That's really surprising. I would have thought for long-distance shooting, the mechanical consistency of the ammunition would require a precision of a level unachievable by 'reloading', even with your fine arsenal of tools!
I guess you use the same rounds for practice and competition or am I 'wide of the mark'?
All ammunition is made the same way, in the same (essential) method, handloads or factory ammunition. Primer, powder, seat projectile.
Mass produced factory ammunition is imprecise as I said, there's a billion articles on the internet if you care to read them, and about the same in printed books as well.
I use the same ammunition for all applications, practice, competition or killing.
There are, on everything, but what I love about Hive is that you get the attention of the very person that writes them so the info comes from the experts themselves!
I was just interested in the mechanical distortion of a used casing and if this could effect the way the bullet flies or its initial velocity, or are any discrepancies equalised as it travels the length of the barrel?
I just find it absolutely incredibly, the fact you have the ability to a hit a target over a kilometre away, the number of factors that can affect trajectory over that kind of range blows my mind!
Remember in this post I mention batching brass, the cases? That's done as every time a round is fired the case expands which is why it is resized in the resizing die as part of the prep process of reloading.
It lengthens too, which means it needs trimming to within manufacturers tolerance of case length. So, brass is cut off the neck to do this.
Eventually the case becomes too unstable to use. They crack. When they are fired, if that happens, it goes very badly for the operator. That's why each case is meticulously checked once cleaned and thrown away if found to lack integrity.
I have my cases annealed (after firing) to return the metal to it's original metallurgical state of hardness/malleability etc. This extends the life. I get about 5-6 reloads from each case, roughly, then they are discarded.
I can hit a torso sized target at over a mile, (I never say the true extent of my range). I have done many posts on the process and what comes into play and as you say, there are many variables and many elements.
I hope this helps.
Thank you.
Yes, I read most of your posts as they are informative and well written. The science is fascinating.
Thanks again :-)
Ok, no worries.
There's a book by Bryan Litz called Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting. It will probably be very difficult to follow for a non long-range shooter but it could be interesting for you considering your interest in my firearms posts.