Originally Posted by homers brother

A little friendly advice - let's settle down a bit. You're sounding just a little frantic.

This is where a chronograph starts to pay off. Start here. Given identical bullets, driven at identical velocities, under identical environmental conditions, and launched to the same point of aim - they should theoretically go through the same hole in the target. Introduce any inconsistencies in the above factors, and they won't. Different points of aim result in group sizes opening up. A wind shift can result in group sizes opening up. Differences in velocities will result in group sizes opening up.

Obviously, aim is the shooter's issue. If you could predict the weather between the rifle and the shooter you'd be an overnight billionaire. But velocity is primarily a product of your ammunition.

My reloads never amounted to much (other than using "better" bullets) when I was starting out. It wasn't until I ran factory loads through a chrono, followed by my reloads, that I started to see just HOW different my reloads were. Not only a different average velocity, but a much wider extreme spread and higher standard deviations as well. Conclusion - my reloading process was junk.

I started being more deliberate. In doing so, I watched those numbers begin to narrow. I'm to the point now where I can record the data from a five-shot string and from the numbers predict the group size downrange, based on prior strings.

Now, there are times when I just can't get as consistent a velocity out of a given loading as I would expect to. Those are the loads "my rifle just doesn't like." But on the other hand, I've NEVER gone downrange to find that a narrow spread and standard deviation had produced a poor group (unless I, the shooter, knew I'd contributed to it).

Here's a recent example doing load development for .22-250 using Varget, CCI BR primers, and 50gr V-Max:

Load #1 (35.4 gr)
Average Velocity - 3607.8 fps
Standard Deviation - 61.9 fps
Variation Coefficient - 1.7%
Extreme Spread - 146 fps

GROUP SIZE: 0.991"

Load #5 (37.9 gr)
Average Velocity - 4075 fps
Standard Deviation - 33.2 fps
Variation Coefficient - 0.8%
Extreme Spread - 78 fps

GROUP SIZE - 0.367"

I think you'll find that if you use chrono data to measure your reloads rather than group size, you'll be able to more quickly isolate out what isn't working, and you'll be able to assess what the changes you make to a load REALLY do to it, things like seating depth, etc. If your only feedback is your target, you're limiting what you can see.