factory cartridge weight
Boredom got the best of me today, so i decided to weigh 30-06 150gr core lokt out of curiosity. found a difference of 4.8 gr. in the box of cartridges. Just looking for an education here. what causes the difference - bullet, powder, case?
If you weighed completed rounds then it could have been any combination of the above. Don't forget that factory loads are a production thing unlike the handloads that we take a lot of pride in building. I've gone so far as to weigh my cases and sort them into lots, then weigh my bullets and cull the highs and lows. It could even be a half grain (or --GASP -- a whole grain) of difference in the powder charge. Unless you're willing to disassemble the loaded rounds, we'll never know. Just take pride in the knowledge that your handloads are superior if you weigh every charge.
../|. ,[____],
l---L -=O|||||O
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Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?
you inspired me. took two apart. bullet one 411gr 151.5 bullet, 57.2 charge, 202.5 case. second 407.3gr 151.1 bullet, 57.2 charge, 198.9 case. i know they don't add up exact but that is how it came out.
You probably determined the largest variable was in the brass. The more expensive the brass is, the tighter the manufacturing tolerances. I've never weighed different brands of brass to see what the actual spread is; it might be an interesting experiment.
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
Weighing brass and sorting by weight is a proven way to tighten up your groups. As long as the composition (material) and length (easy to fix) is the same, the largest difference will be the case head thickness which, in turn, effects case volume. And we all know how the case volume effects the group size, so it's not only legit but recommended to weigh the cases after trimming to length. But I'll bet few reloaders do that regularly.
../|. ,[____],
l---L -=O|||||O
()_) ()_)-~--)_)
Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?
The comments by Belchfire are indeed valid. However these are issues for those that are interested in extreme accuracy for benchrest shooting. These are the people who spend thousands of dollars to improve the accuracy of their benchrest rifles. Bench rest shooting is another niche in the world of shooting that requires resources and much investment in time to perform well. There are benchrest shooters in my rod and gun club that shoot incredibly small groups. Those that load for the purpose of hunting or just plinking do not need to worry about these issues.Originally Posted by BelchFire
Hunting and fishing are not matters of life or death. They are much more important than that.
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