From: bartb@hpfcla.fc.hp.com (Bart Bobbitt)
Subject: Re: accuracy  ??
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site

Z. Ohanian (zareh@utcc.utoronto.ca) wrote:

:  According to many target shooters , Stick powder is the only way to
:  go, they claim to have better shot to shot accuracy, better Temp
:  consistency, they claim that ball powder becomes erratic in cold Temp,

And I have posted many words saying that from a rest, both ball and
extruded powder will produce equal results for accuracy.  But when fired
from the shoulder in position (prone, standing) extruded powder results
in higher scores; tighter groups.  It takes longer for ball powder to get
the bullet out of the barrel than extruded powder does.  Our own news group
moderator effectively found this out some months ago; his standing scores
were higher with extruded powder compared to ball powder.

:  These points are well taken, but one should ask himself, DON 't the
:  powder makers know this too, or learned that from the complains that
:  people have had??

Some may, others may not.

:  NOw I have talked to bart before , A friend and I used RWS primers  as per
:  Bart's recommendation , we had both good and bad results with them, the
:  conclusion is that :
:  yes they are very consistent primers, they improve accuracy if used in
:  warm Temp
:  they are erratic in cold temp, cause velocity variations ,hence inaccurate
:  shots

What were the differences between loads that were better compared to those
that were worse?  As I remember, the better loads were closer to maximum
than the worse ones.  That's important.

:  I have developed the load using the AA2520, but not with IMR4064 ) ,
:  then I changed the primers, to see wether it is the primer that caused all
:  the problems on last year's winter Sniper match (in a snow storm ) , my
:  suspicion was correct, I  loaded 20 rounds with RWS primers using AA2520,
:  20 rounds with Federal 210M primers, shot 10 shot of each.
:  The group size was a full 3/4 MOA smaller with the 210M primers.

Not surprising; ball powder needs hotter primers to burn uniformly.

:  About the full sizing, I am not sure yet, I have tried , full sizing,
:  half neck sizing ( had great groups with it ,but inconsistent,

How can inconsistant groups be great?

:  RWS primers are good only in warm weather

I've used 'em in 10 degrees F and shot 6-inch, 20 shot groups at 1000 yards.
Both with IMR4064 in a .308 and IMR4350 in a 30 caliber magnum.  Both used
190-gr. HPMKs.  I don't think that's very warm weather.  If you firing pin
spring is weak, then most any primer won't perform well in cold weather.

BB