Reloaders,please help me not to waste my bullet,powder,time. PART 2?

I am a reloading instructor, Alaskan hunter, and ex military long distance shooter.

I don't care what scope you have or the wrenches you use. I don't care that you weight each jacketed bullet because that is a total waste of time. If you were measuring the concentricity of the bullet I might think you know what you are doing.

What is your problem? What is your question? I read this three times and I cannot make heads or tales what the actual issue is.

Personally I think you are out too far on the COL and are getting inconsistent pressure peaks that effect your harmonics and could quite possibly be damaging your rifle. Most rifles DO react positively to a little farther than SAMMI COLs but with VLD and Barnes (because of mass/density) you have a longer bullet to begin with,with a different engagement point than a standard hunting load or other target loads (compare a Swift Scirocco to a Nosler Accu-Bond even). You might even be over-pressuring the rifle if there is too much pressure building up in the case as the bullet fights inertia and friction at the lands. Check your primers for pressure signs.

I would get a Hornady (Stoney Point) Gauge for $30 and re-establish your COL position or have the rifle Carrosafe cast to determine chamber/ barrel dimensions. You are also using a rimmed magnum cartridge,which isn't always the best set up for absolute accuracy because of how the case head spaces. I just think you got a little over exuberant with the COL,and will need to come back a few thousandths, and remember that most velocity doesn't always mean best accuracy.

Try different loadings and/or powders/bullets to find which your weapon "prefers" for accuracy. (Maximum velocity loads are not necessarily the most accurate loads.)

Differences of 1-2 THOUSANDTHS of a grain in bullet weight are NOT really enough to matter except, possibly, on some small caliber "varmint" rounds, when shooting at distances exceeding 300 yards.

Check case length BEFORE loading, and trim cases that are too long.

NEVER exceed the Max cartridge OL, unless using a single shot that measurement of chamber has shown REQUIRES this. (The bullet COULD be "jammed" into the lands causing excessive pressures on firing.)

Primer pockets should NOT be "reamed" unless necessary, although may be "gently" cleaned.

Doing so too often will result in a "loose primer" or "too deep primer" problem.

IF your cases are "shouldered", you can use "neck" sizing in most cases, (NOT recommended for autos and/or multiple weapons in same caliber, unless EACH weapon's ammo is kept separate.) They won't stretch as much, will be specific fit for the rifle, and will last longer. (I have some with 30+ loadings that are still good!)

Hope this helps.

Sounds to me like you are trying too hard. Sometimes it seems no matter how perfect your loads are something else screws up. Have you even considered your weapon might be at fault? The barrel may not be properly bedded, or headspace could be off just a little. You may not be holding it right, the scope could have a loose crosshair, and on and on ad infinitum. If you are trying to shoot at 800 yards, you need to buy bullets from the factory that weigh exactly the same, use cases that you have personally measured the capacity. or buy match grade ammo.

How many powders have you tried? What is your caliber? What is your twist rate? Have you used a Hornady OAL gauge and found where the lands are?

I shoot competitively, rifles at 200 yds at targets for score, not group so I know a little about consistency. Weigh and sort your cartridges. Test different powders, I have a 30-06 that likes Varget but does not like Benchmark. OAL off my lands by 10 works for me. My rifle likes 168s and not 150s or 175s. It likes Nosler 168s and Hornady BTHP 168s but not Sierras.

One thing you should also look at is whether your are shooting the right grain of bullet vs twist rate and test several grain bullets.

http://www.nfa.ca/node/109

Sounds like you are being very careful with your powder measure but you did not mention the brand of powder or the grains you are using? Have you walked up or down the powder charge and see how your groups change? Have you changed powders? Look at this sight... http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

If you want some suggestions on certain calibers you could check out this sight.

http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html left side on the page...

go to realguns.com, and look at the calculators. One is about twist rate, bullets size, and velocity. that should help a lot