Improving precision in a Gas Gun

[HKGuns]

As I stated in my AMP post, I'm trying to up my gas rifle reloading game. I get pretty decent results but want to see how much better I can be......

Since I won't be single loading my gas rifles and am limited in seating depth to magazine length, I have a few questions.

- What variables do consider most important?
- What part of your process do you spend the most time on?
- What is the best I can expect from a gas rifle?
- Should I even bother trying to improve accuracy in a gas rifle?

[markm]

It's all about the barrel, ammo, and glass. And you don't need an SS barrel to get good accuracy. PB's Geissele is every bit as accurate as a bolt gun and is my go to for shooting groups now.

Seating depth is never a consideration for me... I don't even waste a minute of my life on it, other than making sure the ammo mag length.

The scope is hugely important. There's an ATACR NF scope on the Geissele, and the reticle is a huge piece of the equation. I'm happy every time I get on that gun.

[grizzman]

What results are you getting now, and what components are you oh using?


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[HKGuns]

I don't load for specific rifles, I load mag length and try to control as many variables as possible. Depending on the barrel I can get .5 to 1.5 MOA groups on a consistent basis. I have too many rifles I like to shoot to load for each rifle individually and not enough time to reload specifically for each one. I don't know that I see much sense in that since I can't control seating depth, which I surmise is the largest improvement I could make as it seems to work in the bolt guns.

I use Redding Dies, mostly when they are available for the cartridge. If not Redding, Hornady or RCBS.
I load on a single stage Hornady Iron Press
I use a ChargeMaster 1500 and charge each case by hand
I have a variety of popular 556 powders in the cabinet including Varget - 4895 - XBR - CFE223 - BLC-2 and a few other suitable for 556 loading
I haven't found what powder I use to make much of a difference as long as the other variables are controlled
I typically use either Sierra or Hornady bullets
I use either sorted LC or Lapua brass when it is available
I use a Giraud trimmer to trim each case to a consistent length

I just started Annealing with the AMP Mark II, something I didn't have the ability to do before
I also started using a Dandy products electonic trickler and now trickle up to the charge weight after having the ChargeMaster throw 2 grains light.

[jbdesigns]

I have started annealing all my cases now and find that helps with mixed brass and multiple firings. Keeps neck tension more consistent (read a research study on accuracy in .222 and neck tension was one if the most critical factors. ) also annealing will extend brass life as neck splitting is most common besides loose primer pocket

I load on progressive press and like ball powders as they drop the most consistent charge weights.

I wet tumble so brass is like new.

Use lanolin and alcohol for case lube. Slippery and again, consistent.

Most common bullet i now load is a soft point 55gr. Found much better accuracy over any fmj 55gr. Ive loaded 69 smks and some nicely accurate 50gr zmax’s. But zmax just for plinking and practice.

If you want absolute best accuracy you will have to shoot multiple charge weights with a few different bullets till you get the best load.

For me, it’s simply an AR platform and my reloads must work well and have decent accuracy. My loads will work in all my rifles and importantly to me, in anyones else’s rifle as well. And i only go warm loads, not full 5.56 pressure. The extra 100-150fps not worth it to me.


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[HKGuns]

Yep that is a great point about working in all my and others rifles, which is also one of my primary considerations.

I think I may need to stop watching F-Class reloading videos.

[gunnerblue]

If I'm restricted to mag length and I want the best accuracy I shoot tangent-ogive bullets like the SMK since they are very tolerant to bullet jump. Other than that I try and load with same consistency as other types of rounds in addition to using slightly more neck tension for a gas gun than I would with a bolt action round due to the more virile clambering. I have found this to make a difference in overall length.

No reason why a semi auto can't shoot 1/2 MOA groups, though. I've able to do so but have found that I have to really concentrate on follow-though as there are so many moving parts as opposed to a bolt. Great glass doesn't hurt but even today's mid-level glass shouldn't be a detriment.

[markm]

I think I may need to stop watching F-Class reloading videos.

Absolutely. Life is too short for that kind of torture.

The other variable is primers... I'm still blown away at how much a primer can change a load/velocity/accuracy. But to your point, I load one load for any given bullet. And it is to be shot in any number of a dozen gas guns and a bolt gun.

[markm]

I wet tumble so brass is like new.

There's a whole school of thought that says cleaning brass to that extent hurts accuracy. For what it's worth, I wet tumble too because I don't like working with dirty brass. But there's a mess of guys who swear that removing the carbon from the inner necks hurts accuracy.

[Lefty223]

FWIW … reloading aside, also work on accurizing the rifle. I had a Cugir PSL where the grouping significantly improved after having the barreled action cryo-freezed. For inherent accuracy, it wasn’t an MOA rifle, but surely was a great DMR candidate, I’d say a solid 1.5 after all my accurizing (bedding, trigger job, etc.), reloading, freezing & gas tuning.

Prior to the cryo process she’d start stringing the shots up & to the right, with that pencil thin barrel, once it heated up. After treatment - and warm - I hammered 4 mags down range @ 100Y & the group never wandered! Markm himself helped me with that PSL, as I believe it’s that he’s the same ‘Mark’; it just was on another forum (PSL dedicated).

I’m thinking a Mini14 or such could also benefit from such a cryo process.

If no adjustable gas block, once I settle on a load, I’ll modify & custom tune the gas port to that load.