So a beginner is best advised to practice, practice, practice; get coaching from someone with a proven record and only then (if ever) start getting obsessive over his ammunition?

Doing things exactly the same each time is the name of our game. To become extremely competitive one needs to know how to shoot at least two different wind conditions, preferably three with total confidence. It took me several years to get where I am currently at, that being able to shoot six conditions plus the mirage with total confidence. This was critical back when CBA matches were the biggest game in our town and only having 10 minutes to shoot the score targets, 10 minutes for five shot groups and 15 minutes for 10 shot groups. Minus the breach seating and re&de capping time for each shot and that 10 and 15 minute time limit shrank dramatically and there wasn't much free time left to wait for a specific condition to return. ASSRA and ISSA time limits are very generous thus the comment on at least two preferably three totally confident conditions to shoot in. This is the most important factor when one speaks about practice, practice, practice.

J.Louis

Back on indexing cast bullets.

Some of us shoot assembled rounds, someday breech seating.

SO, for those that assemble, do you index the case to the size die, the bullet to the case to the seater, and then the assembled round to the chamber?

I also place a notch on the case rim. I have also in experimentation rotated the case 1\4 turn per shot making a full circle and it formed groups in four different locations. This would be something for each individual to try to see if their results prove to be the same. I have not tried doing this with the bullet as I have always indexed but have told the results have been the same as rotating the case?

So true Bob.

OK. So those who index on a mark on the case rim, just what do you use as the criteria to put this mark. Seems to me just lining the mark up with a letter doesn't mean a thing such as taking into account the thin side of the case. A letter on the rim doesn't indicate anything other than it's on a particular letter.

Pete

Cat,

Maybe I'm missing your point.... or maybe not. What I was looking for was that line you put on the case. Where was it in relation to the wall thickness? Just putting the mark in relation to the bullet does not put it in relation to the case wall thickness. As I get your explanation other things besides the case wall thickness are more important and wall thickness might not have a bearing on accuracy.

Pete

People that index case usually only shoot one case and reload that one case over and over. People that index there bullets with a punch mark, should always index the bullet in the same position, each shot.

If you load multiple case, forget about indexing the cases, there is no way of knowing (w/o extensive measuring) what differences are present in each case.

I'm kinda old school now, I guess. I still shoot one case. I mark it with a 3 corner file because, in the shade or cloudy weather, I have a hard time making out the lettering. I can see and feel a mark.

Frank