Why we handload...

So, I'm new to the AR game, and relatively new to handloading in general. But I've been shooting a while and enjoy precision stuff. That said, I was having trouble dialing in my Rock River carbine with iron sights. I've since mounted a scope, and tried a bunch of different powder weights (AR-Comp) with good Bullets (Sierra Blitz King 55gr)

I also recorded some results. And made a couple of interesting discoveries.

Here's the crazy-big scope on the carbine (Nitrex TR2 3-15 X 50)



I shot up a bunch of reloads, some factory ammo and made some decisions on where my powder loads should be. I found that the best I could do with Tulammo and PMC was 2 MOA. Hand loads were significantly better. In attempt to describe this, I shot these 5 shot groups at 50 yards:



After refining my powder loads, I put up a few groups similar to this at 100 yards. Certainly better than the 1 MOA that Rock River advertises for their carbine, and not bad for a comparative newbie shooting off of sandbags.



But I got to thinking about the variance between the bulk ammo and the handloads. Intuitively, we know the components are better, and WE control the loading. But how much variation is there?

My loads are consistent well below .1 grains of powder variance and a 5 bullet sample of the Sierra Blitz Kings showed they are precisely 55 grains.

Next I grabbed 3 rounds out of the Tulammo box. I pulled the bullets with a pair of pliers, measured the powder and bullet weights.

The results were startling. The powder weights were all over the map, as were the bullet weights. The powder in sample 1 and 3 showed all different shapes of powder. Sample 2 was a completely different powder.



Sample 2 powder close up (completely different powder!)



Sample 3 powder close up:



Granted, my samples are small and my methods are not perfect. Your results may vary, and your comments are welcome. I'd like to take the time to break down some PMC rounds as well to see what their variances are.

Factory loaded ammunitionalmost alway uses non-canister grade powdewr, and visual examination is useless , and usually misleading. Judge factory loaded ammo by it's performance on target. There was one particular flavor of Milsurp 5.56 ammo that was legandary for its accuraccy. I won't mention it because I don't want competion for any remaining stocks in circulation.

With my Sportster using orig iron sights, (unnamed Milsurp) gives 1.5MOA, while handloads give MOA, fwiw I conly have confidence in my underpracticed skills down to 1 MOA) .

I have some pmc rounds to send you if you don't. I don't have a scale but since I bought several thousand rounds of the stuff during the scare I am dying to find out what I am stuck with.

In the picture with 6 targets with powder weight 24.7 is by far he best group.
stick with that one. Good shooting.

Yup, I got into it for accuracy as well.

Very interesting comparison. I picked up some Swiss Geco 223 and shot it in my dad's Bushmaster AR HBAR.
For $.60/round at current prices I was impressed. It will set the bar pretty high for my handloads which may end up less expensive but I'd hope to get this kind of accuracy out of it. I have yet to bring the Geco back to the range with my dad's AR to see if this is consistently how small the groups will be.
The other pic of the bigger group is same gun, w/ Independence 5.56 which pretty much consistently shoots 2MOA through is AR.


1st PIC is GECO .223

2nd PIC is the Independence 5.56

double post

I got into reloading due to the cost savings and also the inherent consistency/accuracy I get from reloading. I see the same results if not better results than FGMM 308 for roughly 1/4 the cost of buying FGMM.

paxfish said:

So, I'm new to the AR game, and relatively new to handloading in general. But I've been shooting a while and enjoy precision stuff. That said, I was having trouble dialing in my Rock River carbine with iron sights. I've since mounted a scope, and tried a bunch of different powder weights (AR-Comp) with good Bullets (Sierra Blitz King 55gr)

I also recorded some results. And made a couple of interesting discoveries.

Sample 2 powder close up (completely different powder!)

Here's the crazy-big scope on the carbine (Nitrex TR2 3-15 X 50)
Granted, my samples are small and my methods are not perfect. Your results may vary, and your comments are welcome. I'd like to take the time to break down some PMC rounds as well to see what their variances are.

Click to expand...

Powder Sample 2 is the same as Hodgdon H4895, but, H4895 is gold in color.
They change the color to make you think it is a completely different powder.

I got back in to casting bullets and reloading mostly due to the fact that most of my guns use bullets that are ridiculously expensive in the retail markets. I mostly shoot 20 Ga. slug and Muzzleloader bullets $14.00 for 5 slugs is silly and $25.00 for 20 M/L bullets is just stupid. I can make a box of 50 slugs for what one retail box of 5 costs and I can make 200 M/L bullets for what a 20 pack costs at the store. Also, another reason is, I can make the bullets I want and not have to settle for the crap that the stores stock.

A 240 grain Muzzleloader bullet... it's so cute. Now show me the big bullets.

SOMDSHOOT said:

Powder Sample 2 is the same as Hodgdon H4895, but, H4895 is gold in color.
They change the color to make you think it is a completely different powder.

Click to expand...

Interesting.

The remarkable thing is that those samples came from the same box of Tulammo! I'm wondering if they have numerous production lines that all feed into the same packaging process. They load their charger with whatever roughly equivalent powder is queued up, but finished cartridges are all consolidated later.

Thanks for all the comments, Guys. PCFIXER - I agree, and have loaded up 40 more 24.7 of AR Comp to see if theyhold that level of consistency on target. I don't have a chrono, so I'm guessing a bit, but this load should be close to the rifle's happy place.

Hey 'shoot , that small type is hard to read on 'crackberry , can you go back to the regular size ?

Got back into it not too long ago... lost interest years ago (too many other hobbies). Mainly started reloading for paper punchin & cost, .38spl., .45ACP, then wildcat catridges, Metallic silhouette shooting, pin bustin. Then 7.62 nato thanks to Col. Bartgis at Linganore range. Now it's COST (.338 Lapua ) accuracy also. As my favorite line "bought it years ago". Brass, bullets, equipment, casting, swagin. Just hope this winter is a "long" one.

as SOMDSHOOT said bullets can be expensive... or hard to come by.. shoot .22lr, take case, make jacket
add lead core, swage a little, add a "BB" to top, final swage ....22cal boolit

-Rock