Loading Match Grade Ammo?

[Edward429451]

1) Do you think it's necessary to use virgin brass to load Match quality ammo?

2) Do you think it's necessary to use Match Brass to load Match ammo?

3) Do you think it's necessary to use Match bullets to load Match quality ammo?

4) Define what Match grade means to you. (GMM, 1MOA, 1/2MOA, etc)

Discuss and share your experiance (s).

 

[The_Antibubba]

I can't reply to all of them, but number 1 is a "NO".

If you are shooting a bolt action rifle, once-fired brass will "fire-form" to your chamber-it is now uniquely fitted to that rifle. If you only neck size when you reload, your subsequent loadings should be more accurate.

 

[Jim Watson]

No.

No.

Not always but it is the safe bet. As my match mentor says, why burn up the service life of an expensive target barrel with doubtful ammo?

Depends on the match, the gun, and the shooter. At my level of expertise (not much) if the gun/ammo will hold the X ring under ideal conditions, I am content.
I have a shoot coming up with targets set at double distance - a 300 yard target at 600 for F Class - and will have to make do with a 10-ring outfit in the form of my old M-70 Target '06.
My main accuracy shooting these days is in BPCR Silhouette and a 1.5 MOA rifle shot at 2 MOA critters has gotten me into AAA class, with a win yesterday.

 

[Mikul]

No.

No.

Yes.

Match ammo is quality that you don't question. It's ammo that you know will go bang and has the highest level of consistency that you (or the ammo maker) is capable of. That's why match bullets are a must. Other bullets MAY work even 95% of the time, but those 5 stray holes in your target will drive you nuts.

 

[Dave P]

I go for fire formed brass, with consistant neck thickness. And ALWAYS with match grade bullets. Chaeper bullets don't cut it!

 

[30Cal]

1. No. If you toss the brass from any fliers, you've probably got a better batch than when it was new.
2. No. I use USGI surplus.
3. Surplus or fodder bullets generally aren't going to cut it.
4. If it shoots pretty close to the limit of what you can reasonably expect out fo the rifle, then it's match quality. I like to spend more time practicing and less time messing around at the reloading bench, so I don't bother with any tasks that cost me a lot of time and give me little or no advantage on paper. I generally try to get 1 MoA ammo with the least amount of effort.

 

[wanderinwalker]

No.

Double no. Just look at all of the AR-15 shooters in NRA Highpower. The gold standard brass is Lake City surplus. (Holds more powder than commercial brass.)

Absolutely yes. Although I think any good Hollow Point or Hollow-Point Boattail bullet is capable of being "Match Grade."

Match grade ammunition is ammunition that will hold the X-ring from 200-600 yards. My experience is that good (consistent) bullets and powder mean far more than what I do to the cases for accuracy (within reason).

I am content to have my 600 yard ammo sorted by headstamp only, throw powder instead of weighing it. The only stickler I have on this ammo is seating depth. As long as that is on, I am happy. Not cleaning 600-yard targets is due to the shooter, not the ammo with my current equipment.

Short-line ammunition has to plentiful. Loaded with good powder and bullets, the big point here is simply having enough to practice with to get good at keeping them in the X-ring. I think any true match-grade bullet will hold the X-ring of an NRA Highpower target from 300-yards with a powder type and charge that makes the barrel happy.

Other than that, it is more important to get out and shoot in my game (Highpower). If I were a benchrester, my answers would be completely different.

 

[P0832177]

I think that match ammo is a matter of function over form.

If you use LC, RP, Win., or Lapua brass you still have to be consistent in your processing of it.

Match bullets are a no brainer. But, there are short cuts that people learn. Like using some bulk bullets for short line ammo. IE in the 223 using 52gr SMK. for 100 yd matches. Or shooting 155 Palma bullets for lighter recoil in the 30 caliber.

You can beat your head against a wall trying to cover ground that has been covered ad nauseum! Find a load, and then practice practice practice! Enjoy!

 

[Edward429451]

Hmm, yeah just musing on wether I should order virgin or match brass and/or match bullets to try n' tighten em up some more. I'm not likely to go compete with it, just tryin to make it mo better.

I went through a couple boxes of 69g SMK's and didn't see a significant improvement over the 55's. They're not bad but I felt they should have posted better. It's probably just me.

All I do to the brass is trim & clean and segregate headstamp, no uniforming or anything like that.

Whatcha guys think about BR primers? Worth the expenditure?

Yes I'm gonna practice more as the po man budget allows. Just got in 2670 pc's and will get some range time from those...

 

[mtnbkr]

Fireforming brass

Is there a way to do it without loading regular loads? I saw a post in the internet saying you could fireform to a wildcat chamber with 6gr of Bullseye and a cloth wad. Is that a standard method or will I need to load all of my new brass as usual and blast away? I'd rather not waste the powder and bullets.

Chris

 

[30Cal]

All I do to the brass is trim & clean and segregate headstamp, no uniforming or anything like that.

Whatcha guys think about BR primers? Worth the expenditure?

If the rifle is capable of shooting well, you'd probably know it without having to fuss a lot over your brass or by switching to BR primers. It might make a good load shoot better, but it's not going to make a big difference to a load that is marginal in the first place.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I know folks that use nothing but brand new lapua brass for all of their matches but I do not think I can see a difference in my target or care to spend that much money.

I use winchester for 600 yards and lc for everything under that almost. The exception being new winchester brass for regular 600 yard loads untill I go threw enough to get a good stock up on the used one's.

Bullits I use what seems to work at the time. been using strickly 80 and 77 smk's but have played with alot of 69 smk's also and in rapid sitting and off hand I like them.
But also shot alot of moly 75 hornady's last year and they shot very well enough for me to consider switching for practice this winter over to 75's and even giving the moly 75 amax loads a try.
Now did try out those 73 bergers the last match I shot and had great results with it but looking to find a better buy on berger 73's and the vld 75's before I give them a serious try.
I know the 80 smk's work well for me but alot of folks are trying to get me to switch to either the 75 amax's or berger 75's as they say they shoot flater and are better but I will see for myself.

What it means for me is when I call a 10 at 2 o'clock it is a 10 at 2 o'clock and yes you can see a difference if something is not right.

I knew something was amiss last june when my 600 yard shots were just not where I called them, I thought it was just me but even in the wind and hard light the scores were still low 190's but off call. shot a regional and a leg match and the scores were ok but I was starting to wonder?
The next match a state service rifle championship my 69's in off hand were flying ever 4th shot or so but still stabilizing the 77's and 80's but the groups were not what they seemed they should be for what I thought I was loading. not pretty . Thought it was my ammo I loaded with the 69's and then switched to 73 bergers in the regional the next day for off hand and they started to act up and I then after talking to my team mate and gunsmith we decided it might just be the barrel and not the ammo. switched to my back up rifle and shot a very decent score with the same ammo that I was having probems with the matches before. The big difference was I was now inside my called shots. it was nice to be able to know where every shot in a match went again and have no unexplained shots. it was a bad barrel and not the ammo but good ammo was part of the reason I saw a problem in the first place as fast as I did and could correct for it..