Reloading Basics: Underperforming Ammo

Sometimes, even when you have followed the reloading data to the letter, your ammunition just will not perform, accuracy and consistency is just not there and your shots will not group. If this happens, you need to systematically work through the variables one at a time, changing just one and keeping all others the same. If you change more than one variable at any one time, you will not be unable to tell which change is having an effect on how your ammunition performs.

Weight

After reloading some ammunition it’s good practice to weigh each completed round anyway, but if you are having problems, then it is a good place to start. The weight of your rounds will vary slightly and this is completely normal, due to the tolerances in the various components. You are looking for any rounds that vary significantly from the weight of the majority, although what is considered ‘significant’ is debatable. In rifle loads, maybe 20% of the powder charge weight is a reasonable place to start.

If you find that you have some that come in at a significantly different weight when compared to the average, then pull them apart and weigh each component separately. This will enable you to see if there is a problem with one of them. The powder should obviously be the weight stated in the reloading data you are using and the bullet should be the weight shown on the box. If the powder charge weight is wrong, then you need to focus on your powder measure. If the bullet weight is not correct, go through the box and weigh a few to see if there is an issue. Bullet quality is rarely an issue, but just occasionally you might get some rogue products.

Weigh the primed cases, and also prime a few more from the same batch, so you can weigh them as well. This is much easier and safer than trying to de-prime the ones that still carry a live primer. If your cases are all from the same batch then they should all weigh the same, but again, this is not always the case. If cases are not the same weight then the inside dimensions will not match, and this space has a significant effect on the way the powder burns and the pressure it generates. This is why you must not use cases from different manufacturers in the same batch of rounds.

If it looks like the weight of a component is the issue, then it’s well worth making up a small batch of ‘special’ rounds to test. This is done by weighing the individual components that make up each round and only using those that weigh the same. Weighing bullets and cases to get a dozen that weigh exactly the same is time-consuming, but it will help iron out the problems. Weigh each powder charge rather than using a powder measure. This process is something high-end competition shooters do all the time, to keep their rounds consistent, and it works. Weight checking a new batch of cases can be a good way to weed out any rogues before you begin, even though it takes time, and does mean you might not have an even number of cases to load.

Length

Measuring the Cartridge Overall Length (COL) is a good way to check for issues with bullet seating depth or other inconsistent reloading practices. When you seat a bullet, the pressure you apply to the press dictates both the depth that the bullet seats and the amount of crimp that holds it in place. These both affect chamber pressure, which in turn impacts consistency, and seating depth affects how the bullet interacts with the rifling when it sets off down the barrel. If some rounds are longer than others, then the bullets might actually engage in the rifling when they are chambered, increasing the amount of resistance to the bullet starting off and significantly raising chamber pressure.

With a poor match between a softnosed bullet and the seating plug in the seating die, it is possible to damage them during seating. This can affect both the COL and the shape of the bullet tip. If the tips of the bullets are damaged in any way, check the fit of the bullet in the seating die plug and maybe change it for a better match.

Dies

If you have not found any issues with the weight of components then it’s time to look at the dies. First of all, check they are all tightly installed and that there is no play in how they are fitted or between the various parts of the dies. They can work loose, so should be checked regularly.

If you want to try changing either the COL or the amount of crimp then be sure to mark all of your dies, so you have a reference point in case you want to return them to the original setting. Change only one setting at a time and make up a few rounds before returning that die to its previous setting, and then change something else and make a few more. You must carefully label each batch or ammunition so that you know which variable has been changed.

Start again?

If a batch of reloads is performing so badly that you cannot use them, then they can simply be pulled apart and some of the components re-used. The cases can be re-neck sized with the de-priming pin removed, so the unspent primers are retained. The bullets can be used again and there is no reason why the powder cannot also be re-used.

Conclusion

The above process should help you isolate and address any issues with your reloads that are attributable to the components or the reloading process. If there is still a problem, then the next step would be to change either the bullet or the powder you are using, so it’s back to the reloading data to choose a different ‘recipe’.