Ballistic Coefficient vs. Accuracy?

[Distant Thunder]

Mike,

I don't get all anal about some of the little details, this stuff isn't benchrest shooting and while accuracy of the equipment and bullets is still important it's not the key to winning matches as much as is the ability of the shooter. IMHO

I don't think there is enough difference between a rifle/bullet/load that shoots 1 moa and one that shoots 1 1/2 moa to make a less skilled shooter a match winner. And make no mistake, I am a less skilled shooter compared to some that are out there. Some of those guys that are really good make it look simple, I don't, I have to work hard at it when I'm shooting.

Part of what I believe makes it a little easier for me to do well is the fact that I try to stick with known quantities. I know guys who show up with a different rifle almost every match, they are trying to find the rifle that will win. I like familiarity and I really only shoot one rifle for long-range, at least when winning is important. The same goes for bullets and loads, I don't change anything much if it's working and I only change things in small ways as I get closer to a winning combination.

The past two years I have been working with a .44-77 and at this point in time there is little chance I'm going to win with that rifle/cartridge, but I do believe I can eventually pull out a win with it. The rifle and cartridge are capable and I'm closing in on the load, but I am not there with the bullet yet. That is the main reason I have been thinking about bullet design and what's most important in a bullet to shoot well out at 1000 yards.

By shooting well I do mean winning matches or at very least placing close to the top consistently, in the top 5. I think a shooter would have to be a machine to win every match and there are always those who can beat you even when you're having a good day. So winning every match isn't my goal, but making sure the winner earned the win is. If the guy in the lead is worrying about me, I'm happy.

I don't sweat the little things too much. My bullets are not perfect, but they are consistent. I can accept a minor flaw, but not two. They must weigh consistently, but I have a wider range of what I would consider acceptable than some, plus or minus 1 grain is pretty good. I've been known to stretch that a little if I need more bullets to shoot a match. Any bullet that is on the edge is marked as a sighter and I use those for ranging and early sighter shots. However, I have often had to sort through my remaining bullets on Sunday looking for enough "good" bullets to finish a match. I have had to "upgrade" sighter bullets to "match" status and they all seem to go where they should. That makes me believe I don't have worry about my bullets or my patches as much some might think.

I also weigh each powder charge and I am very consistent in my use of the drop tube and my compression. I don't get too excited about my brass. I don't weigh my brass, but I do buy good brass to start with. I also toss any brass that causes problems, or rework them if that fixes the issue.

I do watch case length very closely and I don't trim them too short and try to stay as close as possible to the maximum and no more than .010" under max.

I sort of play with my bullet alloy some, but I don't mix things up in a single match unless I am testing one alloy against another. Whether we are shooting grease groove or paper patch the fact that our bullets upset at ignition, and bore diameter PP have to, is one of the limiting factors in the design of our bullets, or at least should be. PPB most upset and even grease groove bullet will upset whether they have to or not. With upset comes at least some nose setback. That setback affects the B.C. of our bullets by shortening the nose and making it bigger in diameter. The bullet you loaded in the chamber isn't necessarily the bullet that travels to that 1000 yard target.

The upset and setback must be controlled, and the alloy is the one way to do that. They must be hard enough, but not too much and they absolutely must remain concentric. The alloy has to be adjusted to balance with the load, the powder charge, to work best with the amount of force applied to the base of the bullet.

Bullet fit to the chamber and nose design can also help control upset and setback. Everything is a tradeoff.

I always use a paper that is proven to work in my rifles, but, as you know, I don't get carried away with my patches. I am trying to make them better and more consistent, but I just don't seem able to stay there and things vary more than I would like sometimes.

My loading process is simple, I clean and prime my cases. I don't anneal often, not unless I see a need to. I don't size my cases after they are fireformed. I weigh and drop tube (14" tube) into each case and seat the wad. Usually LDPE wads, rarely anything else.

I patch and size my bullets and finger seat them in the cases as I patch them. Each case is in some manner neck sized with the bore diameter bullet in place and just enough that I can lift the cartridge out of the box and it will hold together. The bullets can be easily pulled with just my fingers and reseated the same without damage to the paper or marking the lead beneath.

Each cartridge is place in the box and I'm ready to shoot for the center. It's almost too easy to load good match winning PPB. Way easier for me than grease groove bullets, I hate messing with lube. The only lube I use is the water-soluble oil that is in my wiping solution, and it does make a difference. It's 10 to 1 and I use it on bore pigs wiping between each shot, which is the only way to wipe during a match.

I hope some of this info has eased your mind and helps stop the hurting hair thing. I will add that the way I do it is not the only way to do it, it's just my way and it works for me, YMMV.

I haven't changed anything in my long-range load in several years now, I see no need to.

Shoot well!