I have tried talking about super accurate reloads on other sites, and the discussions always turn into a shouting match. Hoping that AR forums will come through again and actually teach me something.

First of all my loading techniques are not advanced at this point in time. I have been reloading for several years and am looking to go to a new level. I use a Redding turret press and an RCBS chargemaster. Mainly Redding dies, but have used all brands. At this point I do not neck turn, i don't sort brass and bullets by weight or anything. Very basic indeed. Pretty much follow the manuals.

Now I have made some very accurate reloads, but I am wondering if it was luck? I shoot an AR-15 in highpower competition, and have made some 600 yard reloads that have cleaned the target. But now I have the bug for 1000 yard shooting, and realize that ammunition consistency is a very integral part of the game.

I am wondering how big a part of consistent reloads load density is? In one of my hunting rifles, a .257 Roberts short action model 700, I am getting about 1 MOA at 100 yards, not bad, but I would like to squeak out a little more. I am using IMR 4350, and my load density is not near 100% right now. Might this low load density be a limiting factor right now?

Going back to the target shooting realm, I hear a lot of talk about low standard deviation in velocities for 1000 yard loads. Very important I agree, and numbers i have heard are low in the 4-8 fps standard deviation. All I can say is WOW! Borrowed a friends Pact chrono and measured some of my "good" AR-15 reloads and was getting more like 20-40 fps standard deviations. His loads did about the same. We question whether his chrono is working correctly or not, but either way we are no where close to single digits. (My "good" loads are using 24.5 grains of Varget and 75 A-Max bullets.) When I begin shooting 1000 yards, I will probably start with a .308 Winchester.

My question is this, what does it take to get low standard deviations? Neck turning? Weighing cases and bullets? Match primers? Special equipment? etc. Maybe I am overly concerned on this subject, but am just curious what it takes to make super accurate quality reloads. Hoping you all might share some tips and tricks to aid a learning reloader.

Thanks a bunch.

Excluding all other components, brass consistency is, IMHO anyway, the single biggest factor. Loads weighed to the 1/10 grain, match bullets, and match primers will not be consistently released when fired if neck tension isn't the same. This is where using a premium brass like Nosler pays dividends. Some folks think a crimp, or neck die with inserts is the answer, but I don't believe that to be a fact as none of it will make up for inferior components.

Regarding load density I couldn't say whether or not it makes a difference, as all of my IMR 4895 loads are compressed. My buddy uses Varget exclusively, and his loads are compressed too.

I like the high power game too and have shot my AR at 1000 yards. With a case full of IMR4895 and 80 grain Sierra bullets, my load still goes subsonic at about the 950 yard mark. If you zero like I do bring a front sight tool with you to the range because you'll need it. I zero with the rear sight one full turn from the bottom, and when so configured you'll run out of rear sight adjustment at about the 800 yard mark!