[Bucky]

Any advice here would be appreciated

I bit of hit and miss lately, with my .222, so I have set targets out to 200 yards, and managing to get 1.5" groups, but next lot spread out.
All exactly on the same horizontal plane, just spread out over 6" - 8"...
Frustrates me, as it left me wondering why foxes are getting away.
Now I know !
My figuring that the problem lays between the trigger and the ground, namely me.
But not so, as 50 grain Factory Hornady Ballistic tips were spot on.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

My reloading brass stocks, are a mongrel mix from Mates, as payback for reloading favors, but I can assure you, that all shells are full length pressed, and trimmed to the Speer #13 Manual specs.
To help solve the issues, I have ordered 100 new Lapua shells, and I will see what happens... that is if they ever get here. They willl be kept separate forever.
My thinking is that because of the mongrel mix of shells, I am getting too much variations in brass, which (may) influence the MOA.

Have also stepped out the .270 Win, with 150 gr Woodleigh PSP's, at the same time, and as always she is sweet, down to 1" groups.
Cheers
Bucky

 

[SWO1]

Easy enough to find out if it is the brass. Separate it. Load batches and shoot it separate strings and see if it stays within same groups. Then you will know if its that.

I.E. 3 shots with Win. Brass, 3 shots with Rem. Brass and so on.

My Rem. 700 .308 has a different P.O.I. with the same loading, same components with Federal vs. Remington brass. Not as much as your .222 is getting but about 1".

 

[Bucky]

Cheers SWO1
Hombre just told me the same on skype !

Has to be worth a crack at

 

[SWO1]

Be sure to let us know the outcome Bucky. Brass like powder, bullets, ect do make a difference. I found out fast it really does in the short barrel Pistolas. In a 6" .38 I get a 4" spread at 50' between Blazer, Win and Rem brass.

 

[tahoe2]

Like SWO said, different brass, different thickness,= different reactions to pressure and capacity.
Even if you use the same powder weight charge, same bullet, same primer, in the different brass, it reacts differently.
I have found those results to be true with higher capacity, larger bore, bottle neck cases as well (Winchester, Remington, Federal etc...) in 7mm mauser and 8mm mauser, 280 Rem etc...

 

[FOUR4D4]

I never though brass would make a difference

 

[hombre243]

Brass Basics

I never though brass would make a difference

I often considered that if brass from different manufacturers were of different metallurgical specs and that certain manufacturers brass could be reloaded more times before becoming unusable for another load, then the shooting characteristics would be different also. Not that one is better per se than all the others, but that, as Bucky may soon find out, different brass produces different results in different guns.

One rifle or handgun may prefer one brand over another. But, each brass probably has the same ultimate capability as any other. It is the load and combined components that make the difference and each gun will prefer a certain load when using certain components and different loads when using others.

With the endless options available to choose from, finding THE most perfect above all others would entail a lifelong trial and error and endless days at the range testing in all different conditions and temperatures...ad infinitum, ad sore shoulderum.

That, to me is what makes rolling my own such an interesting hobby. I know I will never find perfection in my loads unless I stumble onto one accidentally. But for me, a 1" or better group for most of my rifles at 50-75 yards is plenty good enough because I do not expect to shoot at longer ranges than that. Because I shoot for meat and casual target, I only have to know where my guns shoot because a 1 shot group is usually all I need to take home the successfully dispatched target. And if it hits within a kill zone I am satisfied.

I do shoot for groups initially when sighting in and when changing load recipes but usually I just go for pretty dang good...not necessarily one hole groups.

 

[FOUR4D4]

I have some federal 9mm brass with some CCI 9mm brass,now their going to give me different result.Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc & can be modified to brass of differant properties.So im thinking the cases with more of the copper proerties is going to expand less.Please forgive me Im just rambling on about CCI and Magtech Ammo i think for the price they make pretty good ammo.I appoligize for the thread drift now back to our progam.