Hey Erik, I believe your content is no nonsense and accurate. I’ll listen to a straight talker any day that shoots 1/4” moa. Myself, I just want the best info I can I find and apply it so that I have as accurate hunting rifle as possible.
After watching your 2 sizing videos they made too much sense so I switched to FL and shrunk my groups... then seating .050 from jam in .003 increments and they shrunk again to sub .28MOA..... you taught this old dog new tricks and I’m sold on your philosophies... they work. Thanks Erik
@@hank3152 still probably .030-.040 over standard which is probably half of whatever group it was originally lol. 👍🏻👍🏻 find happy length. Then find happy charge. Make brass the same and repeat.
@@MrT13 So, you found the right OAL prior to finding your proper powder charge? I thought I saw in another of Erik's videos that you should find your powder charge first, and then the OAL (I think it was the "Stop Chasing the Lands" video).
@@clintleffingwell8129 I dunno why I put then but yes you got me lol. You definitely definitely find charge with lowest sd first. I start 1-1.5% bellow max and work up a ladder in .2 increments. 4 shot groups till about 1% over. With once fired in that gun brass. If I care enough cause it’s a good gun and good caliber. Ie currents 6cm 6.5cm 6.5-284 28nos 300wsm. After lowest sd found I go .015 back then in .002 for the cheaper stuff. And .02 back and in .003 for the bigger. But you definitely are correct sd first after once fire with cheap powder primer and bullets. Then burn bump cut and get serious.
Eric it is refreshing to see a pro share his secrets/knowledge so others can benefit from it. I'm just a recreational shooter and reloader but the info you provide is still beneficial and fascinating to me. Thank you! Sam
The only people that would dislike this is people that do not want to see other people shoot great.Erik you always give out great info much appreciated Thanks.
IDK , I didn't hear him actually say anything conclusive like what do you do if seating depth adjustments effects your ES ? What if your barrel doesn't like the 106's , is it the bullet or the powder that's the problem ? Can you have great ES and the barrel not shoot the bullet well ? He says he shoots two different 6mm bullets Why does one not produce good ES . Because that's where he starts . If the bullet shoots a good ES you're gtg ? How did he come up with the 106 as being the right bullet , why not the 109 ? Where should I start and why ? I think when he posts video's he forgets that he is starting at 85 while the watcher is at 30 at best in there understanding . You know like throwing a football , it's actually quite simple . Just arch + velocity , I mean get those right and there shouldn't be a problem . If you overthrow the target either decrease velocity or the arch , it's not rocket science anybody should be able to do it . I just feel Eric confuses experience with common sense . I did for years when trying to teach my employee's . I learned over time what I "thought" was common sense was actually many years of experience seeming like common sense . It was one day when I asked an employee , How do you not know that ( speaking of something he was training for ) and he replied why would I know that ? After just a couple seconds of thought I realized it was me not explaining things well was the problem and not the employee's lack of common sense .
@@MetalGod619 different calibres = different projectiles, it's that simple. This video is a breaking down into the three areas that affect ballistic accuracy. To delve further into each one is a simple search function away. The beauty in this video is the paring back to the fundamentals, rather than chasing your tail.
@@k2svpete , My point was unless you're an advanced reloader or have seen maybe all his other videos , this video is very incomplete . It's funny how guys/gals seemed to think there experience is the same as everyone watching . Maybe he should think harder about what the titles are of his videos ,I don't care what he says , precision reloading is complicated . He took a bullet , powder , primer and case combo I'm sure he's used maybe a thousand times already and acted like all that experience with those components doesn't factor in to the ease of figuring the load out . Then made a video saying how easy it is to figure out . Lets see him take a new rifle and use all new components he's never used before and see how uncomplicated it is . You give me a 175gr smk and IMR-4064 and I can make a video of how easy it is to find a load as well , seeing how I've shot that combo a thousand times +++ .
Hi Erik. Thank you for making reloading a lot easier with this video. I bought a brand new Sako Classic 30-06 rifle a year ago. I have always used factory ammo in all my rifles, but with this rifle, I could not get it to shoot anything better than a 3 moa group. I have tried more than 10 different types of factory ammo, but nothing worked. I sent the rifle back to Sako, and they cut a new crown and sent the rifle back. I still couldn't get it to shoot. I then decided to start reloading for this rifle. So, 1 year, 10 million hours on TH-cam, 1000 rounds, and a gazillion rand later, I finally found the right load for the rifle. It now shoots consistent 0.5 moa groups at 100m. I know 0.5 moa groups are way below your standards, but coming down from 3 moa to consistent 0.5 moa groups is amazing for me. This would not have been possible without this video and your seating depth video. I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and experience. Without this information, I would have waisted even more money and time, and I would have never been able to get this rifle to shoot.
I would love to see this. In particular, I would like to know how to properly determine if the powder, the charge, or the seating depth needs to be changed and in what order you change them.
@@Daekar3 - Did you watch the video and listen to what he said? First (1) adjust powder, charge or primer until you get consistent muzzle velocity (ED/SD = Extreme Deviation/Standard Deviation) then (2) Adjust seating depth until you get
Erik, I too like the yellow box freedom seeds but I my brain explodes when I look at the tip on my 200.20x bullets! The tips are so inconsistant it is embarrassing. I assume Berger considers it insignificant but I read where competition shooters are either uniforming the tips or running them through a pointing die. I tried the uniforming thing and again was surprised to see at the tip on side the jacket was way thinner than the other. For an object that is supposed to be spinning with precision at 40,000 RPM it does not give me confidence when I see what appears to be an out of balance tip. Additionally, It is adding yet another step to a rigorous reloading process. I have opted for the pointing die process but it upsets me every time I do it. I am curious on if you do any thing special for your F class freedom pills. Incidentally my Sierra Match King freedom pills have a much tighter tip but for what ever reason, I prefer the hybrid ogive design
For everyone saying for Erik to show his reloads, have you not heard him say that youtube will not let him do so? But with that said i appreciate your videos Erik, I really respect what you have to say. You are extremely knowledgeable.
As a freshman reloader (less than 5 years) I've found the internet forums overwhelming. I am old enough to know when a truly knowledged person says (KISS) Keep It Simple Stupid, I listen to that guy. Great information, thanks Erik.
Thank you Erik. I've seen literally hundreds of "precision reloading" videos. Some that are very accurate technically, but it frequently leaves me with more questions than it answers. You nailed it for me, 3 things, I can work with that framing. THANK YOU!!! Keep this content coming Erik, the comments and views more than justify it's what people want to see and learn.
This is exactly the type of info I've been looking for. Simple, common sense and easy to understand for a beginner. I've been a hunter for a long time and am just now getting into long-range shooting. Please make more content like this
A true master gives back to us newbies. Only someone successfull could have the confidence to give back to the sport that has given so much to him. I love his OCD like me. 😂 my INTP personality fits this sport well.
Im just a Big game hunter, but i have developed countless loads for the last 30 years doing exactly as you have described. This is valuable information, that i dont usually share with people! Free and valuable information on how to “truly” shrink your groups. You rock Erik!
Erik, your world of "freedom seeds" and accuracy in competition is very helpful. Most of us will never be doing what you do but we make improvements where we can. Thanks!
After 4 years of reloading i have come to some of the same conclusions but had no confirmation until now. Some of the things you talk about have also expanded my mind quite a bit. Thank you for the no nonsense approach and real recommendations! I will look through your videos to see if you've done this already but it might be nice to have a video on reloading equipment brands and specific pieces That you have tried and prefer
@@mln19631 if you truely understand and listen up close He did exactly that I thought it was the absolute best advise for anyone reloading their own ammo because I did that for 40+ years of my life and I am capable of cutting centers out of targets and very long Distances PEDS OR PELR SHOOTER Precision Extremely Long Distance Shooter's You might want to consider go back watch this video again and you will learn the Variables that Dont matter and most of all what does Matter Most and He is Dead Center on Target with his Information... I have been to several ELR Shooting Competitions and I was surprised at I could see the biggest problem with most all on the Firing line shooting I will be joining in again shooting competition with y'all and I will be happy to help those out who ask me to thats the fun of shooting not to criticize a man or anyone who is actually truely helping others out if they just understand if not then go watch it again because I was truely Impressed with the information not many Expert Marksmen who figure it out often talk about the Factors they discovered what is relevant and not Relevant an the Big Ol Ya have Screwed the pooch if you Jamming or on the edge of Jamming a Round in the lands and Groves of the Barrel I have been using almost exactly the same formula for 39 years as a Precision Extreme Long Range Shooter Because for me its about hitting the Bullseye not looking like a shotgun splattered target nickel sized target at 1000 yards no Bullshit One Shot cold Bore no worries here..
Russ Brick Can you recommend the best way to lower the Extreme spread of reloaded ammo? I understand that combustion is key but what is the process from your past experience that’s required in achieving low ES?
@@bobbymat2706 I would have to see what your reloads information is and what your using for you powder load its burn rate how far you setting you round into the neck and how close you are into the chamber are you touching the Lands and groves of the rifling or just a few thousands away I like to help you Out but in all honesty its difficult without knowing your variables and loads and in my experience and shooting Precision Extreme Long Distances I like to take the time and work with the person and take the time to get rid of all of the Other Variables in the Shooter and the Weapon system.. The last person who i worked with was shooting groups all down low and right with a wide spread at a 1000yrds i took his weapon and it shot high and left i reset the scope and wore out the center bullseye on the target I like to plink at a 1000yrds for fun and laughs for me I handed him back his weapon and I started to get him to position his body right and his trigger squeeze down and then I had him load up a round and shoot he hit just a little low of center of the bullseye all in about a silver dollar of each other I check fired it once again and it still was drilling center on the target but i adjusted it up enough for him to hit closer and in the bullseye from time to time I only worked with him for one day and he i guess felt he would figure the rest out on his own he is back to missing targets at 400yards... there are so many variables in ELR shooting and if you truly Desire to shoot and wear out centers being a Precision Long Distance Shooter then You and I would need to take this Voice but I know these Videos are excellent information to get your loading group's tuned in Heck i have taken Box loads to Competitions and did really good just messing around having fun but i buy the same lot number on the box ammo im acquiring reloading equipment again because I am going to get back to shooting competition again things I pray will settle down in my life so I can go and have some laughs and relax and nail these massive plates folks shoot at these days Its funny... sorry it took a few to get back with you life got in the way again Brother Shooter
I use this method explicitly! I just put together a new rifle, a CTR on a KRG Bravo Chassis. First time at 1000 yds I put 5 out of five on a 12" steel and was on steel my first shot. Group was around 5" with the first shot being low right for which I made a small adjustment. I'm getting the bug big time! Your channel is the best channel out there. I thankful that so many people argue with you because it means I get to kick there butt biggly when I shoot with them. Its fun watching there stary eyed glaze that comes over them......Lol
Erik, great content that gets to the point quickly and logically. I don’t think that enough time and exposure has been given to the subject of chronographs. I would really like to see you do a video on what to look for in a chronograph, how to set it up to get the best results, how you interpret the data, etc. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for helping the shooting public. We are elated to hear how you do it. Your video's are second to none, please keep up the great work. I have been reloading for over 45 yrs., never have I learned so much from one person in such a short time. Hats off to you bro....
Handloading for most of us, as I see it is a combination of book learning, hands on experience, and shared knowledge. Without sounding like a fanboy, you have knowledge based on your experience that cannot be found in a book, so sharing that knowledge with us would be greatly appreciated. Life is good.
Erik, I saw your concrete contractor April fools video, and although I don't know anything about concrete it had me laughing my ass off. I am a retired Marine Scout Sniper looking to get into F-Class T/R so I have been perusing the Tube looking for ANY good content. This video is OUTSTANDING! Some people just don't appreciate wisdom when they see it...because they are a box of rocks themselves, and their sponge is as wet as it is ever gonna get. Thanks for sharing your wisdom hermano!
I only have 2 rifles that shoot 1/4 MOA or less consistently. Both customs (.20 PPC and .338 Edge) with Hart barrels, Bat actions, etc. A couple of my hunting rifles shoot sub MOA. Great video. Third or fourth time to watch this. This stuff is gold.
Thanks Erik. I’ve seen so many vid’s about prep and I got caught up in it all and am now backing out of all that noise to concentrate on what makes sense and what works. Gracias!
I'd love this. I'm just getting into my first high precision rifle that was hitting .5-.7 MOA at 300 with factory ammo and am starting load development
I just started watching your videos. I love the no nonsense straight forward no BS. I stopped reloading because I figured I needed all these other pieces of equipment for precision reloading. I am watching all your videos to see if I need them. I just wanted to say my Father RIP used to take us to the local hot spot so he could sip in some suds or two. During these adventures I was introduced to a man who shot pool. He said, "boy go over to that rack and grab me the most crooked stick you can find." I witnessed that man at a young age win every single game he played. He ran the table every single game as soon as it was his shot. He said to me at the end, "it's not the stick boy it's the man holding the stick and knowing how to use it." You remind me of him. Great videos. I hope to find a video you've already made from start to finish with tools used reloading. I don't want to waste money on things I just don't need. Amazing job Erik and thanks for sharing.
So far, you're the only TH-camr that speaks in facts and common sense. So many of these dreamers get so complex, it's ridiculous for the normal average hunter/shooter like myself. I like to shoot, I shoot everything, trap, sporting clays, pistols, rifles of all types. I don't need to shoot .25 groups, but I want to see if I can get there, and with your info, It seems possible with my budget. Thanks so much Erik, From JW
Thank you for presenting this info in a simple manner you are right it does not have to be complicated I am 70 and just getting into long range steel but I have hunted and reloaded for 45 years, Harmonics was a eye opener for me again many thanks ...
Appreciate the teaching perspective, I try to keep the fundamentals and consistency in mind. Can you please do a video on neck tension meaning the effects and how to maintain consistent neck tension. Thank you for passing on your knowledge and experience that is one of the great parts of our sport. Al
I love it when a master like Erik gets back to basics . Like he said so many people worrying about primer flash and sorting brass & other silly crap. From what I gather he is saying, use good brass, Good freedom seeds, and good quality dies, and press, and verify your loads with dial indicators and mics. Look at his inline dies and precision neck tension sensing press! Then you adjust powder and primer to get your ES low. Then make sure you have small groups with getting the harmonics out by bullet depth and barrel tuner. This of course is after you have a good gun. Use a rear bag and practice fundamentals like a coin on the barrel while dry firing. Get a buddy who likes the same and take turns spotting and checking each others fundamentals.
Erik, Thank you so much for your time and knowledge. The shooters world does not have enough people passing out quality information. I mostly load for pleasure and am happy with a bang and hit the target. You and your vids have encouraged me to step up the game. It is a lot of effort you put into these lessons and freely share. Thank you so much! Maybe you could do a vid with tips when you are behind the pill launcher too!
Always good advice. I’ve watched your TH-cam channels from your day job and didn’t know you where a competitor. I don’t follow the pro sports that much.But being an engineer I’m fascinated by all things design/engineer/manufacturing and this sport has it all. What I like is your ability to keep everything simple..Some folks want to overcomplicate to the point they no longer make sense.. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Erik. I wished I had learnt this 20 years ago as I would have saved so much time. I spent hours doing all the wrong things and listening to the "experts" just got me wasting more time. As they say, rather late than never. I have become a Patron today. Blessings.
I'd be interested in learning more about your take on the "combustion" side of things. Especially neck tension and measures to keep it as consistent as possible (not only within one batch, but also across batches) and how different methods, techniques and tools affect this (neck turning, "necklenght" (consistency of case OAL minus base to shoulder datum line, if you know what I mean), annealing, outer neck sizing vs inner neck sizing (bushing die without mandrel vs. mandrey die to set neck ID or OD, consistency of inner mouth deburring, maybe even crimping, etc...) And also how big of a player neck tension even is in the overall combustion list of factors.
"Combustion, harmonics, consistency. That's it." "NO! You need the square root of pie while you trim brass on the back of a bear riding a unicycle in a Florida hurricane!!!!" *Internet reloaders drool profusely out of anger* LMAO!!!!!
Does the type of pie change the math? I'm partial to pumpkin with a bunch of whipped cream, but if cherry gives better results I may have to reconsider my preference.
I appreciate your honest answers . And simplistic loading advise . Some guys may use loading steps that you say don't really help , but it gives them confidence.
@@sancharino6878 I appreciate the offer but it is illegal to send primers in the mail. I really do appreciate it though 👍 if you ever need anything just let me know I would be glad to do whatever I can to help a fellow Reloader 👊😎🇺🇸
Lots of things are illegal. Haha. I feel your pain. This shit is nuts. God help someone trying to get 7.62x39. I drove four hrs out of state to get 4 boxes. Two box limit per customer. They failed to tell me that on the phone. After an hr of looking up gun shops till i found some. When he said no bueno only two i almost had a heart attack. By the way im behind enemy lines. No mail order ammo. The Nazi’s have deemed the public to dangerous to practice our rights.
@@sancharino6878 I'll definitely be glad when things get back to normal. It seems like this happens every time there is a new election. Stay vigilant and stay safe out there my friend! 👊😎🇺🇸
Get you sum $2000 annealer, get you a $3000+ Autodod neck turning lathe, get you sum $4000 powder scale, get you a $650 primer seating press, get you a $2000 arbor press - how much are all the precision dies, get you some Dillon Reloading press with all the dies, get you sum guessing sticks and other measurement tools - many hundreds of $$$. - I would hazard to guess most competitive F class and bench shooters are way over 10k in a reloading set up and Erik is well over 20k with all is toys. These kind of costs to be competitive has put a nail in the coffin of these disciplines of shooting sports.
Amazing. Never be in your class, but as a hunter striving to get the best load, your videos are spot on and needed/wanted by many. Truly informative. For those of us less educated. You mention "ES and CD", are these acronyms, like P.S. is for Post Script or ASAP is as soon as possible, if so expand. Combustion, would this be in powder burn rate, powder charge and projectile (the seed) increase/decrease velocity. You are a huge asset to the present day shooter/reloader, whether it be F class or hunter. In 50 yrs of reloading, I don't thing I've ever seen the info that you convey, in any book. Thanks for you time and information, keep 'em coming.
Just watched a bunch of your videos including this one again. The reason so many people get mad is because for alot of them, they went down the reloading rabbit hole. Spent thousands and thousands of dollars on reloading equipment and components, tried all the hyped up tricks to get a perfect load, and finally found one. Only to have someone tell them that all that crap is unnecessary creates alot of butthurt. They have confirmation bias that all that money and time is what was needed to get a good load and they hate the fact that they have been wrong in their approach. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, the more this kind of info gets out, the more people can actually get out and shoot more instead of burning up their barrels looking for the perfect load.
Erik!! I did the jam the lands on a factor 223cal. Sporter rifle. Did well with it. Thanks!! I shoot bench rest 1-2-3 yards at a ground hog target with a nickel size 10 ring for a 3 round score in Sporter Class. All here in St.Thomas. South Central Penna.
Eric can you talk about what is acceptable as far as powder charge variation while reloading? I am looking for 1/2 minute to 1 moa accuracy and wondering if +or- 1 gr of charge is enough to actually make a difference. What is your procedure that you use?
+/- a grain = possible maximum error of 2 grains difference between shots. That's a lot. potentially a dangerous lot, if your chosen charge is at/ near max pressure and is at max density, you could be pushing it a bit. Pressure with some powders can escalate very quickly with small changes once you're near max. 47 grs. might be fine, 48 might make a primer flatten a bit, 49 might lock your bolt shut and leave you beating on your bolt with a 2 x 4, or worse. You can throw them if you're getting 2 tenths or 3 between throws if it's hunting ammo you're loading. I weigh and trickle every charge for my 7mm match rig. At 100m a few tenths of a grain difference is insignificant, but at 900m a tenth can mean losing 1 point... and in close matches at high-level competition, 1 point is too much to lose. Throw 10 charges.. weigh it... throw 10 more in a clean pan. weigh it. do that for about half of the powder hopper. that will tell you if your measurer is throwing consistently. To be honest... my Hunting ammo IS as accurate as my match ammo... once the precision and accuracy bug has you, it's hard not to want everything to be bang-on. Like having sharp knives in the house... once you start sharpening.. they all end up razor sharp. If you're not as anal as I am about my numbers... you should be okay with a 1/4 to 1/2 MOA variation in your groups. That will hit the kill-zone of a deer well out beyond humane hunting ranges. A decent powder measure isn't all that expensive, nor is a good scale. Aim small, Hit small. Go for the 1/2 MOA groups. Your confidence will skyrocket, and your ego will thank you.
Just now watching this again and I like it all the more as this very video changed my way of building my loads. To say I have a lot of new Lapua brass on hand at all times for all my varmint and target loads is an understatement. I simply no longer reuse brass since once-fired Lapua brass sells quite easily and pays for my powder. Yellow box bullets are now all I use, extensively, even in my hunting rifle (25-06) that I now have an impressive load for utilizing those wonderful 133gr bullets. Thanks to those, I may be the last person on earth that will never own a 6.5 creed LOL. Congratulations on your recent win at the SW Nationals. Cheers from Arkansas.
Im an author of numerous books, researcher etc and a teacher. I can tell you are an awesome mentor...but this video is not beginner friendly. Nothing wrong with that if your focus is on advanced reloaders. But if you are appealing to the rush of beginners...anything to help with the terminology would help us newbies. At any rate, you have an excellent delivery. God bless you for your efforts and patriotism.
Excellent video! You broke reloading down to the essence of the matter, good job. I get tired of other so-called “experts” steal more than their share of oxygen trying to instruct reloading and they have no clue what they are talking about!
Thank you Mr. Cortina for your time and knowledge. I have been shooting F-TR for 2 years and seam to be getting no where. I think your video is putting me on the right track. Thanks again.
Hi, I like you make it simple. In 1970 when i first started reloading my .222 with Nosler 55 gr partition bullets, i did not even use a scale for powder. I used a measuring tool, i got the length of the bullet by measuring a factory round. Great hunting round, i used on pigs, goats and deer. Never had problems with primers, powders, or bullets. I used a simple 6 position turret press and reloaded .22 hornet, and .17 rem. It was simple, enjoyable and a lot of fun. I spent most of my time in the bush and not in the garage worrying about my loads! Thanks mate!
I don’t shoot PRS but I like my “mass accelerators” to be as accurate as they can be. I’ve been reloading for over twenty years and within the last five years I’ve abandoned all case prep except 1 toss used brass in a walnut cleaner, 2 de-prime and 3 resize. The only two things I tinker with are charge and C.O.A.L. Tonight you gave me a systematic approach to further improve my accelerator’s accuracy.
Absolutely correct and exactly what I was taught and trained to focus upon in getting the most consistent moa at less the a quarter of a inch your Teaching The Truth and Facts of Shooting and Simplifying it to the Basics and Fundamentals anyone who has a problem with that has yet to Do this and Seek out the Truth
Watched your video about “chasing the lands” after I struggled to find my rifles sweet spot. After I watched your video and reloaded a few loads. My first load was a 2/5” group. Thank you man. 🙏🏻
Right on Eric, I am just starting out with reloading 308. My hunting rifle is a Savage Scout SS and for F Class is the Howa M1500 ACP, both 308. Your explanation is very simple and useful for me. Thank you keep them coming!!!💯🤙
Keep the videos coming. I've been reloading for around 20 years now and I have learned a lot from your content. The crazy part is that it works like you know what you are talking about or something lol. Thanks for all of the info.
great content , Far advanced from what Im doing , The next question is , The Order Of things ?Like step 1 , Load ladder test , Step 2 seat depth, Step 3 Variables like primers and powder , Or ladder test , Look for a consistanmt load , if I have a consistant MV , Then go to seat depth , then Barrel Harmonics ,, ? Or in general just do them all in some form or fashion
Seriously glad I found this. I've been reloading for handguns for years. Simple stuff. I just started to do research getting ready to reload for my rifle, and from all the info out there it looked about 100x more complicated than handgun reloading. Good to know I don't have to buy $2000 worth of new precision measuring equipment to work up an accurate hunting/practice load. If you can keep getting sub-¼ MOA simple, I can keep getting a better than factory load simple.
Many of us don't shoot competition however, I've used this method to dial in my rifle loads and it's worked very well. While my rifles are not at the same level of accuracy yours are this method still allows you to maximize the accuracy potential of the gun you have. Obviously, the rifle must have a certain level of accuracy potential and all variables in the rifle minimized before you start. Thanks again for putting these vids out. They've saved me a lot of frustration and money..
Love it. I have been subbing to the KISS theory for a couple of years now. I started falling down the rabbit hole of annealing and flash holes etc and pulled myself out. Now I concentrate on good load development and lots of range time and my shooting has steadily improved for two years now. Simple case prep, good load development and lots of burned out barrels works wonders
Keep it coming Eric I learn a lot from your videos I’ve been reloading for about three years now started off with Johnnys reloading bench and getting more precise on your channel thank you
Erik, there are the facts as you placed on the table for everyone to dine on, I say "Thank You" and once you find a load combination that is accurate in the way you described, you have to have faith in it. things get in our head while we are trying to perform our best marksmanship and that mental aspect has a dramatic effect on accuracy. in other words, "If you think it makes a difference,, it probably does" good or bad. You have to ask yourself "Am I thinking or doing"? while shooting, this goes for shotgun, rifle, and pistol. The main thing is to build confidence in yourself while applying the fundamentals of marksmanship. -Dave
Right On, Never wanted to fall down the rabbit hole of trying to tweek cases to the point of literal redesign. Simple works, always has for me. Great Vid Erik!
I appreciate your simplified take on reloading. I have yet to seat my first projectile and I have been doing mass amounts of research on everything you mentioned referring to complication. I am waiting on pilots for trimming and a few other case prep tools before I can take start priming. Anyway I will be watching your videos for simplicity going forward. Thanks again for being on here!
I know im late to the video but the advice at the end has me thinking ive been doing things wrong. When to change powder charge and when to change seating depth. Brilliant!
This is really good information. I’ve followed you for a couple of years and appreciate the information you have put out. For a lot of us who are not PRS shooters but want to get the best out of off the shelf rifles applying the basic principles you promote will get the groups smaller, maybe not to a 1/4 MOA but hopefully down to 1 MOA. My experience building numerous AR style and three bolt rifles applying these principle have really reduced my group sizes. Anyway thanks for all the videos to help us non-pro shooters. For me it’s not competition against other shooters so much as with myself even though I do compete in local high power matches and rimfire matches. The joy is seeing my scopes keep going up not to mention the fun tinkering with my rifles getting them to shoot tiny groups. Keep up the good work and good luck in your future competitions.
Im a complete nube. I just got an sks. And still dont know what i dont know. Even though im not even in the same book let alone the same page, i love the content. And im learning. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to make the vids. They help more than you know.
Erik, I’ve been reloading for years. In a matter of only a few of YOUR short videos I’ve been shrinking my groups… by a wide Margin! Thank you for simplifying things!
YES, step by step Load development from new firearm to 0.25 MOA would be greatly appreciated! I don’t shoot competitively, but I desire to find the smallest groups possible for all my firearms.
You are demystifying the process for building and trouble shooting accurate & consistant rounds. Please continue! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge. You've obviously spent a large amount of time and resources ($$) to gain your knowledge. Thanks.
FINALLY! A no-nonsense video on reloading. I follow much the same process of diagnosing problems, but I would love to hear more detail about the order you approach load development!
eric is awesome. just gotta listen to understand . explains all in simple exploration. pay attention . its simple. i never ever gonna be as good.but i listen to maybe get close.
As a new reloader, I appreciate videos like this where people are honest and to the point. So thank you.
Hey Erik, I believe your content is no nonsense and accurate. I’ll listen to a straight talker any day that shoots 1/4” moa.
Myself, I just want the best info I can I find and apply it so that I have as accurate hunting rifle as possible.
After watching your 2 sizing videos they made too much sense so I switched to FL and shrunk my groups... then seating .050 from jam in .003 increments and they shrunk again to sub .28MOA..... you taught this old dog new tricks and I’m sold on your philosophies... they work. Thanks Erik
So deeper seating made it more consistent?
skin e I had to go .050” from jam due to mag length and start from there. Starting at .020” would’ve only made it possible to single feed
@@hank3152 still probably .030-.040 over standard which is probably half of whatever group it was originally lol. 👍🏻👍🏻 find happy length. Then find happy charge. Make brass the same and repeat.
@@MrT13 So, you found the right OAL prior to finding your proper powder charge? I thought I saw in another of Erik's videos that you should find your powder charge first, and then the OAL (I think it was the "Stop Chasing the Lands" video).
@@clintleffingwell8129 I dunno why I put then but yes you got me lol. You definitely definitely find charge with lowest sd first. I start 1-1.5% bellow max and work up a ladder in .2 increments. 4 shot groups till about 1% over. With once fired in that gun brass. If I care enough cause it’s a good gun and good caliber. Ie currents 6cm 6.5cm 6.5-284 28nos 300wsm. After lowest sd found I go .015 back then in .002 for the cheaper stuff. And .02 back and in .003 for the bigger. But you definitely are correct sd first after once fire with cheap powder primer and bullets. Then burn bump cut and get serious.
Eric it is refreshing to see a pro share his secrets/knowledge so others can benefit from it. I'm just a recreational shooter and reloader but the info you provide is still beneficial and fascinating to me. Thank you! Sam
The only people that would dislike this is people that do not want to see other people shoot great.Erik you always give out great info much appreciated Thanks.
IDK , I didn't hear him actually say anything conclusive like what do you do if seating depth adjustments effects your ES ? What if your barrel doesn't like the 106's , is it the bullet or the powder that's the problem ? Can you have great ES and the barrel not shoot the bullet well ?
He says he shoots two different 6mm bullets Why does one not produce good ES . Because that's where he starts . If the bullet shoots a good ES you're gtg ? How did he come up with the 106 as being the right bullet , why not the 109 ? Where should I start and why ?
I think when he posts video's he forgets that he is starting at 85 while the watcher is at 30 at best in there understanding . You know like throwing a football , it's actually quite simple . Just arch + velocity , I mean get those right and there shouldn't be a problem . If you overthrow the target either decrease velocity or the arch , it's not rocket science anybody should be able to do it .
I just feel Eric confuses experience with common sense . I did for years when trying to teach my employee's . I learned over time what I "thought" was common sense was actually many years of experience seeming like common sense . It was one day when I asked an employee , How do you not know that ( speaking of something he was training for ) and he replied why would I know that ? After just a couple seconds of thought I realized it was me not explaining things well was the problem and not the employee's lack of common sense .
@@MetalGod619 different calibres = different projectiles, it's that simple.
This video is a breaking down into the three areas that affect ballistic accuracy. To delve further into each one is a simple search function away.
The beauty in this video is the paring back to the fundamentals, rather than chasing your tail.
@@k2svpete , My point was unless you're an advanced reloader or have seen maybe all his other videos , this video is very incomplete . It's funny how guys/gals seemed to think there experience is the same as everyone watching . Maybe he should think harder about what the titles are of his videos ,I don't care what he says , precision reloading is complicated . He took a bullet , powder , primer and case combo I'm sure he's used maybe a thousand times already and acted like all that experience with those components doesn't factor in to the ease of figuring the load out . Then made a video saying how easy it is to figure out . Lets see him take a new rifle and use all new components he's never used before and see how uncomplicated it is .
You give me a 175gr smk and IMR-4064 and I can make a video of how easy it is to find a load as well , seeing how I've shot that combo a thousand times +++ .
@@MetalGod619 it's not intended to be a comprehensive how to video. The title gives the clue, we over complicate things and forget the fundamentals.
Amen to that man
Hi Erik. Thank you for making reloading a lot easier with this video.
I bought a brand new Sako Classic 30-06 rifle a year ago. I have always used factory ammo in all my rifles, but with this rifle, I could not get it to shoot anything better than a 3 moa group. I have tried more than 10 different types of factory ammo, but nothing worked. I sent the rifle back to Sako, and they cut a new crown and sent the rifle back. I still couldn't get it to shoot.
I then decided to start reloading for this rifle.
So, 1 year, 10 million hours on TH-cam, 1000 rounds, and a gazillion rand later, I finally found the right load for the rifle. It now shoots consistent 0.5 moa groups at 100m. I know 0.5 moa groups are way below your standards, but coming down from 3 moa to consistent 0.5 moa groups is amazing for me.
This would not have been possible without this video and your seating depth video.
I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and experience. Without this information, I would have waisted even more money and time, and I would have never been able to get this rifle to shoot.
But I bet you are not shooting competition .
I take it it’s your hunting rifle? So 0.5 MOA is great.
Erik. Sir I really enjoy your videos. 👍👍
Hi, yes, this is for my hunting rifle.
Have a safe and successful hunting season 👍.
I'd like to see a series on dialing in a new barrel/rifle and building ammo for it with data. Cheers.
Good call, brother! Same here!
I would love to see this. In particular, I would like to know how to properly determine if the powder, the charge, or the seating depth needs to be changed and in what order you change them.
i concur.
@@Daekar3 - Did you watch the video and listen to what he said? First (1) adjust powder, charge or primer until you get consistent muzzle velocity (ED/SD = Extreme Deviation/Standard Deviation) then (2) Adjust seating depth until you get
Erik,
I too like the yellow box freedom seeds but I my brain explodes when I look at the tip on my 200.20x bullets! The tips are so inconsistant it is embarrassing. I assume Berger considers it insignificant but I read where competition shooters are either uniforming the tips or running them through a pointing die. I tried the uniforming thing and again was surprised to see at the tip on side the jacket was way thinner than the other. For an object that is supposed to be spinning with precision at 40,000 RPM it does not give me confidence when I see what appears to be an out of balance tip. Additionally, It is adding yet another step to a rigorous reloading process. I have opted for the pointing die process but it upsets me every time I do it. I am curious on if you do any thing special for your F class freedom pills. Incidentally my Sierra Match King freedom pills have a much tighter tip but for what ever reason, I prefer the hybrid ogive design
For everyone saying for Erik to show his reloads, have you not heard him say that youtube will not let him do so? But with that said i appreciate your videos Erik, I really respect what you have to say. You are extremely knowledgeable.
As a freshman reloader (less than 5 years) I've found the internet forums overwhelming. I am old enough to know when a truly knowledged person says (KISS) Keep It Simple Stupid, I listen to that guy. Great information, thanks Erik.
Thank you Erik. I've seen literally hundreds of "precision reloading" videos. Some that are very accurate technically, but it frequently leaves me with more questions than it answers. You nailed it for me, 3 things, I can work with that framing. THANK YOU!!! Keep this content coming Erik, the comments and views more than justify it's what people want to see and learn.
People are mad because they've wasted so much time and $$$$ on fluff.
Lol.
Please do more!
This is exactly the type of info I've been looking for. Simple, common sense and easy to understand for a beginner. I've been a hunter for a long time and am just now getting into long-range shooting. Please make more content like this
Erik, how about a complete series on load development? The entire process start to finished load ready for competition?
Not sure the tube allows that.
Probably the best advice/video on youtube on modern longer range reloading , just listen to this 10 times guys..and then listen to it again
You know someone is a master when he brings his art back to simplicity.
An idiot can make something simple, complex. A genius can make something complex, simple
True, most people overthink this. Although it is pretty complex, the solutions are usually pretty simple
A true master gives back to us newbies. Only someone successfull could have the confidence to give back to the sport that has given so much to him. I love his OCD like me. 😂 my INTP personality fits this sport well.
Im just a Big game hunter, but i have developed countless loads for the last 30 years doing exactly as you have described. This is valuable information, that i dont usually share with people! Free and valuable information on how to “truly” shrink your groups. You rock Erik!
Erik, your world of "freedom seeds" and accuracy in competition is very helpful. Most of us will never be doing what you do but we make improvements where we can. Thanks!
After 4 years of reloading i have come to some of the same conclusions but had no confirmation until now. Some of the things you talk about have also expanded my mind quite a bit. Thank you for the no nonsense approach and real recommendations! I will look through your videos to see if you've done this already but it might be nice to have a video on reloading equipment brands and specific pieces That you have tried and prefer
Erik, show us your load development start to finish. Would love to see your process!
That’s what I thought this video was going to be. I’m bummed it’s just a teaser. Hopefully he’ll show us his method one day.
That would be great if he did
@@mln19631 if you truely understand and listen up close He did exactly that I thought it was the absolute best advise for anyone reloading their own ammo because I did that for 40+ years of my life and I am capable of cutting centers out of targets and very long Distances PEDS OR PELR SHOOTER
Precision
Extremely
Long
Distance
Shooter's
You might want to consider go back watch this video again and you will learn the Variables that Dont matter and most of all what does Matter Most and He is Dead Center on Target with his Information...
I have been to several ELR Shooting Competitions and I was surprised at I could see the biggest problem with most all on the Firing line shooting I will be joining in again shooting competition with y'all and I will be happy to help those out who ask me to thats the fun of shooting not to criticize a man or anyone who is actually truely helping others out if they just understand if not then go watch it again because I was truely Impressed with the information not many Expert Marksmen who figure it out often talk about the Factors they discovered what is relevant and not Relevant an the Big Ol Ya have Screwed the pooch if you Jamming or on the edge of Jamming a Round in the lands and Groves of the Barrel I have been using almost exactly the same formula for 39 years as a Precision Extreme Long Range Shooter
Because for me its about hitting the Bullseye not looking like a shotgun splattered target nickel sized target at 1000 yards no Bullshit One Shot cold Bore no worries here..
Russ Brick Can you recommend the best way to lower the Extreme spread of reloaded ammo? I understand that combustion is key but what is the process from your past experience that’s required in achieving low ES?
@@bobbymat2706 I would have to see what your reloads information is and what your using for you powder load its burn rate how far you setting you round into the neck and how close you are into the chamber are you touching the Lands and groves of the rifling or just a few thousands away I like to help you Out but in all honesty its difficult without knowing your variables and loads and in my experience and shooting Precision Extreme Long Distances I like to take the time and work with the person and take the time to get rid of all of the Other Variables in the Shooter and the Weapon system..
The last person who i worked with was shooting groups all down low and right with a wide spread at a 1000yrds i took his weapon and it shot high and left i reset the scope and wore out the center bullseye on the target I like to plink at a 1000yrds for fun and laughs for me I handed him back his weapon and I started to get him to position his body right and his trigger squeeze down and then I had him load up a round and shoot he hit just a little low of center of the bullseye all in about a silver dollar of each other I check fired it once again and it still was drilling center on the target but i adjusted it up enough for him to hit closer and in the bullseye from time to time I only worked with him for one day and he i guess felt he would figure the rest out on his own he is back to missing targets at 400yards... there are so many variables in ELR shooting and if you truly Desire to shoot and wear out centers being a Precision Long Distance Shooter then You and I would need to take this Voice but I know these Videos are excellent information to get your loading group's tuned in Heck i have taken Box loads to Competitions and did really good just messing around having fun but i buy the same lot number on the box ammo im acquiring reloading equipment again because I am going to get back to shooting competition again things I pray will settle down in my life so I can go and have some laughs and relax and nail these massive plates folks shoot at these days Its funny... sorry it took a few to get back with you life got in the way again Brother Shooter
You are awsome, thank you for your time and knowledge
I've been loading my own since the '70's and EC is exactly right on piont with this!
What is EC?
@@henrypeters3084 Eric Cortina.
I use this method explicitly! I just put together a new rifle, a CTR on a KRG Bravo Chassis. First time at 1000 yds I put 5 out of five on a 12" steel and was on steel my first shot. Group was around 5" with the first shot being low right for which I made a small adjustment. I'm getting the bug big time! Your channel is the best channel out there. I thankful that so many people argue with you because it means I get to kick there butt biggly when I shoot with them. Its fun watching there stary eyed glaze that comes over them......Lol
Erik, great content that gets to the point quickly and logically. I don’t think that enough time and exposure has been given to the subject of chronographs. I would really like to see you do a video on what to look for in a chronograph, how to set it up to get the best results, how you interpret the data, etc. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for helping the shooting public. We are elated to hear how you do it. Your video's are second to none, please keep up the great work. I have been reloading for over 45 yrs., never have I learned so much from one person in such a short time. Hats off to you bro....
Keep them coming. Appreciate your efforts.
I appreciate your videos because I worked for myself until I retired.I know. How valuable your time is.Thank you.
Handloading for most of us, as I see it is a combination of book learning, hands on experience, and shared knowledge. Without sounding like a fanboy, you have knowledge based on your experience that cannot be found in a book, so sharing that knowledge with us would be greatly appreciated. Life is good.
Erik, I saw your concrete contractor April fools video, and although I don't know anything about concrete it had me laughing my ass off. I am a retired Marine Scout Sniper looking to get into F-Class T/R so I have been perusing the Tube looking for ANY good content. This video is OUTSTANDING! Some people just don't appreciate wisdom when they see it...because they are a box of rocks themselves, and their sponge is as wet as it is ever gonna get. Thanks for sharing your wisdom hermano!
Erik, you are greatly appreciated for making these videos. Please keep them coming, especially your full load development process.
I only have 2 rifles that shoot 1/4 MOA or less consistently. Both customs (.20 PPC and .338 Edge) with Hart barrels, Bat actions, etc. A couple of my hunting rifles shoot sub MOA. Great video. Third or fourth time to watch this. This stuff is gold.
Keep em coming! I appreciate it.
I watched many reloading videos but yours is something else you are a teacher in nature.
Thank you, this is a nice introduction for people unfamiliar with this subject. Ps: I’ll buy your 1/2 moa “shot out” barrels. 😉
Same here. Real cheap though....they are ready for the scrap pile😂
No other Reloading or Shooting Channel is needed on utube but yours
Thanks for the truth .
God bless and keep them coming !
Show us how you get there quickly with a chronograph.
Thanks Erik. I’ve seen so many vid’s about prep and I got caught up in it all and am now backing out of all that noise to concentrate on what makes sense and what works. Gracias!
Glad it was helpful!
+1
I'd like to see a series on dialing in a new barrel/rifle and building ammo for it with data
I'd love this. I'm just getting into my first high precision rifle that was hitting .5-.7 MOA at 300 with factory ammo and am starting load development
I just started watching your videos. I love the no nonsense straight forward no BS. I stopped reloading because I figured I needed all these other pieces of equipment for precision reloading. I am watching all your videos to see if I need them. I just wanted to say my Father RIP used to take us to the local hot spot so he could sip in some suds or two. During these adventures I was introduced to a man who shot pool. He said, "boy go over to that rack and grab me the most crooked stick you can find." I witnessed that man at a young age win every single game he played. He ran the table every single game as soon as it was his shot. He said to me at the end, "it's not the stick boy it's the man holding the stick and knowing how to use it." You remind me of him. Great videos. I hope to find a video you've already made from start to finish with tools used reloading. I don't want to waste money on things I just don't need. Amazing job Erik and thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed this video! Please do a video when you have a chance on finding powder charge over a chrono. Thank you for sharing all this info
So far, you're the only TH-camr that speaks in facts and common sense. So many of these dreamers get so complex, it's ridiculous for the normal average hunter/shooter like myself. I like to shoot, I shoot everything, trap, sporting clays, pistols, rifles of all types. I don't need to shoot .25 groups, but I want to see if I can get there, and with your info, It seems possible with my budget. Thanks so much Erik, From JW
Next three videos
Combustion
Barrel harmonics
External ballistics - Consistent BC
Number four Include equipment maintenance
Yes this^^^
Hopefully 🤔
this!
Tiborasaurus has a series of videos that if your a shooter you would want to know his information.
Thank you for presenting this info in a simple manner you are right it does not have to be complicated I am 70 and just getting into long range steel but I have hunted and reloaded for 45 years, Harmonics was a eye opener for me again many thanks ...
I subscribed after your Chasing the Lands video.
More content please!
This is really one of my favorite of your videos. Just cuts through it all and points an open minded person in a no nonsense direction. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Appreciate the teaching perspective, I try to keep the fundamentals and consistency in mind. Can you please do a video on neck tension meaning the effects and how to maintain consistent neck tension.
Thank you for passing on your knowledge and experience that is one of the great parts of our sport.
Al
I love it when a master like Erik gets back to basics . Like he said so many people worrying about primer flash and sorting brass & other silly crap. From what I gather he is saying, use good brass, Good freedom seeds, and good quality dies, and press, and verify your loads with dial indicators and mics. Look at his inline dies and precision neck tension sensing press! Then you adjust powder and primer to get your ES low. Then make sure you have small groups with getting the harmonics out by bullet depth and barrel tuner. This of course is after you have a good gun. Use a rear bag and practice fundamentals like a coin on the barrel while dry firing. Get a buddy who likes the same and take turns spotting and checking each others fundamentals.
Erik, Thank you so much for your time and knowledge. The shooters world does not have enough people passing out quality information. I mostly load for pleasure and am happy with a bang and hit the target. You and your vids have encouraged me to step up the game. It is a lot of effort you put into these lessons and freely share. Thank you so much! Maybe you could do a vid with tips when you are behind the pill launcher too!
Always good advice. I’ve watched your TH-cam channels from your day job and didn’t know you where a competitor. I don’t follow the pro sports that much.But being an engineer I’m fascinated by all things design/engineer/manufacturing and this sport has it all.
What I like is your ability to keep everything simple..Some folks want to overcomplicate to the point they no longer make sense..
Keep up the good work.
Holy shit! The barndomimium guy! Also DemoHQ builder! Didn’t know you had a reloading channel
I literally said the same ! Haha.
I liked him before but now i REALLY like him !
Yeah I like his barndominium videos. I really like these!!!
Thank you Erik. I wished I had learnt this 20 years ago as I would have saved so much time. I spent hours doing all the wrong things and listening to the "experts" just got me wasting more time. As they say, rather late than never. I have become a Patron today. Blessings.
Thank you
I'd be interested in learning more about your take on the "combustion" side of things. Especially neck tension and measures to keep it as consistent as possible (not only within one batch, but also across batches) and how different methods, techniques and tools affect this (neck turning, "necklenght" (consistency of case OAL minus base to shoulder datum line, if you know what I mean), annealing, outer neck sizing vs inner neck sizing (bushing die without mandrel vs. mandrey die to set neck ID or OD, consistency of inner mouth deburring, maybe even crimping, etc...) And also how big of a player neck tension even is in the overall combustion list of factors.
This guy is the man. No frills, does the job, and wins competitions doing it.
I don’t care who gets mad, keep feeding us information.
Much respect sir - what is lacking in hand loading is explanations and tips on data collection- from basics to honing loads
"Combustion, harmonics, consistency. That's it."
"NO! You need the square root of pie while you trim brass on the back of a bear riding a unicycle in a Florida hurricane!!!!"
*Internet reloaders drool profusely out of anger*
LMAO!!!!!
Does the type of pie change the math? I'm partial to pumpkin with a bunch of whipped cream, but if cherry gives better results I may have to reconsider my preference.
@@Ambivadox Yes.
?
I appreciate your honest answers . And simplistic loading advise . Some guys may use loading steps that you say don't really help , but it gives them confidence.
I would love to give this a try but I cannot find primers anywhere😩 no primers = no combustion 👊😎🇺🇸
I can spare a hundred. Shoot me your adress crushmasterflex1@yahoo.com
@@sancharino6878 I appreciate the offer but it is illegal to send primers in the mail. I really do appreciate it though 👍 if you ever need anything just let me know I would be glad to do whatever I can to help a fellow Reloader 👊😎🇺🇸
Lots of things are illegal. Haha. I feel your pain. This shit is nuts. God help someone trying to get 7.62x39. I drove four hrs out of state to get 4 boxes. Two box limit per customer. They failed to tell me that on the phone. After an hr of looking up gun shops till i found some. When he said no bueno only two i almost had a heart attack. By the way im behind enemy lines. No mail order ammo. The Nazi’s have deemed the public to dangerous to practice our rights.
And if i told you what i paid for it you would have an aneurism. Steel case junk at that
@@sancharino6878 I'll definitely be glad when things get back to normal. It seems like this happens every time there is a new election. Stay vigilant and stay safe out there my friend! 👊😎🇺🇸
As an experienced pistol hadloader who is just starting out in precision rifle reloading, I really appreciate these videos. Thanks for your time!
Get you sum $2000 annealer, get you a $3000+ Autodod neck turning lathe, get you sum $4000 powder scale, get you a $650 primer seating press, get you a $2000 arbor press - how much are all the precision dies, get you some Dillon Reloading press with all the dies, get you sum guessing sticks and other measurement tools - many hundreds of $$$.
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I would hazard to guess most competitive F class and bench shooters are way over 10k in a reloading set up and Erik is well over 20k with all is toys. These kind of costs to be competitive has put a nail in the coffin of these disciplines of shooting sports.
Amazing. Never be in your class, but as a hunter striving to get the best load, your videos are spot on and needed/wanted by many. Truly informative. For those of us less educated. You mention "ES and CD", are these acronyms, like P.S. is for Post Script or ASAP is as soon as possible, if so expand. Combustion, would this be in powder burn rate, powder charge and projectile (the seed) increase/decrease velocity. You are a huge asset to the present day shooter/reloader, whether it be F class or hunter. In 50 yrs of reloading, I don't thing I've ever seen the info that you convey, in any book. Thanks for you time and information, keep 'em coming.
What is this "ES" you keep speaking of?
Extreme spread fps
I wondered the same thing.
Thank you for clearing that up
Just watched a bunch of your videos including this one again. The reason so many people get mad is because for alot of them, they went down the reloading rabbit hole. Spent thousands and thousands of dollars on reloading equipment and components, tried all the hyped up tricks to get a perfect load, and finally found one. Only to have someone tell them that all that crap is unnecessary creates alot of butthurt. They have confirmation bias that all that money and time is what was needed to get a good load and they hate the fact that they have been wrong in their approach. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, the more this kind of info gets out, the more people can actually get out and shoot more instead of burning up their barrels looking for the perfect load.
Erik, can you talk about your Dillon setup?
Erik!! I did the jam the lands on a factor 223cal. Sporter rifle. Did well with it. Thanks!! I shoot bench rest 1-2-3 yards at a ground hog target with a nickel size 10 ring for a 3 round score in Sporter Class. All here in St.Thomas. South Central Penna.
Eric can you talk about what is acceptable as far as powder charge variation while reloading? I am looking for 1/2 minute to 1 moa accuracy and wondering if +or- 1 gr of charge is enough to actually make a difference. What is your procedure that you use?
1 grain can be a lot of variation depending on your cartridge and/or the powder type.
+/- a grain = possible maximum error of 2 grains difference between shots. That's a lot. potentially a dangerous lot, if your chosen charge is at/ near max pressure and is at max density, you could be pushing it a bit. Pressure with some powders can escalate very quickly with small changes once you're near max. 47 grs. might be fine, 48 might make a primer flatten a bit, 49 might lock your bolt shut and leave you beating on your bolt with a 2 x 4, or worse. You can throw them if you're getting 2 tenths or 3 between throws if it's hunting ammo you're loading. I weigh and trickle every charge for my 7mm match rig. At 100m a few tenths of a grain difference is insignificant, but at 900m a tenth can mean losing 1 point... and in close matches at high-level competition, 1 point is too much to lose. Throw 10 charges.. weigh it... throw 10 more in a clean pan. weigh it. do that for about half of the powder hopper. that will tell you if your measurer is throwing consistently. To be honest... my Hunting ammo IS as accurate as my match ammo... once the precision and accuracy bug has you, it's hard not to want everything to be bang-on. Like having sharp knives in the house... once you start sharpening.. they all end up razor sharp. If you're not as anal as I am about my numbers... you should be okay with a 1/4 to 1/2 MOA variation in your groups. That will hit the kill-zone of a deer well out beyond humane hunting ranges. A decent powder measure isn't all that expensive, nor is a good scale. Aim small, Hit small. Go for the 1/2 MOA groups. Your confidence will skyrocket, and your ego will thank you.
Just now watching this again and I like it all the more as this very video changed my way of building my loads. To say I have a lot of new Lapua brass on hand at all times for all my varmint and target loads is an understatement. I simply no longer reuse brass since once-fired Lapua brass sells quite easily and pays for my powder. Yellow box bullets are now all I use, extensively, even in my hunting rifle (25-06) that I now have an impressive load for utilizing those wonderful 133gr bullets. Thanks to those, I may be the last person on earth that will never own a 6.5 creed LOL. Congratulations on your recent win at the SW Nationals. Cheers from Arkansas.
Im an author of numerous books, researcher etc and a teacher. I can tell you are an awesome mentor...but this video is not beginner friendly. Nothing wrong with that if your focus is on advanced reloaders. But if you are appealing to the rush of beginners...anything to help with the terminology would help us newbies. At any rate, you have an excellent delivery. God bless you for your efforts and patriotism.
Excellent video! You broke reloading down to the essence of the matter, good job. I get tired of other so-called “experts” steal more than their share of oxygen trying to instruct reloading and they have no clue what they are talking about!
Thank you Mr. Cortina for your time and knowledge. I have been shooting F-TR for 2 years and seam to be getting no where. I think your video is putting me on the right track. Thanks again.
I really appreciate someone of your skill level sharing your knowledge and not trying to pretend that you are some sort of magician.
Hi, I like you make it simple. In 1970 when i first started reloading my .222 with Nosler 55 gr partition bullets, i did not even use a scale for powder. I used a measuring tool, i got the length of the bullet by measuring a factory round. Great hunting round, i used on pigs, goats and deer. Never had problems with primers, powders, or bullets. I used a simple 6 position turret press and reloaded .22 hornet, and .17 rem. It was simple, enjoyable and a lot of fun. I spent most of my time in the bush and not in the garage worrying about my loads! Thanks mate!
I don’t shoot PRS but I like my “mass accelerators” to be as accurate as they can be. I’ve been reloading for over twenty years and within the last five years I’ve abandoned all case prep except 1 toss used brass in a walnut cleaner, 2 de-prime and 3 resize. The only two things I tinker with are charge and C.O.A.L. Tonight you gave me a systematic approach to further improve my accelerator’s accuracy.
Absolutely correct and exactly what I was taught and trained to focus upon in getting the most consistent moa at less the a quarter of a inch your Teaching The Truth and Facts of Shooting and Simplifying it to the Basics and Fundamentals anyone who has a problem with that has yet to Do this and Seek out the Truth
Watched your video about “chasing the lands” after I struggled to find my rifles sweet spot. After I watched your video and reloaded a few loads. My first load was a 2/5” group. Thank you man. 🙏🏻
Right on Eric, I am just starting out with reloading 308. My hunting rifle is a Savage Scout SS and for F Class is the Howa M1500 ACP, both 308. Your explanation is very simple and useful for me. Thank you keep them coming!!!💯🤙
Keep the videos coming. I've been reloading for around 20 years now and I have learned a lot from your content. The crazy part is that it works like you know what you are talking about or something lol. Thanks for all of the info.
I love the simple stuff. It helps me better understand it and eliminates a lot of overthinking!
great content , Far advanced from what Im doing , The next question is , The Order Of things ?Like step 1 , Load ladder test , Step 2 seat depth, Step 3 Variables like primers and powder , Or ladder test , Look for a consistanmt load , if I have a consistant MV , Then go to seat depth , then Barrel Harmonics ,, ? Or in general just do them all in some form or fashion
Seriously glad I found this. I've been reloading for handguns for years. Simple stuff. I just started to do research getting ready to reload for my rifle, and from all the info out there it looked about 100x more complicated than handgun reloading. Good to know I don't have to buy $2000 worth of new precision measuring equipment to work up an accurate hunting/practice load. If you can keep getting sub-¼ MOA simple, I can keep getting a better than factory load simple.
Many of us don't shoot competition however, I've used this method to dial in my rifle loads and it's worked very well. While my rifles are not at the same level of accuracy yours are this method still allows you to maximize the accuracy potential of the gun you have. Obviously, the rifle must have a certain level of accuracy potential and all variables in the rifle minimized before you start. Thanks again for putting these vids out. They've saved me a lot of frustration and money..
One of the better reloading videos I’ve seen on TH-cam. Subscribed. Just keep doing what you do. as a new reloader I really appreciate your knowledge.
Love it. I have been subbing to the KISS theory for a couple of years now. I started falling down the rabbit hole of annealing and flash holes etc and pulled myself out. Now I concentrate on good load development and lots of range time and my shooting has steadily improved for two years now. Simple case prep, good load development and lots of burned out barrels works wonders
Thank you for cutting through the B$ and providing a solid foundation with which to start. Grealy appreciated!
Keep it coming Eric I learn a lot from your videos I’ve been reloading for about three years now started off with Johnnys reloading bench and getting more precise on your channel thank you
Erik, there are the facts as you placed on the table for everyone to dine on, I say "Thank You" and once you find a load combination that is accurate in the way you described, you have to have faith in it. things get in our head while we are trying to perform our best marksmanship and that mental aspect has a dramatic effect on accuracy. in other words, "If you think it makes a difference,, it probably does" good or bad. You have to ask yourself "Am I thinking or doing"? while shooting, this goes for shotgun, rifle, and pistol. The main thing is to build confidence in yourself while applying the fundamentals of marksmanship. -Dave
Right On, Never wanted to fall down the rabbit hole of trying to tweek cases to the point of literal redesign. Simple works, always has for me. Great Vid Erik!
I appreciate your simplified take on reloading. I have yet to seat my first projectile and I have been doing mass amounts of research on everything you mentioned referring to complication. I am waiting on pilots for trimming and a few other case prep tools before I can take start priming. Anyway I will be watching your videos for simplicity going forward. Thanks again for being on here!
I know im late to the video but the advice at the end has me thinking ive been doing things wrong. When to change powder charge and when to change seating depth. Brilliant!
This is really good information. I’ve followed you for a couple of years and appreciate the information you have put out. For a lot of us who are not PRS shooters but want to get the best out of off the shelf rifles applying the basic principles you promote will get the groups smaller, maybe not to a 1/4 MOA but hopefully down to 1 MOA. My experience building numerous AR style and three bolt rifles applying these principle have really reduced my group sizes. Anyway thanks for all the videos to help us non-pro shooters. For me it’s not competition against other shooters so much as with myself even though I do compete in local high power matches and rimfire matches. The joy is seeing my scopes keep going up not to mention the fun tinkering with my rifles getting them to shoot tiny groups. Keep up the good work and good luck in your future competitions.
Why would anyone dislike this video? Makes no sense. Erik keep up the good work.
Im a complete nube. I just got an sks. And still dont know what i dont know. Even though im not even in the same book let alone the same page, i love the content. And im learning. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to make the vids. They help more than you know.
I’ve been reloading a long time, the KISS principle works. You’ve proved that to me! Just subscribed.
Erik, I’ve been reloading for years. In a matter of only a few of YOUR short videos I’ve been shrinking my groups… by a wide Margin! Thank you for simplifying things!
YES, step by step Load development from new firearm to 0.25 MOA would be greatly appreciated! I don’t shoot competitively, but I desire to find the smallest groups possible for all my firearms.
This is the best Basics video and gives you a simple a simple set of rules for a a complicated problem! Many thanks!
You are demystifying the process for building and trouble shooting accurate & consistant rounds. Please continue! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge. You've obviously spent a large amount of time and resources ($$) to gain your knowledge. Thanks.
Back when I was a junior brux gave me a free service rifle for competition. Great company. Great shooting barrel.
It’s what I got distinguished with
FINALLY! A no-nonsense video on reloading. I follow much the same process of diagnosing problems, but I would love to hear more detail about the order you approach load development!
Great vid..thanks from Austria ! Would like to know more on how to lower the ES please !! (just ordered a better Chronograph) .
eric is awesome. just gotta listen to understand . explains all in simple exploration. pay attention . its simple. i never ever gonna be as good.but i listen to maybe get close.