Sierra, Why You Do This To Me...?

Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
451
Likes
18
Feedback: 1 / 0 / 0
Well I worked up a load that shoots great out of my rifle over the last few range trips and wanted to try them out to 265yds (max at my range). I made the rounds wednesday and realized I only had 5 175gr smk bullets left... no big deal I'll open another box, well the base to ogive measurement was .030" longer which is a significant difference. Another box I had was only longer by .004" so i went with thise to add to the 5 I had already worked up thinking close enough... well at the range today I fired two at plates at 100 to confirm zero and the the 3 left from the group went to my 1st target at 265... this group was only .375" center to center.

The rounds with the new bullets did ok 3/4 to 1.5inch groupsat the same range partly because I was excited about the small group and couldnt stop rubbing it in my buddy's face and maybe a little wind that did pick up.

My question is is sierra the only brand with this much difference lot to lot? Wish I bought in bulk...
 
I just measured all my 308s.

Two boxes of the same lot number of hornady eldx 178gr got sorted into two piles that were .005in in difference and one random one single bullet that was longer .007in

The two boxes of sierra different lot numbers were consistant throughout the lots but one lot was about .025in longer

All measured base to ogive.

What a pain...
 
30 some years ago, I competed in High Power and used Sierra 168's. OAL, which I deemed important was all over the place so I'd reseat until they were all about the same. Looking for sympathy, I complained about the situation to one of those OLD guys, you know, one of those Methusalah types who was probably reloading when Roosevelt was president, Teddy, that is. He explained how Sierra 168's were made on 3 different machines and weren't kept separate. He suggested that it wasn't especially important but since I KNEW everything on the face of the planet re. shooting/reloading, that I might as well measure bullets. Sure enough, I ended with 3 piles . Shortest to longest varied .030". So now, of course, I batched my ammunition with common length bullets. There was NO statistical difference. None.

Just to throw this in, as it doesn't come up anywhere and ........ There were several National Guard types who were given BY GOD real National Match ammunition to compete with. The only stipulation for these guys was they had to return their brass. By weight. So what they'd do was offer up their BY GOD National Match brass at a 2 to one, our 2 for their 1, ratio. Needless to say, I stood in line to effect that trade. The same old buck, pulled me out of line and indicated this just might be a waste of time swapping my match prepped brass for the POS BY GOD National Match crap. WTF are you talking about you old fool? says I. So he set me on the path to determine which was better, BY GOD National Match brass or my carefully crafted Winchester? brass. You already know that Old Duffer was correct here too, didn't you? No matter what I measured, my brass blew the doors off the BY GOD National Match brass. That would include groups on paper. Needless to say, in the future, when this guy talked about shooting, I listened.
 
30 some years ago, I competed in High Power and used Sierra 168's. OAL, which I deemed important was all over the place so I'd reseat until they were all about the same. Looking for sympathy, I complained about the situation to one of those OLD guys, you know, one of those Methusalah types who was probably reloading when Roosevelt was president, Teddy, that is. He explained how Sierra 168's were made on 3 different machines and weren't kept separate. He suggested that it wasn't especially important but since I KNEW everything on the face of the planet re. shooting/reloading, that I might as well measure bullets. Sure enough, I ended with 3 piles . Shortest to longest varied .030". So now, of course, I batched my ammunition with common length bullets. There was NO statistical difference. None.

Just to throw this in, as it doesn't come up anywhere and ........ There were several National Guard types who were given BY GOD real National Match ammunition to compete with. The only stipulation for these guys was they had to return their brass. By weight. So what they'd do was offer up their BY GOD National Match brass at a 2 to one, our 2 for their 1, ratio. Needless to say, I stood in line to effect that trade. The same old buck, pulled me out of line and indicated this just might be a waste of time swapping my match prepped brass for the POS BY GOD National Match crap. WTF are you talking about you old fool? says I. So he set me on the path to determine which was better, BY GOD National Match brass or my carefully crafted Winchester? brass. You already know that Old Duffer was correct here too, didn't you? No matter what I measured, my brass blew the doors off the BY GOD National Match brass. That would include groups on paper. Needless to say, in the future, when this guy talked about shooting, I listened.

Little of topic: A club members wife claims she worked at Lake City Arsenal from 1956-1975 and the M72 NM ammo was not particualry "better" than M2 ball.
She says the only difference was the use of the M1 ball bullet 173grain boat tail and brass that was labeled NM or match as to be quickly identified at the national events when they actually issued ammo. Now she says the only difference between the brass of LC produced M2 ball ans match brass was the head stamp and lack of crimping.

Of all the NM brass I have the brass weight variation from case to case is no better than any other brass I have.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom