Reloading for iron sights

[freedom]

I'm a beginning reloader, but I'm not a benchrest shooter. Do I need to spend some money on some sort of rifle vice?

Right now I'm mostly reloading for a M1a. All I have now is a Caldwell bag, and with irons I don't think I'm consistent enough to really developed a load. Is there any way to load for accuracy without using a scope, lead sled, etc.

I can see the difference between M80 ball and better ammo. But, if I load something up that shoots 1/4 or 1/2 moa better than another, I'm not sure my inconsistencies would allow me to recognise it.

 

[handloader]

All a scope let's you do is see targets with magnification, and gives feedback on sight alignment by way of shadow. I go from bug holes to 1.5 moa without optics at 100. I am no spring chicken, but now as in my younger years could always hold minute of pie plate with iron sights at 100 meters.

 

[freedom]

I can hold 2moa groups with iron sights on a good day without bags or a bipod. I can call my shots too. What I don't think I can do is tell if a 3 moa group is me or the ammo. If I shoot 4 five shot groups and one is 2 moa, 1.75 moa, 2.5 moa, and one is 2.75 moa, what does it mean? That might be what I shoot with factory ammo. The 2.5 moa might have the optimum load but because I was a little rough with the trigger or lost focus for a shot I might not realise it. I might have done everything as well as I'm capable on the best group, but the load could be worse in terms of accuracy.

Do I need to get some things to take me out of the equation before I try to develop a load?

 

[handloader]

I use a rest and rear bag, or bipod and rear bag, and can consistantly shoot nickle size groups at 100 with an optic. I know 1.5 is about as good as it gets for me with irons. Thus if I am shooting my best groups, 1.5 I know the load is as good as I am, and it doesn't matter what my load is because that is as good as the groups are going to get. If the groups are 3 inches, there is room for load development.

 

[ltfirhunter]

What are you shooting in it now? Bullet weight, powder etc.
Do you have a good leather sling?

 

[Tiamat]

Be careful reloading for the m1a. My favorite load was 175 sierramatchking 42.2 imr4064 Cci standard primer in lithuanian brass . I installed a shuster gas block and tuned the action. My loads in the m1a would knot 5 rounds at 100 all day with iron sights. I used a six o'clock hold which helped.
Buy a good sling !I use les tam slings but he has an 18 month backlog. Turner makes a good one too. Sad lack makes the best gas rod for that rifle. Good luck.

 

[biker_bill]

Be careful reloading for the m1a. My favorite load was 175 sierramatchking 42.2 imr4064 Cci standard primer in lithoguenian

What's dat mean?

 

[Tiamat]

I misspelled lithuanian. That surplus ammo shot ok but the brass mas match grade.

 

[freedom]

What are you shooting in it now? Bullet weight, powder etc.
Do you have a good leather sling?

I have a m1907 sling, but I'm more comfortable with a standard gi web sling. Still getting used to the leather one.

Most everything I've shot so far is m80 ball. I loaded some 149gr pull downs and some 165 sp so far, mostly to make sure my gun wouldn't blow up. The 165s were loaded with 39.5 grs of benchmark. I was shooting clays at 100 yards, not for groups, but both seemed as accurate as I am.

The biggest lot of bullets I have are 174gr, think I have 600. They are older bullets, think they were replaced by the 175gr matchmaking.

 

[Tiamat]

The 174 will shoot just fine in my experience the 175/175 like to fly at 2550-2600 . That was my 42.2 grain fps accuracy node.
With my 300 wm 2900 is were they really shine.