth??? I would think it would be smartest to change only one component at a time so what would you all suggest?

Thanks.

One never knows. Typicaly I agree with Rodger that the bullet is usually the component that has the most potential to make or break a load. But quite often finding the right powder can have a huge effect.

The first thing you need to do is start with brass. Dont use a mix of different brands and weigh them for consistancy.

Then it can be a crapshoot to find what your rifle "likes", but generally the two biggest contributors to developing a good load will be the bullet or the powder.

If you are trying different bullets already then take the best two or three and try them with different powders and charge weights..

G-luck!

quote:

What has the most effect on accuracy?

Gremlins -- really. You have to track it down for every rifle. Make it fun! (Try bedding after everything is clean, tight, ...)

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
Looking at components only,as I think you asked, I find it to be the bullet; hands down. roger

barrel is first then the bullet.
everything else falls behind those two in some order or another.

Bullets, brass, and other components are made to exacting tolerances that was unimagined not too long ago. While the op did indeed ask about which component was most important, the fact remains that if you do not achieve a consistant delivery, all of the scrambling around you do with components is pretty pointless.
Switching from a Sierra bullet to a Hornady or vice versa may change you groups in a minor manner but it certainly isn't gonna change a spray and pray to a one holer.

Simple. One word

Consistency

Cartridge:
1. Seating depth based on the options listed.
2. Bullet choice, meaning matching twist rate.
3. Powder charge.
4. Case prep consistency.
5. primer.

Rifle:
1. Barrel
2. Optics
3. Free float/Bedding/Etc...
4. Trigger
5. Weather factor effects on components

The shooter:
1. Ability (B.R.A.S.S.)
2. Weather factors on bullet flight
3. Range/distance


The shooting triangle, a weakness in any one side results in inconsistancy.

The shooter. If a good marksman can not shot a good group then look at the gun but Many Many times it isnt the gun that is the problem.